Shinya Aoki will take off his tights, submit Gilbert Melendez and restore PRIDE's heyday to DREAM
by Akimitsu Kuwabara on Mar 3, 2010 11:23 AM EST
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Props: DREAM
Quoteworthy:
"I appreciate the offer of a title match - I am genuinely happy. Having always claimed that Japan is at the top of the MMA world, I have no choice (but to go compete in the US). I will just step right in and walk right out with submission victory and prove that the DREAM champion is the number one in the world. I will restore the glory of Pride's heyday to DREAM. I will greet you all with a belt next time. (Gilbert Melendez) is the Strikeforce champion and therefore a world class fighter. I consider myself a top fighter in the world, so he is a very attractive opponent. I think our fight will leave both Japanese and American fans fully sated. Though Strikeforce rule allows elbow strike on the feet, it is not a radical change (from Pride and DREAM rules). I will be fighting in a cage (for the first time) but I watch a lot of fights that take place in the cage and my level of geekery in the realm is peerless among Japanese fighters. Besides, my skillset trancends the ring/cage barrier, and I always have my eyes on the world. Yes, I will have to take off my tights. I think the prospect of being able to see my bare legs is attractive, so I want the fans to come all the way to the US for it."
DREAM Lightweight champion and world class submission wizard, Shinya Aoki, discussed his upcoming Strikeforce/US debut against Gilbert Melendez in front of the Japanese press. Besides the Strikeforce Lightweight title and the milestone of earning titles in two major promotions on opposite sides of the Pacific, the honor of DREAM and Japanese MMA will be on the line when "Tobikan Judan" steps into the Strikeforce Hexagon on April 17. As always, Aoki seems unfazed by the lofty challenge. In fact, he even managed to sneak in a dig against his detractors: When asked about appearing on the CBS card, he stated, "I appreciate the opportunity, but it's not a huge deal for me. Besides, it's cumbersome to deal with fame and recognition. I draw ire for doing things that normally do not elicit much rancor when done by ordinary folks." As for the pending defense of DREAM Lightweight title against Tatsuya Kawajiri, he expressed his eagerness and assured the fans that he will not defect from DREAM to fight overseas.
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Lyle Beerbohm can loan him some techno shorts
The subject of Aoki winning and taking the SF out of SF came up yesterday. After thinking about that it would be a pretty big disaster for the up and coming promotion.
If they are going to continue to cross promote the must avoid the OVereem type situations at all cost. I love Aoki but I see Gilbert besting him in this one. Pants on or pants off.
Yeah, I think SF has to be rooting for Melendez big time in this one...
And Gilbert trains with some of the best ground guys in the world, so hopefully he’ll be ok if it goes there. On the feet he’s definitely got the advantage.
"He who makes a beast of himself gets rid of the pain of being a man." -Dr. Johnson
i think Gil also has the cardio / work horse factor
Aoki hasn’t gone at it with someone with Melendez ferocious pace.
I think it will be hard to hold him down and work the subs…
But if Aoki does get him on the ground expect the unexpected. Rubber guard tactics are very very good and nobody is used to them on this side of the pond. But Cesar Gracie camp is no joke with preping ground work.
Im going to put money on Gil despite Aoki being my fav of the two
big fan of both these guys
I do think Gilbert has the edge though…like BZ said….Caesar will have El Nino’s sub defense top notch by the time this fight happens and Gilbert has a great stand up game. Aoki is slick though and can pull a sub from just about any position and has no problem flopping on his back to get it. There are going to be a lot of transitions and scarmbles in this fight. I’m not sure if Aoki can go five rounds…can’t remember him doing it before but maybe I’m wrong.
On another note…I think Melendez could drop to 145 and I’d love to see him go up against Faber, MTB, or Aldo.
