The World took a beating.
John Lineker, the former ONE Championship bantamweight kingpin and UFC veteran, just couldn’t find the magic in Tel Aviv. Fighting under Muay Thai rules at GFN 1: Israel vs. The World, the 35-year-old slugger dropped a unanimous decision to Ahavat Gordon inside the Menora Mivtachim Arena on Monday morning. It was ugly. It was violent.
They traded bombs. Lineker brought his signature “Hands of Stone” power, turning the bout into a chaotic, phone-booth brawl, but Gordon was simply sharper. He timed the Brazilian, racked up points, and walked away with his undefeated Muay Thai record intact. For Lineker, the downward spiral continues. Since getting booted from ONE Championship earlier this year following a failed drug test, his venture into pure striking has been a disaster. Sure, he grabbed a boxing win last month against Rogerio Ferreira, but he has now dropped four straight in Muay Thai and kickboxing. The chin is still there, but the defense is gone.
He wasn’t the only UFC alum to have a bad night in Israel. Jose Alberto Quinonez got absolutely starched in under sixty seconds by Kibedy Gordon. Meanwhile, Lando Vannata managed to squeeze out a split-decision victory over Natan Levy. “Groovy” was the lone American on the entire card. Naturally, he was the only one who won.
When the dust settled, the local squad absolutely dominated, securing a 10-2 victory over the global invaders. The gimmick worked perfectly.
