Shinya Aoki

Shinya Aoki (青木 真也) is a Japanese mixed martial artist, professional wrestler and grappler currently competing in ONE Championship's Welterweight division.

He also competes in DDT Pro-Wrestling where he is a former three-time DDT Extreme Champion.

A professional competitor since 2003, he is noted for being the DREAM Lightweight Champion, former two time ONE Lightweight World Champion, former WAMMA Lightweight Champion and former Shooto Welterweight Champion.

Aoki is an A-class Shootist and BJJ black belt, both under his long-term mentor Yuki Nakai, as well as a black belt Judoka.

Aoki had his MMA debut for DEEP in November 2003, winning a one night tournament by fast armbar submissions.

He later would show further unorthodox grappling skills against veteran Seichi Ikemoto and Keith Wisniewski, who he defeated by breaking his arm with a standing wakigatame also known as a Fujiwara armbar.

He also would face legendary Hayato Sakurai in a Shooto event, losing a decision which was seen as controversial.

In August 2006, Aoki made his PRIDE Fighting Championships debut at Pride Bushido 12, submitting American fighter 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—this was the second successful gogoplata in MMA competition (the first by Ryusuke Uemura).

After his win over Hansen, Aoki was set to rematch Kikuchi in Shooto, with Aoki's Shooto Welterweight 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.

Aoki went to compete in both companies until 2007, also defeating Akira Kikuchi to win the Shooto Welterweight Championship.

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" Cavalcante.

Rumors that Cavalcante was injured surfaced only two weeks before the bout, though Cavalcante denied them before eventually admitting the injury and withdrawing from the fight.

Aoki defeated Korean Olympic Judo silver medalist Jung Bu-kyung, Cavalcante'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.

After the purchase of Pride by Zuffa LLC, most Japanese fighters signed to newly created mixed martial arts promotions, with Aoki signing to Dream.

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.

Training in Judo since childhood, Aoki became a successful Judoka and competed in national and international championships.

He attended Waseda University where he was part of the Judo Club.

However, interested in modalities like Kosen Judo which were away from him due to the Kodokan competition rules, he moved to other combat sports, until landing in mixed martial arts.

One of the key influences that shifted Aoki to mixed martial arts was watching Kazushi Sakuraba defeat powerful foreign players in Pride FC.

Aoki initially joined the Judo-based RJJ gym before moving to Team Roken along with his longtime friend Masakazu Imanari, though he later moved to Paraestra Shooto Gym, where he trained under former Kosen representative Yuki Nakai.

He earned both his A-class Shooto rank as well as his Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu black belt under Nakai, and became one of the team's main teachers.

Here Aoki finally faced Cavalcante on March 15, 2008, at the opening round of the Dream Lightweight Grand Prix tournament.