John Lineker, known as “Hands of Stone,” is set to make his kickboxing debut at ONE 172 this Sunday in Japan. This marks his return to combat sports in the country after a year since his last MMA fight, where he stepped in as a late replacement.
Lineker will face former ONE kickboxing champion Hiroki Akimoto in Saitama. This fight comes after Lineker’s recent participation in three muay Thai matches over the past six months. As a father of six, Lineker emphasizes the importance of staying active and earning.
In an interview, Lineker stated that his primary goal is to provide for his family. He aims for a knockout victory and the $50,000 bonus, reflecting his aggressive fighting style focused on decisive finishes.
Lineker’s move to kickboxing wasn’t initially planned. His main focus was to reclaim his ONE title in a trilogy fight with Fabricio Andrade. However, he chose to take this kickboxing opportunity to remain active and generate income while waiting for the title fight situation to resolve.
Lineker explained that these fights are about staying busy and getting paid, preventing a year-long gap between fights. He believes ONE is preparing for his title fight against Fabricio Andrade, who recently defended his title. Lineker used this interim period to earn and keep his skills sharp.
Approaching his 35th birthday in June, the former ONE bantamweight champion is also preparing for life after MMA. He recently co-founded a construction company in his hometown, indicating his proactive approach to future career transitions.
Lineker acknowledges his limited knowledge of kickboxing, as his primary focus has been MMA. However, after the fight with Akimoto was scheduled, he began studying his opponent and recognizes Akimoto’s experience and danger in kickboxing.
Lineker notes that his training regimen doesn’t drastically change for kickboxing, as his MMA training already incorporates comprehensive stand-up skills. He is currently focusing more on specific kickboxing techniques and temporarily reducing grappling training.
“Hands of Stone” has demonstrated his knockout power in muay Thai earlier in 2024, securing two knockout wins before a decision loss. He anticipates that the smaller 8-ounce kickboxing gloves will further enhance his knockout potential.
Lineker believes that the smaller gloves in kickboxing will make his punches even more impactful, potentially leading to knockouts similar to those he achieves in MMA with even smaller gloves.
Wesley Dunham 
Marcus Blakely