John Lineker made an explosive Muay Thai debut against Asa Ten Pow at ONE 168 in Denver. The former UFC star lived up to his reputation as “Hands of Stone.” Despite Ten Pow’s technical Muay Thai background, Lineker dominated the fight with his heavy-handed strikes and bagged the victory. Here is what happened:
John Lineker‘s bantamweight showdown against Asa Ten Pow at ONE 168 was a key event for both fighters. Lineker had a clear game plan right from the start: to secure a knockout against the technically proficient Ten Pow. Asa Ten Pow is a highly skilled and technical striker with a background in kickboxing and Muay Thai. He had more experience under Muay Thai rules, and his speed and precision made him a tough contender.
However, right from the start, Lineker applied relentless pressure, seeking to close the distance and land his heavy punches. Both fighters exchanged shots in the first round. Ten Pow used his technical abilities to land clean shots. However, Lineker’s ability to absorb damage came in handy as he continued to push forward.
Coming into the second round, Lineker intensified his attacks. It was a devastating right hook from the former UFC star that led to Ten Pow getting knocked down at 2:50 of the second round. This win solidified Lineker’s reputation as a dangerous striker and bagged him a $50,000 fight bonus.
John Lineker was a handful during his time in the UFC with a record of 12 wins and 4 losses in 16 fights. Moreover, he finished most of the fights via KO due to his heavy punches. Despite having relative success in the promotion, he never got close to a title.
Star fighter John Lineker’s UFC career
John Lineker had an eventful UFC career spanning from 2012 to 2019. He started fighting in the UFC’s flyweight division but had frequent issues making weight. Despite this, he established himself as a dangerous striker, accumulating a series of knockout victories that earned him the nickname “Hands of Stone”. Lineker made his UFC debut in May 2012 against Louis Gaudinot at UFC on Fox 3. Although he lost his debut fight, he won 12 fights spanning both the flyweight and bantamweight divisions.
After failing to make weight several times, Lineker moved up to the bantamweight division (135 lbs), where he found more stability. One of his most memorable bantamweight bouts was a wild slugfest against Francisco Rivera at UFC 191 in 2015, which he won via submission in the first round. Lineker also secured notable victories over Rob Font and Michael McDonald, with the latter earning him a Performance of the Night bonus.
Despite his power and exciting fighting style, Lineker’s title aspirations were hindered by injuries and missed weight. His UFC run ended after a split-decision loss to Cory Sandhagen in 2019. Lineker later transitioned to ONE Championship, where he continues to fight.
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