Rena Kubota has a new opponent just five days before Rizin 19 in Osaka, Japan. Originally booked to face Shawna Ram, Kubota now faces Alexandra Alvare, Rizin president Nobuyuki Sakakibara announced.
According to Sakakibara, Ram withdrew from the bout after suffering a concussion in training.
Ram, who’s 1-0 as a professional MMA fighter, will be replaced by Alvare, who has a 0-3 record with all defeats coming by knockout.
Kubota (8-3), a Japanese shootboxing star, racked up a perfect 6-0 record in MMA before her first defeat, which came in a 2017 Rizin tournament final against Kanna Asakura.