Shinya Aoki taking a break after training at Evolve MMA in Singapore -- Photo by Anton Tabuena
After losing his Bellator title in a fight of the year candidate against Michael Chandler, Eddie Alvarez decided to skip this season's lightweight tournament so he could negotiate for a chance to redeem another loss - one against the popular Japanese champion, Shinya Aoki.
Alvarez will finally be getting his wish on April 20th, but this time, he'll be taking on the DREAM champion inside the Bellator cage. Sources close to the situation have informed BloodyElbow.com that bout agreements have been sent and Aoki has already put pen to paper, with Bellator expected to make the official announcement soon.
Their first encounter ended with a heel hook finish from Aoki in a little over a minute, although a lot has changed for both fighters since then. Shinya Aoki has moved his training camps to Singapore, and has shown significant improvements on his game after training with the world champions at Evolve MMA. Eddie Alvarez on the other hand, went on an impressive 7-fight win streak since signing with Bellator, winning their lightweight crown in the process.
He lost the title after Chandler pulled off a huge upset last November, but Alvarez believes he will get back on the horse and avenge a loss at the same time when he faces Aoki this April.
0 recs | 129 comments
Alverez by Melendezing Aoki.
Steve W - January 31, 2012 via mobile
ChillMike - January 31, 2012
im due for another aoiki sub
let the good times roll
gxc - January 31, 2012
good on Bellator
Should be a great fight
rohedron - January 31, 2012
Whats the over/under on Alvarez choking and losing this fight.
dandeman - January 31, 2012
I know it would probably be a lot of money but why is this not part of the lw tournament?
Andrew Zollinger - January 31, 2012
Presumably
Because Aoki doesn’t want to enter the tournament or Bellator doesn’t want to have an absentee champion.
Patrick Wyman - January 31, 2012
I agree
But it would’ve been madd sick to see this fight as a quarterfinal bout to kick off the LW tourney. If Alvarez wins, he gets back into top 10 status and continues on into the tourney, if Aoki wins, he continues on. Either way, Bellators LW tourney would have a top 10 LW in it and would eventually face another top 10 in the champ Chandler. Oh the possibilities.
Cestus84 - January 31, 2012
I don’t think either of them really want to get sucked into the vortex of the tournament.
Phildo - January 31, 2012
the real reason is because Alvarez and Aoki will not fight for 10k/10k which is what the quarterfinals of Bellator pay
mikedh - February 1, 2012
I hope Alvarez beats Aoki for two reasons
1. It would drop Aoki down in the rankings, while still ensuring that both Alvarez and Aoki are below Chandler who sits at #9…Chandler > Alvarez > Aoki in a 3 fight chain.
2. It’s always nice seeing Aoki get KO’d
3. It’ll either make Alvarez look bad or make Aoki look bad….bad relative to their previous ‘big success’, of course.
Chris Groves - January 31, 2012
That's THREE REASONS!!!
Patrick Hughes - January 31, 2012
GSP IS EXPOSED!!!
halitosis - January 31, 2012 via mobile
He’s the anti-Rick Perry
TitanFan2K - January 31, 2012 via mobile
Funny story
I started with ‘a few reasons’…then could only think of two, so I changed the title to ‘two reasons’
Then off the top of my head I came up with a 3rd reason…and then me no change title :(
Chris Groves - January 31, 2012
schoolboy error my friend
Patrick Hughes - February 1, 2012
6 reasons I hope Aoki wins
1. Alvarez is far more overrated than Aoki.
tigerlee - February 1, 2012
Why wouldn't they try to book Chandler against Aoki?
Maybe have one of their “super fights” resemble something somewhat super.
Worldisart - January 31, 2012
This is exactly what I was thinking. Chandler vs Aoki is a more compelling fight and makes more sense for Aoki
Robust23 - January 31, 2012
It makes no sense for Bellator
What if Chandler loses? Then they have a fraud champion.
potato623 - January 31, 2012
Kinda like when M'Pumbu lost to Wiuff
Chris Groves - January 31, 2012
Its going to look bad if Eddie drops this rematch. Especially if they didn’t sign Aoki to a contract and this is a one off fight ?
