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DREAM 15: Shinya Aoki Back To Japan With Sub Of Tatsuya Kawajiri

By: Chad Edward Posted On: July 10, 2010 at 6:20am
DREAM 15: Shinya Aoki Back To Japan With Sub Of Tatsuya Kawajiri
DREAM lightweight champion “Tobikan Judan” Shinya Aoki (24-5) forced “Crusher” Tatsuya Kawajiri (26-6-2) to tap out in an Achilles lock at 1:53 of their DREAM.15 title fight in Saitama Saturday.
Aoki returned from a drubbing by Strikeforce champion “El Niño” Gilbert Melendez (18-2) at Strikeforce in Nashville April 17 to defeat his longtime Japanese rival.
Aoki bit first and deep, shooting for a single-leg takedown.  Kawajiri stuffed it and attempted to reverse to top position, but that was just fine with Aoki.  Aoki flowed with the transition and pulled Kawajiri atop him.  By the Kawajiri realized he didn’t want to be anywhere on the mat with Aoki, Aoki had gobbled up Kawajiri’s left leg and was rolling with a heel hook.
Kawajiri rolled in defense and Aoki transitioned into an Achilles lock.  Kawajiri dotted Aoki’s left eye with two heel kicks with his free leg, but Aoki bit harder on Kawajiri’s left leg.
Kawajiri grimaced in pain.  For a moment it seemed as Aoki had worn himself out on the grip, but with one final tug he forced Kawajiri to tap out.
Aoki’s title defense was the main event on a seven-fight card that gradually and unintentionally developed the theme of rejected fighters from United States promotions UFC and Strikeforce.  Aoki was once regarded as a rival to former UFC champion  “Prodigy” BJ Penn (15-5-1), but was exposed as woefully one-dimensional at Strikeforce versus Melendez.
Earlier in the evening, “Uno Shoten” Caol Uno (25-13-5) announced his return to DREAM after a 0-2-1 run in the UFC.  Dutch kickboxer  ”No Mercy” Melvin Manhoef (23-6-1) returned to DREAM off of a first-round knockout loss to former EliteXC middleweight champion “Ruthless” Robbie Lawler (17-6) at Strikeforce in Miami in January, only to lose to unheralded Tatsuya Mizuno (8-5).  UFC rejects Kazuhiro Nakamura (15-1) and Michihiro Omigawa (11-8-1) each walked away with wins at DREAM.
The era of Japanese MMA rivaling American MMA on an equal footing is over and the Japanese sport is now unquestionably a minor league to both the UFC and Strikeforce.

DREAM lightweight champion “Tobikan Judan” Shinya Aoki (24-5) forced “Crusher” Tatsuya Kawajiri (26-6-2) to tap out in an Achilles lock at 1:53 of their DREAM.15 title fight in Saitama Saturday.

Aoki returned from a drubbing by Strikeforce champion “El Niño” Gilbert Melendez (18-2) at Strikeforce in Nashville April 17 to defeat his longtime Japanese rival.

Aoki bit first and deep, shooting for a single-leg takedown.  Kawajiri stuffed it and attempted to reverse to top position, but that was just fine with Aoki.  Aoki flowed with the transition and pulled Kawajiri atop him.  By the Kawajiri realized he didn’t want to be anywhere on the mat with Aoki, Aoki had gobbled up Kawajiri’s left leg and was rolling with a heel hook.

Kawajiri rolled in defense and Aoki transitioned into an Achilles lock.  Kawajiri dotted Aoki’s left eye with two heel kicks with his free leg, but Aoki bit harder on Kawajiri’s left leg.

Kawajiri grimaced in pain.  For a moment it seemed as Aoki had worn himself out on the grip, but with one final tug he forced Kawajiri to tap out.

Aoki’s title defense was the main event on a seven-fight card that gradually and unintentionally developed the theme of rejected fighters from United States promotions UFC and Strikeforce.  Aoki was once regarded as a rival to former UFC champion  “Prodigy” BJ Penn (15-5-1), but was exposed as woefully one-dimensional at Strikeforce versus Melendez.

Earlier in the evening, “Uno Shoten” Caol Uno (25-13-5) announced his return to DREAM after a 0-2-1 run in the UFC.  Dutch kickboxer  ”No Mercy” Melvin Manhoef (23-6-1) returned to DREAM off of a first-round knockout loss to former EliteXC middleweight champion “Ruthless” Robbie Lawler (17-6) at Strikeforce in Miami in January, only to lose to unheralded Tatsuya Mizuno (8-5).  UFC rejects Kazuhiro Nakamura (15-1) and Michihiro Omigawa (11-8-1) each walked away with wins at DREAM.

The era of Japanese MMA rivaling American MMA on an equal footing is over, even in the lower weight classes, and the Japanese sport is now unquestionably a minor league to both the UFC and Strikeforce.

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