After leaving the UFC following a decision loss to Cory
Sandhagen in April 2019, John
Lineker elected to sign with Singapore-based promotion One
Championship.
That decision has paid off to the tune of successive victories over
Muin
Gafurov, Kevin
Belingon and Troy
Worthen to begin his promotional tenure. As a result, “Hands of
Stone” will get his chance to fight for the bantamweight
(145-pound) belt against countryman Bibiano
Fernandes on Dec. 5.
“He offended me personally with some statements, but I took it
professionally,” Lineker told Sherdog.com. “I don’t like trash
talking — my answer will be given in the fight.
“I have no doubt Bibiano is a great champion, but this is my turn.
That´s the moment I´ve always dreamed,”Lineker continued. “He is
one of the best jiu-jitsu fighters in MMA. For sure the best
jiu-jitsu fighter I´ve ever faced, but the fight starts standing
up, and I’m going to look for the knockout from the opening second.
I´m sure he’s never faced someone with the power I have in my
hands. He will face a stone rain.”
Lineker lived in Florida and trained at American Top Team for 16
months until he decided to visit his family in Paranagua, Brazil,
following his victorious debut in One in October 2019.
“I was stranded by the pandemic here. Thank God I have a great
training structure in Paranagua that allowed me to have two very
good camps as well as I the one I will have for Bibiano,” he
said.
Despite a successful run in the UFC, Lineker hasn’t had any regrets
about his choice to find a new organization in which to
compete.
“I´m feeling at home, happy and satisfied here in One,” Lineker
said.
As someone with experience against both Sandhagen and T.J.
Dillashaw, Lineker was an interested observer when they squared
off this past July at UFC on ESPN 27, with Dillashaw capturing a
split-decision triumph. The Brazilian didn’t necessarily agree with
the final verdict, however.
“It was pretty clear to me Sandhagen won that one,” Lineker
said.
After seeing Dillashaw pass a difficult test after more than two
years away from the sport, Lineker believes his former foe will
become UFC champion once again.
“I see Petr Yan
beating Aljamain [Sterling], but I believe Dillashaw is a more
complete fighter who has more weapons against the Russian,” Lineker
said.
With boxing as his primary style, Lineker has dreams of One
allowing him to cross over into the Sweet Science like MMA stars
such as Conor
McGregor, Vitor Belfrot, Anderson
Silva and Tyron
Woodley have recently done.
“That would be like a dream coming true,” Lineker said. “I truly
hope the boss allows me to do that.”