Shocbomb - January 31, 2012
I almost wonder
If Eddie was overlooking Chandler in their fight in Dec because of the talks of him rematching Aoki sometime in 2012. Should be a decent fight either way.
HeadKickOfDoom - January 31, 2012
Yes. He was.
TheLastEmpress - January 31, 2012
April 21st?....
Isn’t that the date for UFC 145? If it is, I don’t care how free this fight is Jones/Shad > Aoki/Alvarez any day.
manuhl - January 31, 2012
Isn't Bellator moving to Friday nights?
Unless Bellator is putting this fight on a Saturday, April 21, they would be smart to put this on Friday or some other day of the week. Bad move on their part to put this on the same date as UFC 145: Evans vs Jones.
chrisbboy82 - February 1, 2012
Probably
The most meaningful fight we’ll see outside the UFC this year. Should be fun.
Patrick Wyman - January 31, 2012
Alvarez' revenge
TKO.
clarkkentpunch - January 31, 2012
Yes! I love a good sequel.
pud333 - January 31, 2012
Who would have thought
This could lead to a world class fighter tapping out?
TheFilt - January 31, 2012
It actually didn’t though
Shocbomb - January 31, 2012
I mean this the sense that this occurred in a high level MMA fight and the man doing the scooting actually did win by leg lock.
TheFilt - January 31, 2012
very true it is very much late 90’s/early 2000’s MMAish
I am glad you remember that the sub did not come form the butt scoot though.so many fans think it did and forget the sub actually came from Eddie getting a beautiful hip toss then taking mount, aoki bucking grabbing onto a leg,Eddie getting scared to shit trying to escape then Aoki wrapping the leg and finally getting the sub.Thebutt scoot had nothing to do with it at all
Shocbomb - January 31, 2012
No, but it makes me giggle.
And it’s hella scary. If I saw Aoki buttscooting his way to me, I’d run for the hills.
pud333 - January 31, 2012
Yeah his guard is killer.I would think if all other LW fighters had a vote, Aoki would probably take 1st place buy a land slide of least likely guards a fighter would want to be in.
Shocbomb - January 31, 2012
I think Nate Diaz is a distant second
TheFilt - January 31, 2012
Yup I agree with that and I would say 3rd would go to Imanari 4th Donald Cerrone & 5th a tie between Charles Oliveira & Anthony Pettis
Shocbomb - January 31, 2012
Oliveira droped down to 145 thats right so maybe pop Tokoro when he fought at 155 in there or Jim Miller
Shocbomb - January 31, 2012
I suppose this would be an acceptable defence against it though.
pud333 - January 31, 2012
You are 100% correct but you should of used the video from the 2nd Hansen fight, it is playing with extreme fire but if you can tag Aoki’s beard the man is not good at all when it comes to taking damage.
Shocbomb - January 31, 2012
Yet another example of Yamasaki's idiocy.
He saved Gil from overcommitting and getting subbed right there though.
Rob Young - January 31, 2012
I actually felt like he saved Aoki.
Chris Groves - January 31, 2012
I don't get it.
discoandherpes - February 1, 2012
Would you run for your life?
soilworker - January 31, 2012
How the last fight ended
ChillMike - January 31, 2012
oh because Eddie isn't world class.
awesome troll post
Rob Young - January 31, 2012
Wake me when it's over
The two most over-hyped and under accomplished 155LB fighters in the world are going at it again. Aoki isn’t long removed from getting KO’d by a kickboxer in an MMA round and Alvarez’ sub defense is a joke. These guys are middle of the pack in the UFC 155 division. Neither of these guys deserves a spot near any top-10 or possibly even Top 20 list.
Randomguy81 - January 31, 2012
Aoki's accomplished plenty
Unless you completely write off everyone who isn’t in the UFC.
TheFilt - January 31, 2012
After re-reading your post.
Never mind. You’re just talking nonsense.
TheFilt - January 31, 2012
Please explain...
Who exactly either of these guys have beaten to be considered relevant? Aoki’s best wins are over blown up 145LB guys Hansen and Kawajiri(neither of whom have done much of anything in the last 3-4 years)and a shot and spent JZ after he punked out in their first fight. Like I said, dude got mirked by a kickboxer recently in an MMA round of a mixed competition fight. Alvarez has beaten who exactly? The same two 145ers I already mentioned and his other biggest win was over YET ANOTHER 145LBer in Curran (unless you really want to boast about wins over Josh Neer and Roger Huerta). Come on man, back up your claims!!!
