Wonder Boy’s Rise: Fabricio Andrade’s Perfect MMA Run In ONE Championship
Brazilian phenom Fabricio “Wonder Boy” Andrade has had an incredible run in ONE Championship since he first competed in the world’s largest martial arts organization five years ago.
On Friday, December 5, live in U.S. primetime from Bangkok, Thailand, the 28-year-old Fortaleza native will defend his ONE Bantamweight MMA World Championship against #4-ranked contender Enkh-Orgil Baatarkhuu at ONE Fight Night 38 on Prime Video.
After going a perfect 7-0 in MMA competition under the ONE banner, Andrade’s next World Title defense comes at a moment when he has never looked better.
The Brazilian star arrives at this main event with a winning streak built on electric finishes, discipline, and steady evolution. Every outing has added something different to his game, and they have carried him from promising newcomer to a World Champion with a huge target on his back.
Before “Wonder Boy” steps in to face his Mongolian challenger, let’s take a complete look at the unbeaten run that shaped him.
Andrade Chokes Out Mark Abelardo In ONE Debut
Fabricio Andrade made his first appearance in ONE at 22 years old when he took on fellow knockout artist Mark “Tyson” Abelardo at ONE: No Surrender in July 2020.
Just as he would throughout the rest of his winning streak, the Brazilian used lightning-fast, long, straight punches to set the range, bloodying his opponent’s face in the process.
In the second round, a frustrated Abelardo lunged for a takedown. Andrade defended it well, and in a rare showcase of “Wonder Boy’s” ground game, the Brazilian swiftly took the Filipino-Kiwi veteran’s back and choked him unconscious in a matter of seconds.
With that victory, the bantamweight MMA division was officially on notice.
Andrade Outlasts Shoko Sato
Having punched his ticket to the #4 contender spot in the bantamweight MMA division, Fabricio Andrade next faced streaking Japanese star Shoko Sato at ONE: Unbreakable III in February 2021.
Riding a six-fight winning streak and with more than 45 MMA bouts on his resume, Sato represented a serious step up in competition and also held the #2 spot in the deep bantamweight MMA rankings.
However, “Wonder Boy” handled the Japanese fighter’s challenge with relative ease, showing off savvy defense on the mat while winning most of the stand-up exchanges. He was particularly effective in the clinch, where he used vicious elbow strikes to open up a cut on Sato’s head, leaving his opponent in a crimson mask to end the contest.
Andrade would see the judges for just the second time in his mixed martial arts tenure, but he earned a clear-cut unanimous decision victory to continue his ascent.
Andrade Demolishes Li Kai Wen In First Round
At ONE: Winter Warriors II in December 2021, Fabricio Andrade squared off with dangerous Chinese finisher “The Underdog” Li Kai Wen, who had finished each of his previous four opponents.
Unfazed by Li’s power, the Brazilian was full of confidence that night, pumping a piston-like jab early and often to upset his foe’s rhythm and maintain the distance. After just a few minutes, that jab set up a clean knee to Li’s body, and that would signal the beginning of the end.
“Wonder Boy” poured on the strikes, including even more knees to the body. A left high kick followed by a flurry of punches sent the Chinese athlete crashing to the mat, and it was over in under five minutes.
With another impressive win, a hyped Andrade screamed to the cameras: “I want the belt!”
Andrade Makes Quick Work Of Jeremy Pacatiw
Fabricio Andrade would have to continue to prove himself worthy of a World Title shot, though, as his next opponent was a fellow rising star in Filipino sanda specialist Jeremy “The Juggernaut” Pacatiw.
The two men squared off at ONE: Full Circle in February 2022, and while their matchup was expected to be closely contested, Andrade barely broke a sweat.
Fighting out of the southpaw stance, the Brazilian caught Pacatiw lunging forward and dispatched him with a devastating knee to the liver, finishing the bout in less than two minutes.
It was one of Andrade’s most devastating finishes to date, and one that would ultimately live in his highlight reel.
Andrade Finishes Kwon Won Il With A Thunderous Kick
At ONE 158 in June 2022, Fabricio Andrade needed just a little over a minute to demolish then #2-ranked contender “Pretty Boy” Kwon Won Il.
Just like his previous fight, “Wonder Boy” leaned on traditional southpaw weapons — the left kick and the straight left punch.
Following a few exchanges, Andrade landed a thunderous left kick to Kwon’s body, sending him to the floor screaming in agony as the referee called an end to the contest. It was the perfect display of the Brazilian’s diverse striking repertoire.
After yet another statement-making victory, Andrade was ready for a crack at the gold. He added a special message in his post-fight celebration.
“John Lineker, you are next!” Andrade shouted from atop the Circle Wall, staring intently into the cameras. The stage was set for one of the most intense bantamweight rivalries ever in ONE.
Andrade Controls John Lineker Before No Contest
Unfortunately, Fabricio Andrade’s first World Title opportunity at ONE on Prime Video 3 did not end the way he had expected.
After former titleholder John “Hands of Stone” Lineker was stripped of the belt for missing weight, Andrade became the only man eligible to win the vacant gold.
The young contender immediately took charge at the opening bell, repeatedly finding Lineker’s chin with sharp jabs and straight punches that caused swelling around the veteran’s right eye. The pressure even forced Lineker — a fighter known for marching forward — to shoot for takedowns in an effort to slow the onslaught.
In the third round, Andrade unleashed a knee to the body that sent Lineker backward, but as he surged forward with follow-up attacks, another knee inadvertently landed low. The impact shattered Lineker’s cup and left him unable to continue, resulting in an unceremonious no contest.
Despite the abrupt ending, Andrade had shown he could handle the former World Champion, and anticipation for the rematch immediately intensified.
Andrade Batters Lineker To Become World Champion
Four months later at ONE Fight Night 7, Fabricio Andrade faced John Lineker again, and this time, he left no doubt.
He and Lineker resumed their rivalry with a high-paced striking battle, trading heavy shots from the onset. Not long after, Andrade’s cleaner boxing and relentless volume steadily took over the contest.
Throughout the second and third rounds, he consistently split Lineker’s guard with straight punches and targeted his Brazilian countryman’s body with punishing kicks. Late in round four, Andrade unleashed a string of precise punches that opened a deep cut above Lineker’s eye.
Lineker’s corner had no choice but to stop the fight between rounds, crowning “Wonder Boy” as the undisputed ONE Bantamweight MMA World Champion.
Andrade Demolishes Kwon Won Il Even Faster Than The First Time
In his first World Title defense at ONE 170: Tawanchai vs. Superbon II in January, Fabricio Andrade faced Kwon Won Il for the second time and finished him even quicker in their highly anticipated rematch.
Knowing Kwon would expect the body kick that ended their first encounter, Andrade adjusted brilliantly. After feinting the kick, he slipped inside a counter and buried a perfectly timed left hook into Kwon’s liver.
The South Korean immediately crumpled, and the referee waved off the bout just 42 seconds into the contest. It was the fastest finish of Andrade’s career and a brutal reminder of why he has become one of the most feared World Champions in the sport.
