A few days ago, we treported that Andrew Leone had injured his back and would no longer be able to compete against Danny Kingad, in the ONE Flyweight World Grand Prix at ONE: A New Era.

ONE Championship has now found a replacement. The current Pancrase flyweight champion Senzo Ikeda, will now face Team Lakay’s Kingad in Tokyo, Japan on March 31st, in his ONE debut. The 36 year old Ikeda has a record of 12-6 and has only ever been stopped once, back in 2012.

Most of his fights have been in Pancrase, who interestingly ONE have just signed an exclusive partnership with this week. You can read more about that here.

The Japanese star last fought thirteen months ago, when he defended his Pancrase flyweight title against Yuya Wakamatsu, via a fifth round TKO in the main event of Pancrase 293.

Wakamatsu is already in the ONE Flyweight World Grand Prix, where he will welcome the former UFC flyweight champion Demetrious Johnson, to the promotion.

Ikeda’s opponent Kingad, beat Wakamatsu in his ONE debut last September. And with Ikeda and Kingad in the opposite side of the Grand Prix bracket, it is possible that the winner of Ikeda and Kingad, could face Wakamatsu in the final.

See also:

Ann Osman On Self-Defence, Martial Arts And ONE: A New Era