Randomguy81 - January 31, 2012
If you don't think Aoki or Alvarez is top 20
I don’t know what to say.
You’ll write off every win Aoki has for one reason or another.
There’s a reason he’s the consensus #5 ranked LW.
TheFilt - January 31, 2012
Hes the Hector Lombard of 155
Again, who has he beaten since 2009? He got DOMINATED by Melendez, knocked stupid by Mach and KTFO bh a kickboxer in the MMA round of a mixed rules fight. The guy can’t strike, can’t wrestle, his only way to win is by pulling guard and hoping that someone is stupid enough to accomodate him. You really think this guy is elite? I would take Volkmann over Aoki and not think twice about it
Randomguy81 - January 31, 2012
Aoki is far different from Lombard
He may not have top 10 wins, but Hansen, Hirota, Kawajiri, Beerbohm, Clementi, Ribeiro, Kitaoka, and McCullough are all decent wins. He’s not out fighting cans, he’s taking on the best that he can find, evidenced by taking fights against Melendez and Alvarez. He crushes C and B level competition with ease. Also, he has supposedly grown by leaps and bounds since joining Evolve. I see no reason not to include him in the elite at 155.
Baby Wads - January 31, 2012
Volkmann over Aoki? That just shows either you are trolling or have zero understanding of this sport. Do you even know who Kitaoka is and some of his accomplishments? If you did you wouldn’t be spouting this nonsense.
memitim - January 31, 2012 via mobile
I don’t think Volkmann over Aoki is that far fetched. Volkmann is a 3 x All American Wrestler, who won a world grappling title, and his only MMA losses are at Welterweight to a couple of pretty good guys in Paulo Thiago, and Kampmann. Volkmann knows how to win, and could have enough of a smothering ground game to pull a win out against Aoki. That being said, I would still pick Aoki in that fight, but I don’t think you understand anything about Volkmann if you think he couldn’t hang in the cage with Aoki.
dpk875 - January 31, 2012
Volkmann is a decision machine and that has everything to do with fighting on the ground. Volkmann is a solid wrestler and would have a better chance in the cage but he would be swimming in deep waters fighting Aoki on the ground and I would bet 8 or 9 times out 10 Aoki beats him on the ground.
memitim - January 31, 2012 via mobile
G Sot spent 10 minutes trying to defend a leg lock
before he kicked Aoki in the balls.
TheFilt - February 1, 2012
Aoki is far too one dimensional
Great MMA fighters these days are NOT 1 dimensional. Wanna name me 1 UFC champion who is one-dimensional? How about you tell me how many Japanese fighters have ever held a UFC or Pride belt (Answer: 1, Gomi, who is a second/third tier fighter now). If you don’t train in North America or Brazil then you’re not a top flight fighter (Possible exception being Overeem who himself is training in SoCal/Vegas these days). Sorry but if you can keep Aoki from pulling you down he’s done for. Just look at what Melendez did to him and try telling me that Edgar/Bendo/Gray/Guida/Miller/Volkmann/Dunham and so on couldn’t work an almost identical game plan on him. Hell, of the top 10 at Sherdog ()tell me who you think Aoki would actually be favored to beat? I would take Cerrone and possibly Pettis over him as well.
Randomguy81 - February 1, 2012
Sherdog Rankings
Randomguy81 - February 1, 2012
This is ridiculous
Patrick Wyman - January 31, 2012
How about
These are two very talented fighters and anyone who knows anything about mma knows the Ufc doesn’t have all the top talent in the world. Much like overeem and Henderson weren’t but still considered top fighters due to their skill
JG87 - January 31, 2012 via mobile
You know 0 about MMA dude.
potato623 - January 31, 2012
anymore nothing shocks me on BE I read, actually I should of not even taken the time to replay to this post.
Shocbomb - January 31, 2012
replay should say reply, actually its a good thing this post will not replay in my mind
Shocbomb - January 31, 2012
Ummm your a trolllllll that is all.
youfailme91 - February 1, 2012 via mobile
Volkman over aoki bahahha I want the drugs kids r using these days.
youfailme91 - February 1, 2012 via mobile
In all honesty, it’s probably a 50/50 fight… Volkman is a great wrestler, is submission savy, and is much bigger than Aoki… I’d be very interested in seeing that fight, actually.
