Shinya Aoki

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Shinya Aoki
Born	May 9, 1983 (1983-05-09) (age 26) Shizuoka City[1]
Other names	Tobikan Judan, The Baka Survivor
Height	5 ft 11 in (1.80 m)
Weight	155 lb (70 kg; 11.1 st)
Style	Brazillian Jiu Jitsu, Judo.
Team	Nippon Top Team,[2] Paraestra Tokyo
Rank	black belt in Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu      black belt in Judo
MMA record
Total	26
Wins	22
By knockout	1
By submission	13
Losses	4
Draws	0

Shinya "Tobikan Judan" Aoki (Japanese: 青木真也) (born May 9, 1983) is a Japanese mixed martial artist, grappler, and former police officer. Aoki is the current World Alliance of Mixed Martial Arts (WAMMA) Lightweight Champion, DREAM Lightweight Championship and Shooto Middleweight Champion. Aoki holds a black belt in Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu under Yuki Nakai, as well as a black belt in judo. He works as an instructor at Paraestra Kasai, but represents the Paraestra Tokyo head-school when competing. He is best known for his excellent flexibility, often taking opponents by surprise and earning him the nickname "Tobikan Judan," meaning "master of flying submissions." As of 2008, Aoki, along with Deep champion Masakazu Imanari, and Sengoku champion Satoru Kitaoka have founded the "Nippon Top Team" as a group of elite Japanese grapplers competing in MMA. As well as his MMA credentials, Aoki has garnered several submission grappling accolades including two All Japan Jiu-Jitsu championships, a Japan Open Jiu-Jitsu championship, a Budo Open championship, and an ADCC Japan championship.

Aoki is currently ranked as the #2 Lightweight fighter in the world by Sherdog and MMA Weekly.^[3]

Contents 1 MMA career 2 Grappling credentials 3 Mixed martial arts record 4 See also 5 Footnotes 6 Sources 7 External links

[edit] MMA career

In August 2006, Aoki made his Pride Fighting Championships debut at Pride Bushido 12, submitting American Jason Black in under two minutes with a triangle choke. Following that win, Aoki was booked to face rising lightweight star Gilbert Melendez at the following Bushido card, Bushido 13. However, prior to the fight Melendez received an elbow injury (a burst bursa sac) in training and was forced to pull out of the fight. Aoki's opponent was changed to Clay French. Aoki submitted French in just under four minutes with a triangle choke. Afterwards, Melendez was shown in the crowd with a sling, and announced he would like to face Aoki at Pride Shockwave 2006 on New Year's Eve. Aoki agreed.

For unknown reasons, the proposed fight with Melendez did not take place. Instead, Aoki faced highly ranked lightweight fighter Joachim Hansen. Aoki submitted Hansen with a gogoplata — considered the first successful gogoplata in MMA competition.^[4]

After his win over Hansen, Aoki was set to rematch Kikuchi in Shooto, with Aoki's Shooto middleweight title (previously won from Kikuchi) on the line. Aoki successfully defended his title against Kikuchi, winning via split decision.

Following his victory, Aoki announced that he was to be the Shooto representative in the forthcoming Pride Lightweight Grand Prix tournament. Aoki's next fight was at Pride 34, where he faced little known Dutch fighter Brian Lo-A-Njoe. At the event Aoki submitted Lo-A-Njoe in the first round with an armbar. Following the fight, Aoki once again confirmed his participation in the Lightweight Grand Prix. With the purchase of Pride by the majority owners of Zuffa LLC, the Pride Lightweight Grand Prix was cancelled.^[5]

On November 21, 2007, Aoki's participation on the New Year's Eve MMA card Yarennoka! was announced. Originally, his opponent was to be two-time K-1 Hero's Middleweight Grand Prix champion Gesias "JZ Calvan" Calvancante. Rumors that Calvancante was injured surfaced only two weeks before the bout, though Calvancante denied them before eventually admitted the injury and withdrawing from the fight. Aoki defeated Korean Olympic Judo silver medalist Jung Bu-Kyung, Calvancante's replacement, via unanimous decision in what was Jung Bu-Kyung's mixed martial arts debut. Aoki had promised to use a never before seen submission in the match but was unable to finish the debut fighter. ^{[6] [7]}

