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Fabricio Andrade is an “uncrowned king” no more.
His setback last year only made ‘Wonder Boy’s coronation night much sweeter, as he finally hoisted the ONE bantamweight world title after beating rival John Lineker to a pulp at ONE Fight Night 7 last weekend.
Much like their first encounter, Andrade once again received heavy blows from ‘Hands of Stone’ and did not leave the match unscathed. The 25-year-old, though, simply bit his mouthpiece and kept pushing forward.
‘Wonder Boy’ dished out punishment of his own, tagging the former world champion with a whirlwind of strikes to the head and body. By the end of round four, Lineker’s face was an absolute mess, leaving his corner no choice but to yield.
Fabricio Andrade was an emotional wreck when he finally held that elusive golden belt in the aftermath of the epic war. That career-defining moment made all the pain, disappointment, and frustrations worth it in the end.
While the Brazilian basks in the glory of his massive milestone, fight fans can’t help but wonder what’s next?
The once-promising prospect now has a throne to defend and a legacy to cement, so let’s take a look at his three possible opponents in the near future.
#3. Fabricio Andrade vs. Bibiano Fernandes
It wasn’t that long ago when Bibiano Fernandes was considered not just one of the best fighters in the promotion, but in all of MMA. In his heyday, ‘The Flash’ wreaked havoc in the 145-pound division, with 12 wins in 15 fights inside the circle.
But like the other greats before him, Father Time has somehow caught up with the 42-year-old Brazilian following back-to-back defeats to John Lineker and Stephen Loman.
Still, the fourth-ranked bantamweight is not yet ready to sail into the sunset.
Fernandes knows he just needs to string a few more victories to get back into world title contention. Despite his loss to Loman in his previous outing, Fernandes’ ground mastery is still as dangerous as ever.
If given the opportunity to fight Andrade, ‘The Flash’s elite BJJ skills could still give ‘Wonder Boy’ a run for his money.
While he won’t be the immediate challenger for Fabricio Andrade’s newly won crown, don’t be surprised if Fernandes earns himself another world title shot somewhere down the line.
#2. Crossover bout with Petchtanong Petchfergus
Fabricio Andrade has been vocal about broadening his horizons and testing himself in striking-only matches in ONE Championship.
Before taking the MMA world by storm, ‘Wonder Boy’ traced his roots to kickboxing and Muay Thai, where he compiled an impressive 40-3 record.
While defending his shiny new belt should be his first order of business, the case can be made that Andrade has earned himself a shot at two-sport supremacy.
The ONE bantamweight kickboxing world title also changed hands last year when Petchtanong Petchfergus decimated Hiroki Akimoto.
Considering there’s no clear-cut contender in that division in the meantime, Andrade could pose an interesting challenge for the Thai superstar.
We’ve seen just how devastating Fabricio Andrade’s punches are, which also allows him to set up his vicious kicks and knees. Plus, without the threat of takedowns, Andrade could even unleash his full striking pedigree.
Truth be told, a match with Petchtanong seems farfetched right now, but it’s certainly a dream matchup for all combat sports fans.
#1. Fabricio Andrade vs Stephen Loman
A world champion is defined by the number of his successful world title defenses. By the looks of it, Fabricio Andrade is already thinking about the most imminent threat to his reign.
Moments after claiming the vacant bantamweight throne, ‘Wonder Boy’ called out the No.3-ranked 145-pound fighter in the promotion, Stephen Loman.
While it would be interesting to see how the Brazilian firecracker would fare in a different weight class or sport altogether, he still has to clear his division first before going elsewhere.
Loman, who blitzed through his first three opponents inside the circle, is certainly the next man in line.
For one, the Team Lakay star possesses a well-rounded skillset that could pose problems for the newly minted king of the division.
‘The Sniper’ has dynamite in his left hand, which he used to take away Yusup Saadulaev’s equilibrium back in his promotional debut. Loman’s ever-evolving ground game was also in full display when he outgrappled BJJ black belt and former world champion Bibiano Fernandes.
Meanwhile, taking out a formidable challenger like Loman would certainly be a fruitful beginning to Andrade’s world title reign, It is worth noting that the Filipino slugger is on an 11-fight winning streak and has not tasted defeat since 2016,
Fabricio Andrade already destroyed a Team Lakay fighter in Jeremy Pacatiw, and he would love to add another big-name victim like Loman to his growing hit list.
