Bantamweight Muay Thai star Asa Ten Pow came to ONE Championship to face the biggest and best names in combat sports, and he plans to keep hunting after taking out one of them this weekend.
“The American Ninja” will welcome former ONE bantamweight MMA world champion John Lineker to Muay Thai when they collide at ONE 168: Denver this Saturday, September 7, at Ball Arena in Denver, Colorado.
After back-to-back knockout wins over Han Zi Hao in April 2023 and Rambolek Chor Ajalaboon at ONE Fight Night 14 last September, this is the kind of marquee matchup Ten Pow has been yearning for.
“It’s definitely the kind of fight that I want, these big-name guys. It will probably be my biggest name to date as far as profile goes,” he said.
“I know Lineker brings a big fan base. It’s a high-profile fight. It’ll get a lot of eyes on me. I’m expecting a good showing that will help propel my name even further up the rankings.”
The pair may be meeting under Muay Thai rules this weekend, but Ten Pow is open to switching from his bread-and-butter if he scores a win in Denver.
That move would make sense, given that he’s no stranger to mixed martial arts. “The American Ninja” previously competed in the all-encompassing sport on the regional scene, and he even earned a knockout win in his debut.
Victory over Lineker may provide him an avenue to return to MMA. If it does, he’s already got ONE Championship’s next U.S. event in November eyed as a possible date – as well as a particular opponent in mind.
“John Lineker is right here in front of me. He’s the target, and I’m going to finish that. Then from there, we’ll see what ONE wants to do with me, but I’ll shoot my shot on everything for sure,” Ten Pow said.
“In MMA, we can do it in Atlanta as well. Get me right back [at ONE 169]. What I’m really trying to do now is stay consistent, be on top of it, and just get these fights going.
“I think ‘The American Ninja’ is one of the most exciting things to happen to MMA. Put me up against Fabricio Andrade, that would be a great matchup for me.”
