# ***OFFICIAL*** Gilbert Melendez vs. Shinya Aoki Pre/Post Fight



## Xerxes (Aug 14, 2008)

*Please conduct ALL of your discussion in regards to Gilbert "El Nino" Melendez facing Shinya "Tobikan Judan" Aoki in this thread. All threads made in regards to this fight will be merged into this one.*​


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## Xerxes (Aug 14, 2008)

vbookie: http://www.mmaforum.com/strikeforce-vbookie-betting/75218-gilbert-melendez-vs-shinya-aoki.html


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## Toxic (Mar 1, 2007)

Melendez is gonna give Aoki a beatdown. As long as Melendez doesn't let pride go to his head and he avoids going to the ground he should beat down Aoki rather quickly.


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## Life B Ez (Jan 23, 2010)

Toxic said:


> Melendez is gonna give Aoki a beatdown. As long as Melendez doesn't let pride go to his head and he avoids going to the ground he should beat down Aoki rather quickly.


That's what everyone said about Gegard......


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## xeberus (Apr 23, 2007)

im a bigger fan of aoki, but melendez is a great fighter and could KO aoki.

however... aoki via sexy sub without the sexy pants


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## Life B Ez (Jan 23, 2010)

xeberus said:


> im a bigger fan of aoki, but melendez is a great fighter and could KO aoki.
> 
> however... aoki via sexy sub without the sexy pants


I'm worried about his ability without the pants......


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## Toxic (Mar 1, 2007)

Poking him in the eye is the first thing Aoki has done.


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## Muttonwar (Mar 22, 2008)

This nashville crowd needs to stfu.


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## Canadian Psycho (Apr 22, 2007)

lol @ using Mario's shirt to wipe the eye!

Haha, Mario... always the professional.


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## Rusko (Feb 4, 2010)

Oh tell me tell me whats happening?


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## JimmyJames (Dec 29, 2009)

Toxic said:


> Poking him in the eye is the first thing Aoki has done.


LOL, true!


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## Canadian Psycho (Apr 22, 2007)

Aoki can take a shot, I'll give him that.


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## xeberus (Apr 23, 2007)

i think aoki got rocked quite a bit more than he showed from those strikes on the ground.


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## Toxic (Mar 1, 2007)

This is another boring fight, Strikeforce is gonna be in trouble if they are counting on decision dan and Jake Shields to save the show.


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## Shoegazer (Jun 23, 2007)

Rd 1 Melendez


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## Rusko (Feb 4, 2010)

Did aoki do anything?


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## JimmyJames (Dec 29, 2009)

Shoegazer said:


> Rd 1 Melendez


Agree

Aoki wants no part of the stand up


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## sworddemon (Feb 4, 2007)

I wanna see a flying gogoplata.


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## Canadian Psycho (Apr 22, 2007)

Might just be a matter of time, now.


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## xeberus (Apr 23, 2007)

Toxic said:


> This is another boring fight, Strikeforce is gonna be in trouble if they are counting on decision dan and Jake Shields to save the show.


Hey im enjoying it... booze may be helping that tho :confused05:



Canadian Psycho said:


> Might just be a matter of time, now.


its not looking good for aoki so far 

but all he needs is one mistake and bam


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## Shoegazer (Jun 23, 2007)

20-18 Melendez


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## JimmyJames (Dec 29, 2009)

A bad BJ Penn would beat Aoki. 

Good fight from Melendez so far......


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## Indestructibl3 (Apr 2, 2009)

Can anyone else envision another 5 rounder here?


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## streetpunk08 (Jul 15, 2006)

Aoki could pull a sub out of nowhere but it looks like it's only a matter of time before he gets TKO'd he can't keep taking these bombs. Welcome to the cage Aoki.


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## Toxic (Mar 1, 2007)

JimmyJames said:


> A bad BJ Penn would beat Aoki.
> 
> Good fight from Melendez so far......


A bad BJ Penn would destroy Aoki in one round a good one in one minute.


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## coldcall420 (Aug 2, 2007)

2-0 Melendez???


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## Canadian Psycho (Apr 22, 2007)

I'd laugh if Aoki went for a flying armbar during the glove tap.


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## Toxic (Mar 1, 2007)

Why does Melendez jump into his guard?


