What’s Next for John Lineker? 3 Potential Fights for the Former Divisional King

John “Hands of Stone” Lineker may have bit the dust in his quest to reclaim bantamweight gold at ONE Fight Night 7 last month, but the Brazilian veteran remains one of the top talents in the division.

Lineker’s fists of fury flew in his main event rematch with Fabricio “Wonder Boy” Andrade, but they just couldn’t inflict enough damage to see off his young compatriot.

But with a few adjustments, he could well find a way to dispatch the new divisional king if they ran it back.

Before he steps up for a trilogy bout with “Wonder Boy,” Lineker needs to show why he deserves to sit in the top-ranked spot and be the next contender.

With that in mind, here are three fights that could be next for “Hands of Stone.”

#1 Kwon Won II

A slugfest with fellow knockout artist “Pretty Boy” Kwon Won Il could be a match made in heaven for Lineker.

The South Korean star has been on the lookout for a tussle with one of the top men in the division, and with the #1-ranked contender looking to regain face, it would make sense for them to square off.

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Despite sitting a couple of spots below Lineker in the #4 spot, “Pretty Boy” has repeatedly showcased that he can fill big shoes on the global stage.

All of Kwon’s wins inside the Circle have come by knockout. But it remains to be seen whether his weapons are potent enough to put a man like “Hands of Stone” to sleep.

#2 Bibiano Fernandes

Lineker needs to make a statement in his next fight, and another win over longtime kingpin Bibiano “The Flash” Fernandes could make a bid for another shot at gold a lot easier.

Lineker grabbed the ONE Bantamweight World Title from Fernandes’ grip at ONE: LIGHTS OUT in March last year, putting the Brazilian to sleep at 3:40 of the second round via strikes to the face.

“Hands of Stone” would fancy his chances if he meets Fernandes for a rematch, and there’s every reason to believe he could achieve a similar result if the two got paired against each other next.

#3 Stephen Loman

Stephen “The Sniper” Loman has pieced together three back-to-back wins in ONE Championship, leading many to believe he could be on the cusp of a ONE Bantamweight World Title shot himself.

However, if Andrade gets another name for his first title defense, the Filipino warrior would undoubtedly settle for Lineker.

It would be a fair battle for both parties, given that Loman sits in the #2-ranked spot, making Lineker the only man blocking his path to gold.

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Besides, the Team Lakay athlete seems to be improving with every fight, and another massive win over a former divisional king could provide him with more belief that he can make a run toward gold.

Loman would not be in for a walk in the park, though.

Lineker is fired up to return to winning ways and has plenty of tools to take out “The Sniper.”