‘He Still Has A Lot To Learn’ – Kulabdam Plans To Show John Lineker A New Level Of Muay Thai
Thai standout Kulabdam Sor Jor Piek Uthai is eager to put the brakes on John “Hands of Stone” Lineker‘s Muay Thai hype train.
On January 10 in U.S. primetime, the pair will collide in an intriguing bantamweight Muay Thai contest at ONE Fight Night 27: Tang vs. Abdullaev on Prime Video inside the historic Lumpinee Stadium in Bangkok, Thailand.
A former two-division Lumpinee Stadium Muay Thai World Champion with nearly 100 professional striking bouts on his resume, Kulabdam represents a serious step up in competition for the former ONE Bantamweight MMA World Champion.
While Lineker is undeniably one of MMA’s hardest pound-for-pound punchers, he remains essentially brand new to the sport of Muay Thai, scoring incredible knockouts in each of his first two appearances over the past several months.
That electrifying entrance into “the art of eight limbs” has garnered plenty of attention, but Kulabdam said the Brazilian superstar has a long way to go.
The Thai told onefc.com:
“For him to cross over from MMA to Muay Thai, I personally think he still has a lot to learn. Muay Thai has punches, kicks, knees, and elbows. He only has punches, truly living up to his nickname – ‘Hands of Stone.’
“If he wants to succeed in this sport, he has to get past me first. I’m definitely not an easy hurdle.”
Indeed, Kulabdam is a devastating knockout artist in his own right.
Aptly nicknamed “Left Meteorite” for the other-worldly power he carries in his southpaw punch, he boasts five finishes in ONE, most recently starching his Thai compatriot Suablack Tor Pran49.
But while punching is his most potent weapon, Kulabdam plans to lean on his underrated elbow attacks to catch the ultra-aggressive Lineker on the way in:
“I trained very hard for this fight. I especially strengthened my elbows. The reason I’m focusing on my elbows is because I studied my opponent and know that he is strong and has heavy punches.
“We are both punchers. If I come forward to punch him and got countered with an elbow, I may fall. On the other hand, I will use the same plan as him – use elbows to counter punches.”
No matter how it plays out, “Left Meteorite” is confident the fight will end in a knockout.
Considering each man’s savage finishing abilities and willingness to trade big strikes at a furious pace, many believe that prediction is likely to come true.
Kulabdam said:
“I can say that the fight will be the most intense. I think it definitely won’t go the distance. I don’t need to rely on the scores from the judges. I intend to knock him out.”
Kulabdam Eyes Top-Five Ranking
For Kulabdam Sor Jor Piek Uthai, a victory over John Lineker would mean more than just a win over a globally recognized competitor – it would further prove that he’s a dangerous contender in the talent-laden bantamweight Muay Thai division.
The key, the Thai said, will be finishing Lineker inside the distance:
“If I can knock him out, I think I’m good enough to get into the bantamweight rankings and definitely climb up to the title shot.”
After 14 exciting battles in ONE, Kulabdam has certainly shown that he belongs among the best of the best, but a knockout win against a dangerous striker like “Hands of Stone” would set him apart.
Still, he’s not about to start calling out top-five opponents. Instead, he’s happy to fight anyone and everyone on his journey toward a coveted golden belt:
“In my life, I have never chosen my opponent. It depends on who Boss Chatri sends to me to fight. I’m going to fight them all.
“If I want to be the World Champion, I must not choose my opponent. Whoever they offer to me, I will accept them all.”