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## The Dude Abides (Jul 8, 2008)

Wow. I thought the sport was evolving? All four fighters fighting for belts tonight so far have all been so one dimensional.


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## Toxic (Mar 1, 2007)

Aoki has resorted to butt scooting. Melendez should be just picking him apart on the feet. Why is he taking the bait?


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## Canadian Psycho (Apr 22, 2007)

Fans need to shut the hell up... bloody Nashville... the fight isn't THAT bad.

Edit - Is it?


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## DropKick (Apr 19, 2007)

Desperation butt scooting ftl.


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## Indestructibl3 (Apr 2, 2009)

Canadian Psycho said:


> I'd laugh if Aoki went for a flying armbar during the glove tap.


lmao that'd be sick!


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## Shoegazer (Jun 23, 2007)

30-27 melendez. Elite submission fighting is dying here with Aoki.


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## Rusko (Feb 4, 2010)

By looking at the comments I should be glad i aint watching this


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## Toxic (Mar 1, 2007)

Canadian Psycho said:


> Fans need to shut the hell up... bloody Nashville... the fight isn't THAT bad.
> 
> Edit - Is it?


Aoki is butt scooting. That shit don't get over in the states.


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## streetpunk08 (Jul 15, 2006)

Gilbert's doing a nice job of using the cage to pin Aoki's head and land bombs.


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## Toxic (Mar 1, 2007)

Sorry no shiny pants, no butt scooting.


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## Rusty (Apr 13, 2010)

Aoki is gonna wear a hole in the ass of his pants at this rate:angry02:


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## Rusko (Feb 4, 2010)

whats butt scooting?


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## footodors (Aug 26, 2007)

This is Aoki's "Midway".


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## Toxic (Mar 1, 2007)

I laugh everytime Melendez backs up Aoki gets into his sitting position and Mario is just telling him to stand up, he isn't waiting for it, he already knows Aoki isn't gonna want to stand back up.


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## Toxic (Mar 1, 2007)

Rusko said:


> whats butt scooting?


Aoki basically sits up and scoots around on his butt after his opponent. He does it all the time in Japan in the states they stand you up for that shit.


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## Canadian Psycho (Apr 22, 2007)

lol, come on Mario, that was your botch.


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## Rusty (Apr 13, 2010)

Rusko said:


> whats butt scooting?


It's a technique rarely used in mma...With good reason.


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## osmium (Mar 6, 2007)

Toxic said:


> Sorry no shiny pants, no butt scooting.


That's not really the problem. He is fighting a legit top 5 LW who has an excellent gameplan. I think Gilbert is essentially the equivalent of Kenny. Thompson and BJ when they are 100% are the best LWs in the world Aoki is barely top 10.


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## JimmyJames (Dec 29, 2009)

footodors said:


> This is Aoki's "Midway".


LOL

Repped for the history lesson:thumb02:


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## coldcall420 (Aug 2, 2007)

Aoki needs to get some balls and step up and throw at least to try to improve his position, the droppin to his ass stuff is getting old....and oh yeah, losing him the fight....


Throw punches....


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## BWoods (Apr 8, 2007)

That was an interesting moment to stand the fighters up. Yamasaki screwed up there.


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## Toxic (Mar 1, 2007)

osmium said:


> That's not really the problem. He is fighting a legit top 5 LW who has an excellent gameplan. I think Gilbert is essentially the equivalent of Kenny. Thompson and BJ when they are 100% are the best LWs in the world Aoki is barely top 10.


The problem is he has to stand and Mario is not gonna listen to him cry. The japanese really twist the rules in Aoki's favor.


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## streetpunk08 (Jul 15, 2006)

Canadian Psycho said:


> lol, come on Mario, that was your botch.


yeah that was a bad blunder by Mario


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## xeberus (Apr 23, 2007)

aoki is getting beaten like a red headed step child


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## coldcall420 (Aug 2, 2007)

Mario sucks.....


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## ufc4life (Jul 14, 2008)

yamasaki fucked up ...if gilbert loses hes gonna get lynched:sarcastic12:


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## Canadian Psycho (Apr 22, 2007)

If Aoki scores a sub in the final minute of the final round... Nashville will riot!


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## Indestructibl3 (Apr 2, 2009)

What the f8ck Yamasaki? Damn Melendez wrecked him with that shot, butt-scooted right into it!


