Mixed martial arts icon Demetrious Johnson can be added to the legion of fans that Fabricio Andrade has cultivated since arriving at ONE Championship in 2020.
The Brazilian dynamo has lit up the Circle every time he has stepped inside it, and he will be riding a perfect 5-0 record into his ONE bantamweight title showdown with reigning divisional king John Lineker at ONE on Prime Video 3: De Ridder vs. Abdulaev on Oct. 21.
Johnson beamed about “Wonder Boy’s” style in a recent interview with ONE. His calculated risk-taking is what caught the newly crowned ONE flyweight world champion’s eye most, and it is getting him amped for the upcoming championship match.
“Fabricio Andrade, he’s fucking good. That fight is going to be sick between him and John Lineker,” Johnson said.
“I really like Andrade. I really, really do. I think it’s the way he comes out and fights. He pushes the pace, he takes risks. I think that fight against John Lineker is going to be a great fight.”
But Johnson stopped short of making a prediction for the matchup. He has a firm understanding of the punching power Lineker possesses and believes the outcome will be based on how Andrade manages his compatriot’s striking game.
“I think it’s going to come down to when John Lineker’s going to land his punches, right? He’s going to land his big punches,” Johnson said.
“Obviously, he has the power to knock out anybody, so it’s going to come down to whether Fabricio Andrade can, one, take the power, and two, utilize John Lineker’s big swings.”
“I think if Fabricio Andrade gets busy moving, has good footwork, good movement, and good feints, he could really draw out some of Lineker’s big shots. But I know someone’s going to get knocked out in that fight. That’s all I can say.”
Following the glowing review from Johnson, Andrade was quick to use the words to prod Lineker on Instagram.
But the praise was also taken to heart by the second-ranked bantamweight contender, who was ecstatic to hear the American veteran’s review. He returned the favor by extending kudos to Johnson for his ONE flyweight title win over Adriano Moraes last month.
“DJ impressed me a lot in his last fight. He’s a guy who already has a long history in MMA. He was coming from a loss to Adriano Moraes, who is a very big guy for the division, and I even believed that Adriano would beat the DJ again. But the way DJ won impressed me a lot. And that just proves he’s still on top,” Andrade told ONE.
“It sure makes me very happy. Hearing this from a guy with the experience and the name he has motivates me a lot. It shows that my work is being recognized and motivates me to keep doing what I’m doing.”
Lineker vs. Andrade will take place at ONE on Prime Video 3 on Friday, Oct. 21, at 8 p.m. ET.