ONE on Prime Video 7 Main Event

February may be the shortest month of the year, but it hasn’t been short on action. This coming weekend is no exception. On Friday night, a jam-packed two days of MMA begin in Bangkok, Thailand as Singapore-based ONE Championship returns to Amazon Prime Video for ONE on Prime Video 7.

This event (main card 8 pm ET/ 5 pm PT) will be exclusive to Amazon Prime inside the United States and Canada only. Outside of North America, ONE on Prime Video 7 will be available on pay-per-view, being broadcast under the alternate title “ONE Fight Night 7.”

All told, Friday’s card features 10 total bouts, including five in MMA. The night’s itinerary is highlighted by a much-anticipated rematch in the ONE on Prime Video 7 main event.

Vacant Bantamweight Gold at Stake in ONE on Prime Video 7 Main Event Friday Night

No. 2 contender (and UFC alumnus) John Lineker (35-9, 1 NC MMA, 4-0, 1 NC ONE Championship) will face off against No. 1 contender Fabricio de Andrade (8-2, 1 NC MMA, 5-0, 1 NC ONE Championship.) At stake: The Vacant ONE Bantamweight Championship.

Unlike other MMA promotions, ONE bases its weight classes on a fighter’s everyday weight and has long banned dehydration as a means of cutting weight. In 2015, Yang Jian Bing passed away at just 21 years of age due to dehydration after failing to make weight naturally ahead of a ONE Championship event.

As with all MMA championships, Friday night’s ONE on Prime Video 7 main event will be an advertised maximum of five rounds at five minutes per round. This is a rematch from Oct. 21.

The First Meeting

Back in October, Lineker and Andrade squared off in the ONE on Prime Video 3 main event from Kuala Lumpur. Before the fight, Lineker, who had been the champion at 145 lbs., failed to make weight on both of his trips to the scale and thus had to relinquish the belt.

During the fight itself, Fabricio Andrade looked to be cruising to a victory and the strap. Midway through the third round of a scheduled five, however, he accidentally landed a strike to John Lineker’s groin. Despite Lineker getting the allotted five minutes to recover from the low blow, he couldn’t continue in the fight and the referee called it off.

Officially, the bout was ruled a no-contest. This Friday night, the score is finally settled,

ONE on Prime Video 7 Main Event Fighter Comparison and Betting Odds

Heading into the ONE on Prime Video 7 main event on Friday evening, Fabricio de Andrade stands as the taller man at 5-foot-7, compared to the 5-foot-3 frame of John Lineker. In addition, Andrade owns a 4.7-inch reach advantage (71.7 inches to 67 inches) over Lineker.

As it stands currently, the oddsmakers have Fabricio Andrade installed as a -240 favorite, with John Lineker countering as a +190 underdog. If you plan on betting on this or any other fight happening this weekend, please wager responsibly.

John Lineker Has Been Fighting Since His School Days

John Lineker has posted a record of 4-0 with one no-contest in his last five MMA fights. Before the no-contest vs. Andrade in October, he scored a second-round knockout with a left hook against Bibiano Fernandes (24-6 MMA, 12-3 ONE Championship) back in March of last year during ONE Championship: Lights Out.

Long before he turned professional in MMA, Lineker had to fight off bullies in school. In a recent interview, Lineker recalled that he needed to take matters into his own hands as opposed to letting the bullies win.

“I was not popular,” Lineker said. “At the time, we did not understand bullying. We simply cursed each other and fought, exchanging punches. But at the time, as I was short, the tall ones always wanted to pat me on the head and called me a dwarf.”

Lineker’s father advised his son that it’s better to hit than be hit, a mantra that’s stuck with him throughout much of his life. Now, with a bid for a championship in the offing on Friday during the ONE on Prime Video 7 main event, the edict of “hit or be hit” will ring true once again.

Fabricio Andrade Views ONE on Prime Video 7 Main Event as the End of Unfinished Business

In the other corner, Fabricio Andrade has gone 4-0 with one no-contest himself over the last five fights. Before the no-contest last fall, he stopped Kwon Won Il (first-round knockout: liver kick) during ONE 158. During Tuesday’s media availability, Andrade mentioned that he’s ready for anything in the rematch,

“If he comes to fight, I will knock him out in the first round,” Andrade said. “But in the first fight, we saw that he respected my game. He was walking back a lot and trying to wrestle me, something that we agreed we wouldn’t do before the fight. So, coming into the fight, I’m not going to give him any chances.”

Fabricio Andrade is no doubt a man on a mission. Will it be mission: accomplished during the ONE on Prime Video 7 main event? Tune in and find out.

Analysis, Film Study, and Prediction

Stylistically, the ONE on Prime Video 7 main event looks to favor John Lineker, a brown belt in Brazilian jiu-jitsu, compared to Fabricio Andrade’s background as a Muay-Thai kickboxer.

Watch For Lineker’s Power Punches

One constant of John Lineker’s fights is that they could be over in a hurry. Just ask the aforementioned Bibiano Fernandes. During the second round of a scheduled five, after having landed some wobbling punches in the opening round, Lineker peppered Fernandes with leg kicks before absorbing some punches from his opponent.

Upon exchanging blows, Fernandes took Lineker down. Later on in the round, Fernandes began to wear the effects of a fight against Lineker thanks to several punches to the face. At this point, Lineker smelled blood in the water and with a minute and 20 seconds left on the clock, he landed one punch square and true to knock Fernandes out cold.

If John Lineker comes out like a house on fire on Friday night, the ONE on Prime Video 7 main event. At the same time, Fabricio Andrade doesn’t mess around, either.

Fabricio Andrade Just As Brutal

Although John Lineker can end a fight in a hurry, Fabricio Andrade is known for putting an exclamation point on his night at the office even sooner. Jeremy Pacatiw found this out the hard way almost exactly one year ago.

Although scheduled for three rounds at five minutes per round, Fabricio Andrade needed slightly over one minute and 30 to get the job done and dusted. Pacatiw landed some shots but Andrade kept him honest with movement and a kick to the ribs.

Moments later, Andrade unloaded with a knee to the body. Pacatiw went down and out on contact. If Andrade lands a single knee strike on the button, he’ll walk out of Bangkok as the new champion.

Final Thoughts

This is an appealing start to your MMA weekend. Although the ONE on Prime Video 7 main event may be the first tentpole fight to watch between Friday and Saturday nights, it could also be the best fight of the weekend.

Get your popcorn ready before the fight starts. You might not have a chance later on.

Prediction: Fabricio Andrade by Unanimous Decision.