In a shocking turn of events, former ONE bantamweight champion John Lineker has been handed a one-year suspension following a positive drug test for multiple banned substances. The news comes after his last fight in March, where he faced off against Ben Woolliss in a kickboxing match in Bangkok, and has since led to his departure from the promotion.
Lineker reportedly tested positive for tamoxifen, an anti-estrogen drug, and the anabolic steroid metandienone. The test was conducted on March 14, just a day after his defeat, with the results confirming the violations on April 10. As a result, he has been suspended until April 9, 2027, although it’s worth noting that this suspension may not be recognized by other promotions or commissions worldwide.
Despite this setback, Lineker is set to return to the ring on June 6 for a boxing match in Curitiba, Brazil. He will be competing in a five-round title bout against Rogerio Ferreira at Liga Monstro Combate 1.
During his time with ONE Championship from 2019 to 2024, Lineker recorded a mixed bag of results, going 6-2 with one no-contest. He famously captured the bantamweight title with a stunning knockout of longtime champion Bibiano Fernandes but faced controversy when he lost the title on the scales after missing weight for a defense against Fabricio Andrade.
Since then, “Hands of Stone” has not fought under MMA rules, with his last-minute appearance against Shinya Aoki in Japan marking his final MMA bout. His recent ventures have included two wins and two losses in muay Thai and kickboxing.
As fans await his boxing debut, the question remains: how will this suspension impact Lineker’s future in combat sports?
