The controversial battle between Gabi Garcia and 52-year-old politician and pro wrestler Shinobu Kandori on the Rizin New Year's Eve show at the Saitama Super Arena was announced as now off at a Thursday press conference due to Kandori suffering a rib injury in training.
But that doesn't change the dynamic one iota. The replacement announced was Yumiko Hotta, a pro wrestling star from the same era as Kandori, who is two weeks shy of her 50th birthday.
Kandori was at least considered the toughest of all the Japanese women pro wrestlers of their era, the late 80s and the 90s.