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## aerius (Nov 19, 2006)

Does Melendez not know how to cut off a cage? Cut off the ring and freakin' wail on him!


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## Toxic (Mar 1, 2007)

aerius said:


> Does Melendez not know how to cut off a cage? Cut off the ring and freakin' wail on him!


I doubt he was expecting so much lateral movement form Aoki who has never fought in a cage before that I know of.


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## xeberus (Apr 23, 2007)

well im 0 for 2 tonight x_X

go hendo!


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## DropKick (Apr 19, 2007)

Aoki attends the Tales Leites school of MMA.


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## Life B Ez (Jan 23, 2010)

I feel like I just watched Anderson Silva vs Thales again, that was just sad.


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## mathruD (Aug 16, 2009)

i feel like i just saw silva/leites again with the exception that melendez was constantly delivering a beating and trying to finish the fight.


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## aerius (Nov 19, 2006)

Toxic said:


> I doubt he was expecting so much lateral movement form Aoki who has never fought in a cage before that I know of.


Still, it can't be that hard. Aoki moves in one direction only, to his left, how hard could it be to cut him off punch him out?


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## BWoods (Apr 8, 2007)

I guarantee that when Aoki gets back to Japan he will complain about the rules and reffing being bias against him. When in reality he just got dominated in a fight where the rules weren't tilted in his favor.


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## 420atalon (Sep 13, 2008)

Hmm thought that would happen. 1 dimensional fighters have no place in the sport anymore.


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## Shoegazer (Jun 23, 2007)

Melendez clearly won. Neither impressed me. 

The bigger point to me, is with the destruction of Maia and now Aoki, elite submission fighters are dinosaurs.


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## Life B Ez (Jan 23, 2010)

StrikeForce can't be happy right now, two fights two decisions and both a little boring. Dan and Jake better put on a show.


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## Walker (May 27, 2007)

Well I'll take my lumps as I thought Aoki would win this and is utterly disappointed by his performance. I is sad. :sad01:

Alright Toxic I gots to honor the bet I'll rock the anti-Shinya sig.


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## JimmyJames (Dec 29, 2009)

Wow and to think that Mousasi King Mo is gonna be the most exciting fight of the night......

Aoki got exposed tonight. I dont think he would do much in the UFC at all. 

Hopefully Hendo Bisping's Shields.


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## Indestructibl3 (Apr 2, 2009)

Great domination by Melendez, won every round easily. Dissapointed with Aoki.


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## osmium (Mar 6, 2007)

It is too bad Gilbert didn't get to finish him but the fight went the way everyone should have expected it to. Complete domination by El Nino. I'm a little dissapointed that Aoki didn't cry though I always enjoy that.


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## Freiermuth (Nov 19, 2006)

Shoegazer said:


> Melendez clearly won. Neither impressed me.
> 
> The bigger point to me, is with the destruction of Maia and now Aoki, elite submission fighters are dinosaurs.


Yeah, I didn't think about it much until Sonnen said it after he beat Nate....would still love to see someone win a belt from a sub off the back but doesn't look like we will see that again. Hell, actually any sub would be great in a title fight that lands from skill and not an exhausted opponent.


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## Toxic (Mar 1, 2007)

Shoegazer said:


> Melendez clearly won. Neither impressed me.
> 
> The bigger point to me, is with the destruction of Maia and now Aoki, elite submission fighters are dinosaurs.


They need to evolve. BJ Penn entered the sport as an elite submission grappler but he evolved as a fighter, more guys need to try and follow his lead.


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## Jason22 (Apr 18, 2010)

*Why do all japanese fighters just get beat down and dont fight back..... Aoki....*

Aoki, caol uno... i mean these guys just get beat down for 3 rounds, never go on the offensive, and just never able to dominate any fight


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## No_Mercy (Oct 17, 2006)

Yushin and Akiyama seem to be the only ones holding it down.

We'll see how Kid Yamamoto does...


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## cdtcpl (Mar 9, 2007)

I think one of the common problems is they don't train for the cage when they come state side. A lot of them seem to think that it doesn't matter what they practice in when it couldn't be further from the truth. Same thing would happen to US fighters if they went to Japan and fought for the most part.


