Four-time BJJ World Cup champion Leonardo Santos has suffered a neck injury during training and has been forced out of his anticipated title elimination match with Yoshida Dojo rising star Maximo Blanco at Sengoku Raiden Championship 15. Stepping in on just over one week’s notice will be former welterweight and middleweight King of Pancrase Kiuma Kunioku.
In 2002, Kunioku held both the welterweight and middleweight Pancrase crowns and during his 66-fight career has picked up significant victories over UFC middleweight contender Nate Marquardt, Genki Sudo, Frank Shamrock, Guy Mezger and Masakatsu Funaki but since a 2004 TKO loss to Kazuo Misaki has slipped somewhat, going 4-7-2 in his last 13 outings.
Santos defeated Kunioku with a quick rear-naked choke back at Sengoku 12.