Brazilian Knockout Artist Leaps To No. 2 In ONE Bantamweight Rankings

Brazilian knockout artist Fabricio Andrade has been one of the most exciting fighters to watch in ONE Championship’s wide stable of fighters thanks to his electric fighting style.

Riding a four-fight win streak into ONE 158 last June 3, Andrade made sure that his claims of a future bantamweight title shot were going to be undeniable as he knocked out South Korea’s Kwon Won Il with a well-placed kick to the body in just over a minute.

The Singapore-based promotion has since updated its standings, and now Andrade--then sitting pretty at the No. 4 spot--finds himself ranked second among all the bantamweights, standing just behind recently-dethroned champion Bibiano Fernandes.

Andrade’s talent as a potential title challenger is undeniable as his winning record already speaks for itself, not withstanding the way he quickly dismantles his opponents.

Since having his first fight within one of the most recognized mixed martial arts (MMA) organizations in the world, he has only gone past the first round twice–those two being in his debut against Mark Abelardo in July 2020 and against Shoko Sato in January 2021.

It goes without saying that“The Wonder Boy” has the most legitimate shot at the bantamweight title against newly-minted division kingpin John Lineker.

The outfit is yet to announce whether Andrade will face his fellow countryman in Lineker for the title or whether he has to face the former champion--who is also Brazilian--in Fernandes.

Following his knockout of Kwon plus a $50,000 performance bonus awarded to him, Andrade made it clear that he is going after the title sooner rather than later.

“I’m coming for you John ‘Chicken’ Lineker. Don’t hide. You are next,” he exclaimed directly at the camera at ONE 158.

While some thought that Kwon would be able to stop the hype train that was Andrade, the Brazilian continued to prove that he belongs among the upper echelon of ONE bantamweights.

As fans await who Andrade faces next, the bantamweight division’s future grows ever brighter.