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## streetpunk08 (Jul 15, 2006)

In this particular fight I think it was just a case of Aoki being over matched here. He didnt have the appropriate skillset to fight back. They even said at one point Aoki wasn't training with a cage, won't they ever learn there's a difference?


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## cdtcpl (Mar 9, 2007)

streetpunk08 said:


> In this particular fight I think it was just a case of Aoki being over matched here. He didnt have the appropriate skillset to fight back. They even said at one point Aoki wasn't training with a cage, won't they ever learn there's a difference?


Mirko made the same mistake as well.


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## osmium (Mar 6, 2007)

streetpunk08 said:


> In this particular fight I think it was just a case of Aoki being over matched here. He didnt have the appropriate skillset to fight back. They even said at one point Aoki wasn't training with a cage, won't they ever learn there's a difference?


Okami and Sexyama have a gym with a cage in Japan and spend some time in camps in america as well so they aren't retarded. 

I don't think it is right to say all Japanese guys are dumb like Aoki. Kawajiri would do fine in the UFC not a top 5 guy but still he would handle himself well.


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## Rusko (Feb 4, 2010)

I also dont get it, they are home to so many martial arts, but at fighting asians kinda suck, if you look at top fighters


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## SlowGraffiti (Dec 29, 2007)

I thought Uno beat Fisher for his first UFC fight back. Okami, Akiyama, and 1/2 of Machida seem to be holding it down in the UFC. I'm thinking it's also because wrestling isn't big in Japan and they don't really cut weight so they are not as beefed up.


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## KamikazeKid (Mar 22, 2010)

Weight cutting, prepartion and game plan all play a factor. Aoki didn't even train in a cage for this fight for christs sake!


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## rockybalboa25 (May 27, 2007)

SlowGraffiti said:


> I thought Uno beat Fisher for his first UFC fight back. Okami, Akiyama, and 1/2 of Machida seem to be holding it down in the UFC. I'm thinking it's also because wrestling isn't big in Japan and they don't really cut weight so they are not as beefed up.


While Machida is of Japanese descent, he is considered a Brazilian fighter. He was born in, trains, and lives in Brazil. I don't know that one win over Alan Belcher is holding it down or not. Okami is a gatekeeper at best. He hasn't beaten a top level fighter ever, unless you count a DQ over Anderson Silva.


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## Indestructibl3 (Apr 2, 2009)

streetpunk08 said:


> In this particular fight I think it was just a case of Aoki being over matched here. He didnt have the appropriate skillset to fight back. They even said at one point *Aoki wasn't training with a cage*, won't they ever learn there's a difference?


I can't get my head around this ... how top level, elite athletes don't train intelligently. I'm glad Aoki got destroyed, the one thing I respect him for is his concrete chin.


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## Soakked (Feb 5, 2007)

One reason might be that they arent as good. Another reason might be that there are fighting with different rules in a different org, with a different ring, and different atmosphere. It's not only Japanese fighters, it's happened to Big Nog, Rampage, Wandy, Shogun, Cro Cop etc.. Their first fight in a cage in America all sucked. Shit it happened to Fedor with Rogers. Something about the change fcks people up.


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## rockybalboa25 (May 27, 2007)

Soakked said:


> One reason might be that they arent as good. Another reason might be that there are fighting with different rules in a different org, with a different ring, and different atmosphere. It's not only Japanese fighters, it's happened to Big Nog, Rampage, Wandy, Shogun, Cro Cop etc.. Their first fight in a cage in America all sucked. Shit it happened to Fedor with Rogers. Something about the change fcks people up.


I don't buy the cage/rule excuse. Nog won his first fight in the cage, he got caught and worked his way out of it. That's just the way fights. Wandy and Cro cop were already on their way down. Shogun was suffering from a injury. Rampage didn't really have any problems. It didn't bother Silva any.


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## Kado (Apr 18, 2010)

I think most japanese fighters are at their natural weight with little or no cutting. While other nationalties are the boxer/wrestler weight cutters who have a power and size andvantage. I am not saying in all cases, but in a good amount.


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## gwabblesore (May 2, 2007)

It becomes an athletic thing imo. Japanese guys can't make their way into other sports either; there's a few that have done okay in baseball courtesy of great technique (ie Ichiro = Aoki) but that's one sport where athleticism doesn't matter tremendously much. In MMA being fast and strong matters, and stereotypically (while great at math and shit) Japanese men just don't have it, in general.