"To me, MMA is like a ballet, except there's no music, no choreography and the dancers hit each other."
by Buster Bluth on Mar 3, 2010 12:23 PM EST up reply actions
You guyz forget what Aoki did to JZ in the 2nd fight.
i think Gil’s style of sprawling and brawling plays right into Aoki’s hand. After he sprawls, gil doesnt move out of the way. He doesn’t brawl, he just sits there in the guard . In the clinch, Aoki’s takedowns are better. Usually it’s better wrestlers who can beat Gil by riding him for a decision but I am thinking upset here with aoki heelhooking him. (Interesting note – If you guys notice All Nippon top team guys go for leglocks against americans because as Imanari once said the brazilians who teach stateside don’t really believe in or heavily reinforce the leggame. So Guys might be good everywhere but not so good there)
by NNR (formerly NameNotRequired) on Mar 3, 2010 12:58 PM EST up reply actions
Very good point NNR.
Aoki by heel hook is a very good prediction. I may have to steal that…
My breakout fighter for this coming year: Terry Etim
Upset of the Year: John Hathaway over Diego Sanchez
btw. how old is Aoki? 30?
My breakout fighter for this coming year: Terry Etim
Upset of the Year: John Hathaway over Diego Sanchez
good post
but i didnt forget. Although a very hot prospect JZ has been mostly hype. Anyone from ATT is going to be good but with wins over Nam Pham and Uno im not sold yet.
But your post is valid. Heel hook wouldn’t be a super surprise and I’ve noticed the same with regard to All Nippon team and leg locks.
If it goes to the ground
Aoki will destroy Gilbert, on the feet……
Someone tell Aoki that Gilbert isn't the top LW in North America.
canadians cheat and lie…whereas americans are fair and respectul in sports…--HellaHectic the funniest MF'er on Mania
Apparently
He has never heard of someone name Baby Jay.
Guys...
was thinking the same thing. Taking the belt from the SF champ does not put DREAM on top of the MMA world.
Aoki knows about MMA and is a general geek when it comes to it. His blogs are actually pretty interesting reads.
He’s actually a big fan of BJ. And contrary to someone like sakuraba, he’s been dying to come stateside for a long time now but politics within FEG is the reason why he has to resort to making these statements. My hope is that he will eventually be in the UFC at some point, and this is just the first step as a somewhat getting out of Japan/FEG control plan.
by NNR (formerly NameNotRequired) on Mar 3, 2010 12:50 PM EST up reply actions
No so sure about that.
Even Dana has said that he’s not that high on Aoki. I believe on a list of 1 – 5 on how badly he wanted fighters, Aoki was a 3. Same as Hansen. Mousasi was a 11 or something lol.
by ShowMeYourJits on Mar 3, 2010 2:19 PM EST up reply actions
Zino - I usually read translated pages posted on...
either bloodyelbow, Japan-mma.com, “Suki MMA” blogspot, and a japanese grappling site which i don’t remember the site address off the top of my head.
by NNR (formerly NameNotRequired) on Mar 3, 2010 5:01 PM EST up reply actions
Melendez by KO
What a tool! I hope Melendez knocks him out! “Japan is at the top of the MMA world” What?! Has this guy ever been out of his own country?
Shinya is top notch
and he thinks of himself and where he fights as the best. How would you feel if he came out and said Japanese MMA is second best to the USA and I’m not as good as the guys over there? I like Aoki, and I’ll be rooting for him
Fedor with a gun... ULTIMATE DANGER!!!
by Spinning Fat Kick on Mar 3, 2010 11:36 AM EST up reply actions
Second best to brazil maybe……just messing I get your point
by eagzy on Mar 3, 2010 12:14 PM EST via mobile up reply actions
Aoki is a deuche
Can’t wait for Gilbert to KO this dude.
by ShowMeYourJits on Mar 3, 2010 2:21 PM EST up reply actions
LOl Aoki
is such a great interview! LOL Funny dude! Great heel character too!
Looks..
Looks like Aoki has a funny sense of humor with the pants thing, but someone needs to get word to him that he can go the George Sotiropoulos route.