Shnak - February 1, 2012
Rather see Aoki fight Chandler
FreeLightningLee - January 31, 2012
aoki by sub again
Doubt Alvarez can keep aoki from clinching or just straight 1 shot him
MaZZacare - January 31, 2012 via iPhone app
We eather get 1. a replay of Gil vs Aoki or 2.or Hansen vs Aoki #2 or the 3rd option Aoki slaps on another sub. I think the 1st and 2nd are more likely sense this will be in a cage ?
Shocbomb - January 31, 2012
Gil almost got his arm caught, too
But he’s got much, much better sub defense and all-around grappling.
TheFilt - January 31, 2012
Aoki’s been working on his kickboxing and martial mixing arts at Evolve MMA. Maybe we’ll see Aoki do some set up strikes and bust out some wrasslin’ for an early sub? Unlikely, but hope is a nice thing to have.
Pyrgz Krum - January 31, 2012
Yes he has but It still looks so so awkward for him. He only seems to use 9/10 his kicks or a jab and even then thats against other grappler based fighters that he feels comfortable striking with. But overall his striking has improved and it was very evident in the Shaolin,Aurelio, & the Kitaoka fights.
Shocbomb - January 31, 2012
Off the top of my head these guys would beat Alvarez or Aoki
Edgar, Melendez, Maynard, Diaz, Henderson, Miller, Lauzon, Cerone, Roller, & Pettis is a maybe. So top 15 IMO, but like I said that was just off the top of my head
clarkkentpunch - January 31, 2012
Roller and Lauzon would beat Aoki and Alvarez?
Riiiiiiight.
Tats16 - January 31, 2012
Roller? Shane Roller?
So definitely Roller and Pettis is a maybe? OOOOOK.
Sweet Scientist - January 31, 2012
What the hell, Roller and Lauzon
Man, people on here don’t know MMA.
potato623 - January 31, 2012
I would take Lauzon over Alvarez
But Aoki is just a bad match-up
Stiff Jab - February 1, 2012
We can probably find out, because Roller will get cut now that he is on a 3 fight losing streak. Maybe he will land in Bellator.
dpk875 - January 31, 2012
Roller is ridiculous
His MMA wrestling game isn’t on par with his collegiate wrestling skills and I’m not too keen on his Sub D but the rest I would agree with except possibly Lauzon
Randomguy81 - February 1, 2012
Oh, Dunham too
HMMM i like Aoki and ALvarez but yeah, you think your top 5? Prove it.
clarkkentpunch - January 31, 2012
You know how he got be top 5? He proved it. How the hell do you think he got in the top 5?
memitim - January 31, 2012 via mobile
That's the problems with rankings
You can become number one ranked, then decide to fight bums and as long as you don’t lose you’re still number one.
discoandherpes - January 31, 2012
The thing is he isn’t fighting bums. That’s the problem with some fans, not the rankings.
memitim - January 31, 2012 via mobile
he isn't fighting bums
But these guys aren’t losing as much as their UFC counterparts because they are not in that crazy stacked division.
discoandherpes - January 31, 2012
I agree with that also,yes I do think Aoki deserves his pot in the rankings but thats only for the fact that he has not lost not becasue of the talent he is facing. It’s not like Aoki has been fighting total bums leading up to this 2nd Alvarez fight.but none have been elite now. most of his opponents I would say are are top 50 to 25 LW’s.
Shocbomb - January 31, 2012
You have to take into account the difference in MMA styles, too. The ring is very different from the cage. That’s why we see guys do better in one environment than the other. Yes, most North American MMA is fought in a cage but most of the rest of the world fights in rings. ONE FC will bring some uniformity but it will still be a different style of MMA. It’s kind of like AL v NL. They are both baseball but different style, pitcher in the NL might do great but then get crushed in the AL.
memitim - January 31, 2012 via mobile
I can not argure with this point, I do think with alot of fighters it hurts them moving from a Ring to a cage and vise-versa. I don’t think its the end all be all as to why some fighters struggle moving from one fighting surface to another though. I think it plays a hell of alot Bigger role then most Fans like to think though ?
