Fabricio Andrade Names The Strongest Kicker And Strongest Puncher In ONE Championship
Reigning ONE Bantamweight MMA World Champion Fabricio “Wonder Boy” Andrade has gone toe-to-toe with some of the most dangerous martial artists on the planet today.
Over the years, the 27-year-old Brazilian superstar has felt firsthand the shocking power from many of ONE’s elite athletes.
Andrade recently spoke to onefc.com about the hardest hitters in the organization. For him, it’s no small secret that the top pound-for-pound strikers compete in ONE:
“ONE has the best strikers in the world, for sure. I think that’s pretty clear. Muay Thai is the most complete striking martial art of all, allowing you to use your elbows, knees, punches, and kicks – and ONE has the best Muay Thai fighters in the world.
“So when it comes to striking athletes, ONE has the best in the world.”
When asked who delivers the most devastating kicks in the organization, “Wonder Boy” didn’t hesitate.
He named a man who is world-renowned for his bone-shattering power – reigning ONE Featherweight Muay Thai World Champion Tawanchai PK Saenchai:
“I believe that the one with the strongest kick is Tawanchai.”
Although he’s never faced Tawanchai in competition, Andrade has good reason to fear the Thai’s trademark kicking power. The 26-year-old featherweight titleholder boasts six knockouts in ONE, including an arm-breaking TKO of Davit Kiria and a crippling leg-kick stoppage of Jamal Yusupov.
Beyond that evidence, Andrade recalled a personal moment that served as a terrifying showcase of Tawanchai’s absurd leg power:
“Backstage at ONE, they provide pads for warmups, and they are very hard, so much so that I and other athletes often bring our own pads so as not to have to use these.
“For my last fight, I was in the same locker room as Tawanchai, and I saw that he was kicking this hard pad with all his strength, and his shins were very red. It looked like they were going to explode, and he kept kicking. I was impressed by how strong his kick is and how hard his shin is.”
‘The Strongest Punch’ Belongs To A Familiar Foe
Fabricio Andrade was also asked about the most powerful puncher in ONE – and he was quick to name a past rival.
After twice throwing down with former ONE Bantamweight MMA World Champion John Lineker in ONE World Title fights, Andrade is impressed by how much power “Hands of Stone” packs into his short frame:
“The strongest punch I believe is from my longtime friend John Lineker. If we compare his record with athletes from other categories around the world, he is probably among the athletes who have won the most fights by knockout with punches.”
In addition to his lengthy career in MMA, Lineker has recently proven that his punching power translates to the striking arts, finishing stand-up specialists Asa Ten Pow and Alexey Balyko over the course of his thrilling 2-2 run in Muay Thai and kickboxing.
Although Andrade acknowledged his former opponent’s fearsome power, he offered some insight into Lineker’s current mindset, suggesting the legendary knockout artist might be entering a different phase of his career:
“John Lineker is a dangerous guy who has a big name and a long history in the sport. But I think that at this moment, Lineker is not as focused as he was, for example, before fighting Bibiano Fernandes [to win the ONE World Title].
“I believe that at this moment he is not focused on being the MMA World Champion.’