Aoki finally faced Calvancante on March 15, 2008 at the opening round of the Dream Lightweight Grand Prix tournament. Early in the first round, the referee stopped the action when Calvancante apparently landed illegal elbow strikes to the back of Aoki's neck. The ringside doctor announced that Aoki was unable to continue due to the injury and Calvancante apologized for the incident.^[8] The fight resulted in a no contest. Elbow strikes to the neck and spine area are illegal under Dream rules. Aoki was later found to have sustained concussion of the cervical vertebra.^[9]

They had their rematch at Dream 2 on April 29, 2008. In that match, Aoki defeated Calvancante via unanimous decision, and shocked the Mixed Martial Arts and Brazilian Jiu Jitsu world with his use of the De La Riva guard to deliver multiple heel kicks to Calvancate's Head.^[10] He sustained a severely bruised rib and tore cartilage in his costal area during the match. At Dream 4, Aoki defeated Katsuhiko Nagata via a mounted gogoplata (possibly the first ever in professional competition) submission to advance to the semi-finals of the Dream Lightweight Grand Prix.^[11] At Dream 5, Aoki defeated Caol Uno by unanimous decision. Later that night, Eddie Alvarez was set to fight Aoki, but had to bow out due to injury from his previous match that evening. Joachim Hansen took his place and defeated Aoki by TKO (punches) at 4:19 round 1 to become the first Dream Lightweight Champion.

At Dynamite!! 2008 on New Year's Eve, Aoki finally squared off against American Eddie Alvarez. Aoki started quickly, securing Alvarez's back after catching a kick, before being thrown to the canvas by the stronger American. In a scramble, Aoki latched onto the foot of Alvarez and applied a heel hook. Alvarez fought the hold, but tapped out shortly after Aoki adjusted his grip. Alvarez also suffered ligament damage in his knee and may miss his next fight. With the win, Aoki is now ranked as the number-one or number-two lightweight fighter in the world, arguably only behind BJ Penn.^[12][13] With his victory over Alvarez, Aoki became the very first WAMMA Undisputed World Lightweight Champion.^[14]

Dream has signed Aoki to compete in two events. First, Aoki defeated David Gardner at the March 8, 2009 featherweight-grand-prix card at Dream 7 at the Saitama Super Arena in Saitama, Japan.^[15] Aoki, who is still recognized by Shooto as its middleweight (168 pounds (76 kg)) champion, also moved back to that weight to fight in Dream's welterweight grand prix at Dream 8 in 2009.^[16] His first match in the tournament was a rematch with Hayato Sakurai. ^[17] Aoki lost the fight in twenty-seven seconds via TKO due to punches and knees following an Aoki takedown. As a result of the match, Aoki did not advance in the DREAM 2009 Welterweight Grand Prix.

Aoki met WAMMA Heavyweight Champion Fedor Emelianenko during a five-minute "special exhibition" at an April 29 M-1 Challenge (presented by Affliction) event in Tokyo.^[18] Emelianenko made Aoki tap out from a Achilles lock just before the bell sounded to end the exhibition. ^[19]

Aoki defeated Vitor Ribeiro at Dream 10 on July 20, 2009, which earned him a title fight against Joachim Hansen.

Aoki faced Joachim Hansen in a rematch for the DREAM Lightweight Championship at Dream 11 on October 6, 2009. Aoki defeated Hansen in the second round to become the DREAM Lightweight Champion. On December 22, 2009, it was announced that Aoki would not be taking on fellow DREAM fighter Tatsuya Kawajiri, but would be fighting Sengoku Lightweight Champion, Mizuto Hirota.^[20] No word yet on if it will indeed be a unification bout or not.

[edit] Grappling credentials

ADCC World Submission Wrestling Championships

ADCC 2005 66–76 kg: Quarter finals. Absolute: First round exit.

ADCC Japan 66–76 kg: 1st place

Record of opponents:

• Won: Marcos Avellan (pts)

• Lost: Marcelo Garcia (Rear Naked Choke), Roger Gracie (Toe Hold)

Misc. Rickson Gracie Invitational: 1st place Campeonato Japones 2004, brown belt 1st place Campeonato Japones 2005, black belt 1st place GI Grappling 05, 1st place Top five collegiate Judoka.

[edit] Mixed martial arts record