ONE on Prime Video 3 preview: Breaking down John Lineker vs. Fabricio Andrade

It’s fight week and we are just days away from a massive showdown for the ONE bantamweight world championship between John Lineker and Fabricio Andrade.

The two fiery Brazilian bantamweights will lock horns in the main event of the promotion's third Prime Video event. The card is set to be broadcast live via Prime Video from the Axiata Arena in Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia on Friday, October 21.

On paper, this fight promises fireworks, and it’s hard to predict who will come out the victor. The general consensus is that whoever lands clean first will turn the lights out on his opponent and go home with the golden belt.

But it’s not that simple, not at this high level of competition.

Lineker and Andrade have incredibly nuanced fighting styles, and this fight could come down to who can impose his will. Let’s size the two fighters up based on the organization's unique scoring criteria.

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Finishing ability

No one watching this fight expects it to go the distance. There’s just no chance Lineker or Andrade will need all five rounds in this fight. Someone’s going to get finished before the final bell rings.

That being said, they have slightly different methods to their madness. Andrade employs a more cerebral, calculated offensive style. He’s able to thread the needle and capitalize on openings in order to deliver stoppages.

Meanwhile, Lineker is more of a wild puncher, throwing everything at the fan and seeing what sticks. In terms of finishing ability, they are incredibly even, but because Lineker has had a more diverse collection of opponents and plenty more experience, the edge goes to ‘Hands of Stone’ in this category.

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Damage

Both men have a penchant for hurting their foes and doing real damage. But if we’re talking solely about pure damage, we have to give John Lineker the advantage here.

'Hands of Stone' has taken out some of the toughest bantamweights in the promotion, including former bantamweight kings Kevin Belingon and Bibiano Fernandes.

Andrade, on the other hand, has equally impressed in his time inside the circle, but has done so against slightly more meager opposition. We can only assess fighters based on their performances, and there’s no doubt Lineker has had a more impressive run against a slightly beefier list of victims.

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Striking and cage generalship

In terms of striking ability and skill, there’s no question Andrade is the better fighter. Whilst Lineker has his wild looping hooks and vicious uppercuts, the 32-year-old veteran is extremely limited in his choice of weapons.

In contrast, Andrade has a complete arsenal of liver kicks, step-through knees, tomahawk elbows, and more. He uses all of his weapons to great effect in his fights. The 25-year-old also knows how to use distance and timing to his advantage, utilizing the full circumference of the circle with expert movement.

Look for Andrade to stay on the outside, peppering Lineker from range while the elder statesman tries to barrel forward with evil intent.

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Takedowns and takedown defense

No one’s going for a takedown in this fight, because neither man wants to grapple. Lineker and Andrade want to stick to what they do best, and that’s to throw down at the center of the circle. We can probably render this category null and void.

But if one man were to take matters to the canvas, the edge would have to belong to Andrade, who has one submission victory in the circle. He used a rear-naked choke to defeat Mark Abelardo in his promotional debut in 2020.

On the flipside, it has been seven years since Lineker scored a submission win. His last tap-out success came in his guillotine choke win over Francisco Rivera in 2015. For all intents and purposes, Lineker has likely forgotten how to grapple.

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Effective aggression

It’s not just about being aggressive, but being effective with offense as well. Lineker likes to move forward, unleashing wild looping hooks. He doesn’t care if he gets hit, because he knows that if he can land just one solid punch, it could all be over.

Meanwhile, Andrade is a master with his movement and precision striking. Not only that, but he can fight moving backwards, something that Lineker just can’t do. In terms of effective striking, Andrade is the clear-cut winner of this category.

Of course, it all depends on how this fight plays out and who can impose his will. We all know how both of these men fight, so we have an idea of how this fight goes down.

But anything can happen in the circle, and we’ll have to wait until the first bell rings on October 21 to find out.