Pants on the Ground
Finally, the great debate about how much Shinya needs his fancy pants will be answered. Ok, not such a great debate. Aoki is going to get mached. If he does happen to win via butt scootin, he still hasn’t beaten the best lightweight over here…..or even someone in the top 3. Gilbert is a good test for him though.
Sooo...you're saying he is a clown?
Fedor with a gun... ULTIMATE DANGER!!!
by Spinning Fat Kick on Mar 3, 2010 11:44 AM EST up reply actions
Gilbert is a top 10 LW and japans #1 aoki will fall
saying this we don’t even need to bring out the big gun for this fruit pants ground bug
Shit the big gun can stay in the holster for a while.
Aoki is going to have a hard time defeating Gil and I doubt he would beat Kenny Florian.
But a true champion, face to face with his darkest hour, will do whatever it takes to rise above. A man fights, and fights, and then fights some more. Because surrender is death, and death is for pussies. - Kenny Powers
Got my ticket this morning
I hope Melendez give Aoki a good beating for a couple rounds.
@fjbar on twitter...formerly El Mexicutioner
Aoki. Or jacare. or gsp. All better than Maia on the ground from what I have seen from them.
Anderson Silva is p4p the greatest fighter of all time, Fedor and GSP fear the mighty Spider
REALLY looking forward to this.
I think Gilbert is going to whoop Aokis ass. Hopefully that’ll shut his mouth about being the best lightweight, and prove to him that the UFC has an entire stable of 155’ers that could hurt him badly.
stupid
most japanese fightters wouldn’t be able to cut it making there way up fighting in small shows in north america
aoki t shirt
where can i get that MMA northface t shirt aoki is wearing in that picture?
japan will forever be behind the US and brazil in mma, sorry buddy. not to mention dream is(and will continue to be) far behind the ufc. name one japanese guy from say pride, that came here without getting his ass kicked. sachari-hughes dominated, gomi-penn dominated. i’m definately not saying there’s no great fighters from over there because that would be pretty arrogant, but the fact is that pride(and similar organizations) pad the records of these stars, feed them nobodies and make them look like monsters. when they run into truly top notch competition in every fight it becomes a much different story.
AOKI RULES
but what does he rank?
-This is my signature. There are many like it, but this one is mine.
by PSYQO78 on Mar 3, 2010 12:54 PM EST via mobile up reply actions
Alvarez, Hansen (3 times), Hirota, JZ (he may have been top 10 when they fought
Hansen and Hirota were top 10 (or at least 13) when they fought
My breakout fighter for this coming year: Terry Etim
Upset of the Year: John Hathaway over Diego Sanchez
Eddie Alvarez
he can’t help it all the top LWs are in the UFC. Gilbert is a very good LW, and since alot of people are all over Strikeforce’s nuts, i dont see why so many people are saying if Aoki wins it proves nothing. After this fight, there wont be very many LW outsite UFC that Aoki hasn’t fought, except Kawajiri (who is supposed to get a Dream LW title shot soon), Kitaoka, and Thomson. A win over Gil will be cementing No.2 LW for Aoki. If Gilbert wins, I say he’s at best No. 5, Aoki dropping to 6
Dont tell me Kenny or Diego get it by beating Clay Guida.
My breakout fighter for this coming year: Terry Etim
Upset of the Year: John Hathaway over Diego Sanchez
im not sure how he is #2
if he beats Gilbert i would see a high rank then. I respect his ground game but nooo way is he #2 in LW
who then?
My breakout fighter for this coming year: Terry Etim
Upset of the Year: John Hathaway over Diego Sanchez
oh well i look forward to the fight
i did see him sitting cage side at the rogers fedor event. So fig this was on the way. should be a fun one.
Aoki is a Grappling Wizard
However I Think Gilbert can smother a smaller Aoki. Smother his BJJ and decision him. However If Aoki is unsuccessful un pulling guard and forced to stand up I think Gilbert will steam roll him. Either way in my eyes Gilbert Wins
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