ONE Championship might leave this weekend without a champion in their 145-pound MMA weight class.
Current titleholder John Lineker missed weight for his title fight against Fabricio de Andrade on Thursday, coming in half a pound over the limit for their bout. The South China Morning Post first reported Lineker’s weight miss.
This weight miss has caused the promotion to strip Lineker of his featherweight (135 lb) belt, which he was scheduled to defend against de Andrade this Friday at the Axiata Arena in Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia.
The fight is scheduled to proceed, although a win for Andrade will keep the title vacant afterward. De Andrade is still eligible to earn the belt if successful in his performance this weekend.
Lineker did pass his hydration test, which is also necessary for competing in a ONE Championship bout.
This weekend was scheduled to be Lineker’s first chance to defend the promotion’s 135-pound belt. The UFC alum first gained the belt in March, dethroning Bibiano Fernandes with a second-round finish due to strikes. The performance was his fourth consecutive victory since joining ONE in 2019.
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