One Championship’s upcoming flyweight tournament has undergone a change after Andrew Leone had to withdraw from the bracket due to injury.
The promotion announced Monday that Senzo Ikeda will replace Leone and face Danny Kingad in a quarterfinal bout on March 31 in Tokyo. One “A New Era” takes place at Ryogoku Kokugikan and features four championship bouts. Additionally, former UFC flwyeight king Demetrious Johnson will make his promotional debut in another 125-pound quarterfinal, while ex-UFC lightweight champion Eddie Alvarez will make his first One foray in the ongoing 155-pound tournament.
Ikeda, 36, is a former Pancrase flyweight champion who owns an 8-0 record as a professional boxer. The Paraestra Matsudo product will enter his first One appearance on a four-fight winning streak. Most recently, Ikeda defended his Pancrase title with a fifth-round technical knockout of Yuya Wakamatsu in February 2018.
Kingad has won nine of his first 10 professional bouts. He is currently on a four-fight winning streak under the One banner, with all of those victories coming by unanimous decision.