Shinya Aoki Scores a Sweet Surprise in Singapore
On Friday night in Singapore, the veteran Japanese grappler Shinya Aoki made a statement that silenced the crowd and put a smile back on his face. After a couple of rough losses, Aoki went toe‑to‑toe with Rasul Yakhyaev in ONE: UNSTOPPABLE DREAMS and came out clutching a win‑trophy, a sparkling medal, and a double‑“V” for victory. His scorecard now reads 40‑8‑1, while Yakhyaev drops to 11‑7.
The Opening Gambit
- “Tobikan Judan” – Aoki starts strong, nailing Yakhyaev into a reverse clinch.
- Yakhyaev defends the first takedown, but Aoki’s grip is too solid.
- Aoki gets the fight on the mat and begins looking for an omoplata sweep.
From Gable Grip to Monster Choke
- Aoki presses in, trying to pass Yakhyaev’s guard with a blast of hip pressure, head, and arm control.
- On the move, he hops over, passes, and lands a mounted triangle choke – think “fence‑selfie” meets 15‑second penalty.
- Yakhyaev flips, presses him to the cage, but the BJJ wizard stays cool, legs locked tight.
When the Strikes Were No Fun
Yakhyaev throws punches hoping to flash Aoki’s choke, but it’s a straight‑line bop. The gatekeeper keeps his lock – it’s not a squeeze‑more kind of contest, it’s a full‑tube!
The Tap
Aoki pulls the locker, isolates Yakhyaev’s punching arm, and squeezes. Yakhyaev taps out. The referee pulls the rope, and Aoki blasts back to the fence, arms wide open, grinning like a kid who just beat a video‑game boss.
Thanks to this win, Shinya Aoki keeps that champion smile shining on his face and cleans the loss board once again.