Shocbomb - January 31, 2012
I remember Nick Diaz saying that fighting in a ring is a completely different sport than fighting in a cage. He is the kind of guy that can excel in both environments. But, if you don’t train in a cage you are going to be at a disadvantage. I think Fedor is the perfect example. In all his training videos I have never seen him train in a cage. He looks like a completely different in a cage, he is out of control. Yet, in the ring he is smooth, patient, calculating. I think it says a lot about the difference between the two environments.
memitim - January 31, 2012 via mobile
Or the opposite
Anderson Silva’s striking is infinitely better in a cage than a ring.
That’s part of it, but Aoki’s problem wasn’t fighting in the cage, it was just fighting good competition.
discoandherpes - February 1, 2012
Aoki has been training in a cage for quite some time now.
He actually said that since moving to Evolve, he has learned to love the cage, and actually enjoys it more than a ring now.
Anton Tabuena - February 1, 2012
I dont see how though. It clearly hampered him against Melendez who used it to take away Aoki’s space on the ground. Not sure what advantage it could be to him but happy to learn something next time I watch him.
GeeDub - February 1, 2012
Werdum used the cage to his advantage against Fedor… maybe Aoki is learning similar tricks?
Shnak - February 1, 2012
But, but, HE IS FIGHTING BUMS!!!
When was the last time any of the guys in Japan actually beaten a world ranked counterpart from somewhere outside of Japan? Aokis win over the highly overrated Alvarez is the only example in many years. The level of wrestling in Japan is a joke and these guys get smothered and beaten to a pulp when they face their American counterparts. Lets be real, this is a fact that has proven itself over, and over, and over again. If you don’t train with the best you don’t beat the best. Aoki is living off of the past and hasn’t beat anybody of note since that time. Kitaoka, really, the same guy who got BLASTED by Masvidal not that long ago? A guy whose best win in the last 5 years is over a Gomi who clearly didn’t take the fight seriously. Give me a break.
Randomguy81 - February 1, 2012
Will we be seeing Aoki pants in Bellator?
Art_Wanderlei - January 31, 2012
Most likely not
He’s been fighting without them for a little while now.
ChillMike - January 31, 2012
I think they are against the unified rules.
memitim - January 31, 2012 via mobile
tats16
Those two maybe a stretch, I can concede that, but hard to argue with the others.
clarkkentpunch - January 31, 2012
There's a reply button under anyone's post.
Makes it easier to know who you’re talking to.
Sweet Scientist - January 31, 2012
Sorry Sweet Scientist
I’m on Day two of the warrior Diet, my brain no work so good.
clarkkentpunch - January 31, 2012
No problem man.
Sweet Scientist - January 31, 2012
Roller beating Alvarez and Aoki isn't a stretch in my mind, it's goddamn science fiction.
Sweet Scientist - January 31, 2012
Roller wouldn't have a free arm to tap with
TheFilt - January 31, 2012
I'mtrying to come up with a way for Roller to win that fight.
Best I have is Aoki showing up drunk, getting confused in rubber guard and somehow gogoplating himself.
Sweet Scientist - January 31, 2012
The ref: He’s out, but he’s also the one who executed the choke. Technical draw.
TheFilt - January 31, 2012
Man! I bust my ass thinking of this and you gotta shit all over it.
Back to the drawing board I guess.
Sweet Scientist - January 31, 2012
The mental image of that had me giggling uncontrollably for about a minute.
euthanatos - January 31, 2012
With Aoki's chin
Would you really be shocked if Shane Roller landed one punch and beat him.
Aoki lost to Nagashima. A FUCKING KICKBOXER!
discoandherpes - January 31, 2012
No I would not be shocked at all. If the fight ever got made sure I am taking Aoki and would think he would be a nice favorite to Win. That being said I would not be shocked at all if Roller blasted him from guard and stopped him.
Shocbomb - January 31, 2012
I agree
Of course he would be the favorite, but I wouldn’t be shocked in any reasonably hard hitting lightweight stopped him.
discoandherpes - January 31, 2012
Yeah, kickboxers knock people out sometimes in MMA. Guys like Cro Cop, Hunt, Reem, Sergei, etc.
