Heavily favored to win the first DREAM Lightweight Grand Prix, Shinya Aoki fought a gruelling semi-final fight against Carl Uno that he would win to send him to the finals to face, Eddie Alvarez. Alvarez was unable to continue on to fight in the finals due to injury and Joachim Hansen would step into his place after defeating Kulter “Black Mamba” Gil in an alternate bout earlier in the evening. Hansen would go on to win the tournament defeating Aoki in the finals by TKO.
Following the fight Aoki spoke to reporters and had the following to say. From MMAWeekly.com
“For me, the final round was kind of secondary,” he explained to reporters after the event. “The first round was that big. I was so sore in my body as well. He was very strong and powerful. I have never complained about him, but to be honest with you, he is very strong.”
The format was new for Aoki, and lessons have been learned. He said participation in future tournaments will not be based on his opponent, but whether he feels up to eventually facing two men in a single night.
“It’s not a matter of the opponent,” he said. “I was tired from the fight with Uno. After the fight with Uno, I just felt like I didn’t have the fight in me. It’s very difficult to tell. After the semi-final, how much have you rested physically and mentally?”
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