John Lineker hopes to fight Superlek ‘later’ for ONE Championship title, calls out Rodtang

John Lineker is hoping one day to challenge Superlek Kiatmoo9 – or whoever holds it – for the ONE Championship bantamweight Muay Thai title.
“Hands of Stone”, a mixed martial arts legend and the former ONE bantamweight MMA champion, continued his surprisingly successful run in Muay Thai with another victory at Saturday’s ONE Fight Night 25 card.
The Brazilian 34-year-old secured his second straight knockout, and a second straight US$50,000 performance bonus, at Lumpinee Stadium in Bangkok.
He called for a showdown with Rodtang Jitmuangnon, but later admitted to the Bangkok Post he dreams of winning the Muay Thai title in his division, which is currently ruled by Superlek.
“I’ve just started Muay Thai and those guys are [high level],” Lineker said backstage, with a smile. “So let’s go step by step, and let’s go later then fight for the belt.”
As for Thai legend Rodtang – ONE’s flyweight Muay Thai champion – Lineker is happy to meet in the middle.
“The conditions are that he comes up to my division because for me it’s hard to go down to that weight class,” Lineker added. “But if not, we can arrange something at a catchweight, it’s fine.”
Rodtang has his hands full however – first, with a looming title defence against Jacob Smith at ONE 169 in Bangkok, and then a kickboxing clash with Japanese icon Takeru Segawa.
That could see Lineker pivot back to his bread and butter, and namely, a title fight against bantamweight MMA champion Fabricio Andrade.
“My focus is MMA, but I’m enjoying the opportunity that they are giving me to fight Muay Thai, so I want to fight Rodtang,” Lineker said. “But if it doesn’t happen now, I’m happy to go back and fight in MMA and maybe a trilogy for the belt again.”
Lineker last his belt on the scale in October 2022, after failing to make weight for a title defence against compatriot Andrade in Kuala Lumpur. 
The fight then ended prematurely when Andrade hit Lineker with an accidental low blow that left the former UFC star unable to continue.
Andrade went on to defeat Lineker via fourth round TKO in February 2023 to claim the vacant belt, but is yet to defend the title.
“He hasn’t defended it yet because I asked him to wait for me, you know?” Lineker added, with a laugh. “So yes. I hope it happens as soon as possible.”
Lineker clearly has no qualms about fighting anyone, anytime, and anywhere, given he took an MMA fight on two just hours’ notice at lightweight against the legendary Shinya Aoki in Japan in January.
As for whether he could pursue another belt in the other two sports that ONE offers – kickboxing and submission grappling – Lineker smiled again.
“Yes, yes, of course,” he said.