John Lineker Excited For ONE’s United States Debut, Predicts Johnson Vs. Moraes III
John Lineker’s exciting fighting style and his knack for huge knockouts have always made him a fan favorite in North America, so he’s excited for ONE Championship to make its United States debut in 2023.
On May 5, ONE on Prime Video 10: Johnson vs. Moraes III will take place at 1stBank Center in Broomfield, Colorado, bringing the world’s largest martial arts organization to a live American crowd for the first time.
Lineker – who trains at American Top Team gym in Florida – knows this is a huge opportunity for the promotion and its athletes.
He’s excited to make a dent in one of the most lucrative and renowned sports markets on the planet, and he expects this inaugural showcase to lead to even greater things in the future.
The former ONE Bantamweight World Champion said:
“ONE’s U.S. debut is great news for all of us fighters, and also for the event, which has been growing a lot around the world. It will be very good for us fighters in terms of sponsorship and visibility, among other aspects.”
Next up, #2-ranked Lineker has a rematch with #1-ranked Fabricio Andrade for the vacant ONE Bantamweight World Title at ONE on Prime Video 7 on February 10.
But once he attends to that business, “Hands of Stone” would love to compete on U.S. soil again.
The 32-year-old Brazilian delivered spectacular performances in the West for seven years before making the switch to Asia, and he would jump at any chance to showcase his MMA talents in front of those fans.
Lineker said:
“It would be an honor because most of my international fights were in the United States. So, to be fighting again in the U.S. for ONE Championship would be amazing!
“My focus now is to beat Fabrício Andrade. Let’s see after my fight and after the debut of ONE in the United States if any interesting opponents appear to fight in the next edition.”
John Lineker Thinks Adriano Moraes Will Submit Demetrious Johnson Trilogy Fight
ONE on Prime Video 10 will be headlined by the epic rubber match between Demetrious Johnson and Adriano Moraes for the ONE Flyweight World Title, and their head-to-head score is currently level at 1-1.
Moraes struck first when he knocked out Johnson in April 2021 to defend the belt, but the American legend returned the favor in August 2022 to claim the throne.
When they face off for the third time in May 2023, John Lineker believes his fellow Brazilian and American Top Team stablemate will use his BJJ black belt skills to earn the advantage.
“Hands of Stone” said:
“I believe in a victory for Adriano Moraes. He has a better ground game than Demetrious Johnson. I believe he will work well from a distance since he has a bigger wingspan, and he won’t let the DJ dominate the center of the cage.
“My bet is that Adriano Moraes will take down DJ and win this trilogy by submission.”
