Stephen Loman says he’d be down to fight John Lineker in a bantamweight eliminator

Stephen Loman isn’t against fighting John Lineker in a bantamweight title shot eliminator bout.

In November 2022, Loman defeated former ONE bantamweight MMA world champion Bibiano Fernandes by unanimous decision. The win was expected to give ‘The Sniper’ a title shot against the holder of the bantamweight crown.

Unfortunately for Loman, a lot has changed in the division over the last month. Firstly, new divisional king Fabricio Andrade is now scheduled to fight ONE bantamweight Muay Thai world champion Jonathan Haggerty for the ONE bantamweight kickboxing world title on October 6.

Secondly, former bantamweight MMA world champion John Lineker secured a highlight-reel knockout against Kim Jae Woong on August 4. Therefore, ‘Hands of Stone’ has an argument for deserving a number one contender matchup in his next ONE appearance.

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During an interview with The MMA Superfan, Stephen Loman was asked about potentially fighting Lineker next. He responded by saying:

“If ONE wants a title eliminator match between me and Lineker, then there’s no problem with it.”

Stephen Loman made his ONE Championship debut in December 2021, defeating Yusup Saadulaev with a first-round knockout.

Since then, Loman has secured back-to-back unanimous decision wins against Shoko Sato and Bibiano Fernandes, which pushed him to the upper echelons of the bantamweight MMA division.

Meanwhile, John Lineker bounced back from a brutal two-fight series against Fabricio Andrade by taking out Kim Jae Woong.

The 33-year-old Brazilian proved again that he’s one of the most dangerous fighters on the ONE roster. It’ll be intriguing to see if ‘Hands of Stone’ is rewarded with a number one contender matchup in his next fight.

About the author

Jake Foley is a journalist at Sportskeeda, specializing in covering all forms of combat sports, including MMA, Boxing, Kickboxing, and Muay Thai. His passion is ignited by the exceptional fusion of physical and mental skills demanded by world-class fighters in these sports. Jake is captivated by the intricate mix of fierce determination and a modest mindset exhibited by athletes in these disciplines. He also finds the atmosphere of major championships, like the epic clash between Khabib Nurmagomedov and Conor McGregor, truly unparalleled.

Jake has earned his UFC credentials to cover the major events for Sportskeeda and has conducted several interviews.

Jake supports various teams across several professional sports, including the Las Vegas Raiders, Inter Miami, Norwich City, Miami Marlins, and Las Vegas Golden Knights. The sports moment Jake will never forget is Jon Jones dismantling Vladimir Matyushenko.

Since joining the SportsKeeda team, Jake has written 400 articles covering several MMA promotions, including the UFC and ONE Championship. He continues to work hard to maintain his journalistic integrity and tell the stories of fighters worldwide.

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Edited by C. Naik