Also, it was clear he wasn’t taking that Nagashima fight seriously. His fault, definitely. But, it wasn’t a fight that was going to matter to his record. Who cares.
memitim - January 31, 2012 via mobile
I loved watching it and got one hell of a good laugh, but I don’t hold that KO loss in a mixed rules fight against Aoki when taking is MMA rankings and resume into account.
Shocbomb - January 31, 2012
Why shouldn't that count?
He lost in the MMA portion of the fight.
discoandherpes - February 1, 2012
Why? Well in my mind it just was not a true mme fight. I know alot of fans do hold that L against and that does not bother me at all,if you feel that way I respect that opinion.But to me the mixed rules fight is just not a true MMA fight,who can say how that fight would of went if it was a true MMA fight now. I can tell you one thing its up there in my top 10 of most f all time, I myself was so happy and shocked when it happend. It will always be a moment I will remember
Shocbomb - February 1, 2012
Jesus – I got to stop typing so dam fast and start proof reading these comments before I submit them from now on.
Shocbomb - February 1, 2012
None of the guys you listed are pure kickboxers.
discoandherpes - February 1, 2012
I already asked you a long time ago so I know your avatar pic is Wand. But it just screams Jim Morrison to me, So many times I have to remind myself its Wand and not some late 60’s pick of Jim.
Shocbomb - February 1, 2012
I know right?
I picked it because everyone says I look like Jim Morrison, so Wandy in this pic looks like a more bad ass Brazilian version of myself.
discoandherpes - February 1, 2012
You don't like fun do you?
More seriously, yeah I wouldn’t be THAT shocked if Roller knocked him out, anything can happen in MMA. But the guys that knocked out Aoki recently are better strikers than Roller who has three TKOs in his career: Tavares and two guys making their debuts and who never fought again after that.
Sweet Scientist - February 1, 2012
There is far more evidence of Aoki having a reasonably good chin than him having a weak one.
His tko losses have all come from bombs. Think about it. He dove into a flying knee from a kickboxer. Of course its lights out. Repeated knees to the head from Sakurai and shots from Hellboy after Aoki had already fought to decision that night. The knee KOs would KO 95% of guys and maybe some with good chins could have recovered from Hellboys strikes, but still……hardly evidence of a weak chin……especially when you look at the bombs he has worn again Lo-A-Njoe, JZ and hellboy 3.
In 35 fights, 2 people have been able to punch aoki and end the fight. Once in 2004 and once in 2008 after already fighting for 15mins that night. That doesnt sound like a dude with a weak chin to me.
GeeDub - February 1, 2012
dude give up on that line
He fought one of the hardest hitting LWs in Melendez & didn’t get KO’d, so it was clearly a case of getting caught. You could say that Roller has a weak chin because he lost to (4-8) Jake Pruitt, but that happened 5 years ago. Shit happens in MMA that can’t be explained, yet people hold on to fallacies like a security blanket.
tigerlee - February 1, 2012
Maybe I’m the only one, but I felt like Alvarez quit in his last fight during the 4th round once Chandler took his back. He gave up that choke way too easy, even if he was rocked.
savik - January 31, 2012
You aren’t.
“Alvarez is a quitter”-sentiment was all over the site in wake of the fight.
Pyrgz Krum - January 31, 2012
Can't wait to see Bellator's crown jewel lose 2 straight fights.
Rob Young - January 31, 2012
21 April??? Really Bellator???
UFC has open weekends all through March, the first week of April, and the week after this fight, and you schedule this fight on the same night as the biggest UFC card of the year to this point with Jones/Rashad? What sense does that make?
dpk875 - January 31, 2012
About as much sense as having their LW champion, their highest ranked fighter...
fight on the same night at Shogun vs Henderson.
Also, weren’t they supposed to be moving to Fridays? What the hell?
Chris Groves - January 31, 2012
I think Aoki subs him again, personally
TLow - January 31, 2012
Ok Aoki & Alvarez, we'll give both of you this one
But after this fight, sign with the UFC for fuck’s sake! This Bellator going nowhere shit is driving me nuts.
tigerlee - February 1, 2012
UPDATE: The fight is on April 20th.
Anton Tabuena - February 3, 2012
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