“I had to sit for a while” - Fabricio Andrade details the gnarly injuries he had to overcome during his layoff
Fabricio Andrade explained the injuries that have kept him sidelined.
In November 2023, Andrade temporarily left his ONE bantamweight MMA world title to pursue two-sport supremacy. The Brazilian superstar's opportunity came against Jonathan Haggerty at ONE Fight Night 16, with the latter making a statement by securing a second-round knockout.
Since then, fans have waited for 'Wonder Boy' to return and defend his MMA throne. Unfortunately, the 27-year-old has endured several injury setbacks, which he explained by saying this during an interview with the Bangkok Post:
"I broke my hand on the second Lineker fight, and I had to sit for a while and recover. I thought I was good, then I took the kickboxing fight, and then after I had some injuries on my shoulder again."
Fabricio Andrade's promotional kickboxing debut might not have gone as planned, but he remains undefeated in MMA under the ONE Championship banner. Andrade's six-fight run in the sport has featured five finishes, including a fourth-round knockout against John Lineker to become a world champion.
Fabricio Andrade's return scheduled for ONE 170
Before Fabricio Andrade's extended layoff, the ONE flyweight MMA title picture was somewhat complicated. Andrade fought Lineker John Lineker twice, winning one and dominating the other before a no-contest ending.
Meanwhile, Lineker defeated two top contenders (Stephen Loman and Kim Jae Woong), preventing them from receiving a title shot.
Andrade's absence has led to Lineker transitoning to Muay Thai, securing two knockouts against Asa Ten Pow and Alexey Balyko. The possibility of a third fight between Andrade and Lineker grew before the latter voiced his interest in continuing to pursue a world title in "The Art of Eight Limbs."
As a result, number three-ranked Kwon Won Il will challenge Andrade after establishing a three-fight win streak, all knockouts. Andrade holds a first-round knockout win against Won Il from their June 2022 meeting.
Andrade vs Kwon 2 goes down inside the Impact Arena on January 24, 2025. The event featuring three world title fights can be seen live and for free by North American and Canadian viewers with an active Amazon Prime Video subscription.