John “Hands of Stone” Lineker has done plenty over the course of his 45-fight professional MMA career to earn the reputation of one of the most entertaining brawlers the sport has ever seen.

This Friday, August 4, at ONE Fight Night 13: Allazov vs. Grigorian on Prime Video, the former bantamweight king will battle a fellow all-action striker when he takes on Kim Jae Woong.

John Lineker vs Kim Jae Woong is a battle of strikers

Slated to go down at the iconic Lumpinee Boxing Stadium in Bangkok, Thailand, and airing live in U.S. primetime, that bout has all the makings of a stand-up war. For his part, Lineker expects his South Korean foe to happily trade blows on the feet:“[Kim’s] game is boxing. He plays more in the long distance. He’s very versatile, he works well on takedown defenses, and he’s also a guy who kicks a lot. But I believe that in striking, we will put on a show because we both like striking more.”

That’s good news for the knockout-loving Thai fans. More than just a thrilling slugfest, this bantamweight showdown carries real significance for the divisional pecking order. 

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For the Brazilian, it will be his first fight back since losing the ONE Bantamweight World Title to current title holder Fabricio “Wonder Boy” Andrade back in February. “Hands of Stone” knows that with a win over a dangerous and talented finisher, he could make the case for an immediate crack at bantamweight gold.

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And for Kim, this fight is his chance to take out a hard-hitting former World Champion, propel himself up the bantamweight top-five, and extend his 100 percent finishing rate in ONE bouts. No matter the outcome, a toe-to-toe brawl between these two knockout artists is all but guaranteed.

Lineker is ready to trade blows

According to Lineker, he’s ready for that brawl, and plans to work inside on the taller, rangier Kim, where he can land his trademark hooks to the body – punches that, more often than not, have resulted in a highlight-reel knockout.

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He added, “I believe I’ll be able to fit my punches more, working hard on the punches in the waistline. As I said, he is a striker who works in the long distance, and I like to work more in the short distance. I believe that I can hit him more with my striking.”

ONE Fight Night 13 will be broadcast live and free on Prime Video for fans across North America with an Amazon subscription.