ONE Championship was allegedly forced to abandon their intended bout between Giancarlo Bodoni and Felipe Andrew due to Andrew’s recent suspension for a failed d*ug test. According to information revealed during a Connectcast podcast featuring Vagner Rocha and Achilles Rocha, the promotion had to pivot to Rafael Lovato Jr as the replacement opponent.
The revelation came when one of the podcast hosts shared intelligence from manager Victor Doria that Bodoni was initially scheduled to face Felipe Andrew. However, Andrew’s suspension from the IBJJF following a USADA violation made him ineligible to compete under ONE Championship’s banner.
“Victor said that he was in a fight with ONE FC, right? Bodoni is in a fight against Felipe Andrew, but Felipe Andrew… I think because of the suspension he had from IBJJF, which is USADA, he can’t fight with ONE,” explained the host during the broadcast. “Because ONE is an MMA fight, right? So they use the official fights, right? So I think because he failed on the d*pe, he can’t fight there.”
This matchmaking change follows the broader fallout from Andrew‘s positive test for clomiphene and its metabolites during an in-competition test at the 2024 Pan IBJJF Jiu-Jitsu Championship on March 24, 2024. USADA subsequently imposed a two-year ban on the 29-year-old Brazilian, with his period of ineligibility beginning on April 16, 2024.
The ripple effects of Andrew‘s suspension have already impacted other promotions. Polaris Professional Jiu-Jitsu Invitational cancelled Andrew’s scheduled match against Davis Asare at Polaris 29, replacing him with the ADCC Open UK champion on short notice.
ONE Championship appears to be maintaining a similar stance to Polaris regarding athletes under suspension for test violations, honoring USADA’s rulings and seeking alternative opponents. The booking of veteran grappler Rafael Lovato Jr to face Bodoni represents a significant adjustment to their competitive plans in the wake of Andrew‘s unavailability.
For Bodoni, this opponent change shifts the dynamic of his preparation and competitive outlook, while for fans, it presents a different matchup featuring Lovato Jr.
