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[Sakara=Excitement]

Eddie Alvarez-Shinya Aoki rematch set for April : Five Ounces of Pain

Former Bellator lightweight champ Eddie Alvarez will get his chance to avenge a submission loss to Shinya Aoki this April. Aoki defeated Alvarez back in 2008 via Heel Hook in just 92 seconds.

The match has been planned by Bellator for a few months now, but Alvarez recently confirmed that exact time for the bout.

Alvarez and Aoki are two of the top lightweights in the world and among the few fighters out there regarded in such high esteem who do not compete in the UFC.

“It’s been a long time coming. I’ve been wanting to get this back for the past three years so I’m just happy I got the opportunity and that the promoter, Bjorn Rebney, was able to make this come together and happen,” said Alvarez, in an interview with The Fight Nerd.

Alvarez lost his Bellator title to Michael Chandler in late 2011 in a match that many have claimed was the Fight of the Year. Aoki last competed at the DREAM New Year’s Eve event, earning semi-lopsided decision win over Satoru Kitaoka.

[TBEAR]

Eddie MAULS him

[beau420]

Originally Posted by TBEAR

Eddie MAULS him

In the states, with American crowd and ref....I would probably agree.

Maybe bring in that Japanese ref Yuji Shimada (who was at a couple SF events)

As long as the fight doesn't take place in a city where if the fight hits the ground the pro American crowd goes ape shit within 5 seconds demanding a standup.

I think Aoki has only looked better and better since getting KOd in that amateur mixed rules fight.

But Eddie is so strong...maybe he will get some of his hunger back after being defeated.

Either way....both two are some of the most dangerous 155ers in the world.

Eddie has finished 86% of the fights he has won and Aoki 73%

Compared that to Edgar's 43% and Gilbert's 60% and Maynard's 20%

As far as finishing the fight....Michael Chandler and Nate Diaz are also up there over 75%. Joe Lauzon, at 100%, has surprisingly never won a decision, and has only been to a decision once in his pro career.

[dimerules28]

Joe Lauzon is one of the most exciting and under appreciated fighters out there.

[rodneykm]

Definitely pulling for Eddie in this one. Should be a good fight though.

[Sniggles]

Originally Posted by dimerules28

Joe Lauzon is one of the most exciting and under appreciated fighters out there.

Perhaps it has to do with his nickname.

[Fedorlei Gomipierre]

Good fight, however I'm kinda somewhat over Aoki fighting stateside as he's clearly not committed to evolving his game(however the sub game he has is one of the best), coupled with the perpetual crabwalk which just doesn't fly over here, I'm not terribly stoked here.

If Aoki started to make an attempt to develop a standup game at least, I think this fight would be interesting(as he could work the clinch somewhat safely and THEN get the TD), but I don't see Eddie making the same mistake twice and I can't see Aoki lasting through the barrage of Eddie's standup to secure a takedown.

Aoki can absolutely sub Eddie again here, but truth be told, in the US with the shitty ref standups as mentioned above, and with his current game, I think Aoki has alot going against him.

Eddie via Rd. 2 TKO....if not mid Rd. 1.

[Sniggles]

Brawling wrestlers will always have an edge in the States against Aoki. I really do despise the current state of affairs with stand-ups. If the fans cannot tolerate the intricacies of the ground game then they should go back to watching Football or WWE. I watch most of the PPVs at the bar like I have mentioned many times. A very small percentage of the "fans" you strike conversations with know very little background of Pride or know what is happening with the ground. It seems as though it is difficult for them to understand that the ground game is a chess match. Even the analogy of a chess match to them is obscure.

[Diegonightmare]

Two of my very favorite 155 pounders here in a great fight. That said, Aoki is gradually becoming one of my 5 favorite fighters, in any weight class. Gotta pull for Aoki.

[beau420]

Originally Posted by Fedorlei Gomipierre

Good fight, however I'm kinda somewhat over Aoki fighting stateside as he's clearly not committed to evolving his game(however the sub game he has is one of the best), coupled with the perpetual crabwalk which just doesn't fly over here, I'm not terribly stoked here.

If Aoki started to make an attempt to develop a standup game at least, I think this fight would be interesting(as he could work the clinch somewhat safely and THEN get the TD), but I don't see Eddie making the same mistake twice and I can't see Aoki lasting through the barrage of Eddie's standup to secure a takedown.

Aoki can absolutely sub Eddie again here, but truth be told, in the US with the shitty ref standups as mentioned above, and with his current game, I think Aoki has alot going against him.

Eddie via Rd. 2 TKO....if not mid Rd. 1.

I think his standup has looked better since he moved out of Japan and has started training with Evolve. And he is staying with Evolve.

And Aoki's weakness has always been his striking. And he is in a country now and a gym that is stacked with Thai fighters.

Evolve Fight Team | #1 in Asia for MMA, Muay Thai, Brazilian Jiu Jitsu

They have 10 world champions listed on their website.

Aoki has pretty good takedowns via judo or pancrase/wrestling single or double leg takedowns and his submission game is best in the world.

I think a year at Evolve would be great.

Then maybe go to an all around MMA gym. Maybe travel North America going gym to gym.

Aoki really needs to get some friends here in North America.

I think his first big move was just getting out of Japan, and Singapore is just his first step.