“I have nothing against him” - Bibiano Fernandes backtracks on beef with John Lineker

It seems Bibiano Fernandes is following suit, taking a cue from his upcoming opponent, No.1-ranked bantamweight contender John Lineker.

After an intense back-and-forth in the lead-up to their fight, Lineker recently downplayed his rivalry with ‘The Flash’. He said he still maintains a level of respect for the Brazilian MMA legend and reigning ONE bantamweight world champion.

Bibiano Fernandes has now done the same, backtracking on his beef with Lineker and brushing off their heated exchanges. In a recent interview with ONE Championship, Fernandes said it was all business ahead of his record 12th world title defense.

According to Fernandes:

“There’s no rivalry. I have nothing against him. He is the one who wanted to create something that didn’t exist. I’m a professional, I’m there to fight. That was his way of earning a title shot. That’s my job. He can say whatever he wants, and when it’s time for a fight, I’ll do whatever I have to. I come forward and fight, and I hope it’s a great fight for the fans, too.”

Their verbal tirades against each other were entertaining, to say the least. However, it appears now that the two are laser focused on the task at hand. Fernandes says he understands where Lineker is coming from, and knows that “trash talk” is just part of the game.

“I’m old school, but I don’t have much to say about it. But he kept texting me all the time. He was trying to promote himself and couldn’t.”

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Bibiano Fernandes and John Lineker have mutual respect for one another

John Lineker recently said that he admired Bibiano Fernandes for his impressive achievements in the sport. According to Lineker, the Brazilian's efforts created a lot of opportunities for fellow Brazilian fighters in some of the biggest martial arts promotions in the world, particularly ONE Championship.

However, ‘Hands of Stone’ also reiterated that he believes Bibiano Fernandes is past his prime and that his time as champion is coming to a close.

Responding to Lineker's comments, Fernandes said:

“I’m sure I opened a lot of doors for Brazilians. I believe that I am a reference in the martial arts world, so I am happy that I helped some Brazilian athletes. I thank him for recognizing that. In relation to my heyday being over, it all depends on how the athlete takes care of the body, mind, and diet. All I know is that I’m going to make my 12th world title defense.”

Fernandes and Lineker battle it out in the main event of ONE: Bad Blood, which broadcasts live from the Singapore Indoor Stadium on Friday, February 11.