‘We’ll Put On A Show’ – John Lineker Expecting Fireworks In Crucial Matchup With Stephen Loman
John Lineker is ready for a quick turnaround after adding career knockout victory number 18 to his resume last time out.
The Brazilian slugger will face Stephen Loman in a battle of top bantamweight MMA contenders at ONE Fight Night 14: Stamp vs. Ham on Prime Video, and he expects the surging Filipino to bring out his best.
Fresh off his sensational last-second stoppage win over Kim Jae Woong in August, #1-ranked “Hands of Stone” is eager to capitalize on his momentum.
He’ll have a massive opportunity to do just that when he battles the division’s #2 contender in North American primetime this Friday, September 29.
Looking ahead to the key matchup in Singapore, Lineker said:
“Thank God I had a good fight [against Kim]. I didn’t get hurt, so I asked my manager to arrange a new fight soon. So this fight against Stephen Loman was scheduled.
“Loman is a tough athlete, a guy who goes after his opponents all the time. He has shown that he also wants to fight for the World Title.
“He is a very versatile guy who fights well both standing and on the ground. I’m sure it will be a great fight, a very fun fight where we’ll put on a show for the fans.”
Lineker previously held the ONE Bantamweight MMA World Title after knocking out longtime divisional king Bibiano “The Flash” Fernandes in March 2022.
“Hands of Stone” felt Fernandes’ strength firsthand – even being knocked down during that contest – so he was impressed by Loman’s dominant victory over “The Flash” last November.
With that in mind, Lineker is expecting to be pushed hard this week:
“In his fight [against Fernandes], Loman was very confident on the ground and landed very strong ground-and-pound. His performance was very good, and he got this great victory over Bibiano.
“He has a very strong punch and works well with takedowns. Loman also has good ground-and-pound. He’s a guy who doesn’t stop, moves a lot, and who’s really hard to find in the cage. So, his strengths are his takedowns and movement.”
Lineker: ‘I Enter A Fight To Knock People Out’
John Lineker learned from his last match against fellow striker Kim Jae Woong that he can’t always predict what his opponent will do.
That’s especially true against Stephen Loman, who comes from a strong striking background but has diversified his MMA game to pose a threat in every area.
Still, given Lineker’s storied history of finishing fights with his fists, he thinks Loman will look to utilize his wrestling in an attempt to stay safe.
“Hands of Stone” explained:
“When I faced Kim Jae Woong, I thought the fight would be fought standing up, just striking, and he surprised me by putting me down. So, taking this fight against Kim Jae Woong as an experience, I need to be prepared for all situations that may happen in the fight.
“I believe that Loman will also try to put me down because he knows that I have heavy hands and knockout power. So, I believe he won’t want to risk it.”
Despite the different strategies his foe might employ, Lineker’s tactics will remain the same.
His main goal is always to land leather and separate his opponent from their senses, and that familiar game plan will be on display against “The Sniper.”
The Brazilian thinks he’ll have a significant advantage on the feet, so he intends to snap Loman’s 11-fight winning streak in highlight-reel fashion and earn another shot at bantamweight MMA king Fabricio Andrade.
He added:
“I have heavier hands and more dangerous boxing. I’m going to use my boxing and my knockout power to look for another knockout victory.
“I enter a fight to knock people out, to put on a show. This fight will be no different. I will get the knockout one more time.”