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## evilappendix (Jan 4, 2007)

rockybalboa25 said:


> I don't buy the cage/rule excuse. Nog won his first fight in the cage, he got caught and worked his way out of it. That's just the way fights. Wandy and Cro cop were already on their way down. Shogun was suffering from a injury. Rampage didn't really have any problems. It didn't bother Silva any.


Yeah I agree. The cage is a tired excuse. Aoki needs to go learn some stand up yesterday. The butt scoot until the ref stands you up, while arguably a wise tactical choice given the rule set, is and always will be uber lame. All the more reason to allow kicks and stomps to grounded opponents if you ask me. You can't tell me the crowd tonight wouldn't have loved to be witness to a couple heals to the face in that match.


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## Uchaaa (Apr 22, 2007)

It cant be that aoki lost that bad because of the cage. ITs not like the cage sucked up all of his skill. I dont get how aoki could defeat the likes of alvarez and hanses but has no chance against melendez.


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## _RIVAL_ (Mar 7, 2008)

Uchaaa said:


> It cant be that aoki lost that bad because of the cage. ITs not like the cage sucked up all of his skill. I dont get how aoki could defeat the likes of alvarez and hanses but has no chance against melendez.


Melendez is a great LW that is why...

Very underrated.....

He's avenged both losses on his record.

And now he holds victories over.....

Shinya Aoki
Kawajiri
Josh Thompson
Mitsuhiro Ishida
And Clay Guida..

I guess it's just harder to hate him than to respect his skillset for some people..


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## osmium (Mar 6, 2007)

gwabblesore said:


> It becomes an athletic thing imo. Japanese guys can't make their way into other sports either; there's a few that have done okay in baseball courtesy of great technique (ie Ichiro = Aoki) but that's one sport where athleticism doesn't matter tremendously much. In MMA being fast and strong matters, and stereotypically (while great at math and shit) Japanese men just don't have it, in general.


What he hell are you talking about? Ichiro has 9 gold gloves, the record for hits in a regular season, and the record for consecutive 200 hit seasons. He is going to be a hall of famer and didn't come into the league until he was 28. He is absolutely an elite athlete. Athleticism is huge in being a great outfielder, do you even watch baseball. 

Japanese athletes are very competitive in the sports they actually have as part of their culture. What are you even judging your statement on? That they don't have a bunch of guys in the NFL. Look at their olympic results they aren't exactly at the bottom of the barrel. How many of the elite kickboxers in K1 or soccer players are american? Does that mean america can't produce great athletes?


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## _RIVAL_ (Mar 7, 2008)

osmium said:


> What he hell are you talking about? Ichiro has 9 gold gloves, the record for hits in a regular season, and the record for consecutive 200 hit seasons. He is going to be a hall of famer and didn't come into the league until he was 28. He is absolutely an elite athlete. Athleticism is huge in being a great outfielder, do you even watch baseball.
> 
> Japanese athletes are very competitive in the sports they actually have as part of their culture. What are you even judging your statement on? That they don't have a bunch of guys in the NFL. Look at their olympic results they aren't exactly at the bottom of the barrel. How many of the elite kickboxers in K1 or soccer players are american? Does that mean america can't produce great athletes?


Who do you think you are providing a solid argument in a debate??

I'm warning you.....


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## Nikkolai (Jan 7, 2008)

The athletes are in Ninja Warrior...


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## aerius (Nov 19, 2006)

streetpunk08 said:


> In this particular fight I think it was just a case of Aoki being over matched here. He didnt have the appropriate skillset to fight back. They even said at one point Aoki wasn't training with a cage, won't they ever learn there's a difference?


Yup. Aoki has no standup at all, hell, the average yellow belt in any striking martial art could probably take him in a standup fight. On top of the Melendez is a pretty good striker and a decent wrestler with good takedown defence, there's pretty much no way Aoki's going to get him to the ground to pull of a sub. The only way Aoki had to win the fight was get it to ground and pull off a sub, but he doesn't have the tools to get it down on the mat. So he lost, and got beaten badly.


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## kano666 (Nov 2, 2007)

osmium said:


> What he hell are you talking about? Ichiro has 9 gold gloves, the record for hits in a regular season, and the record for consecutive 200 hit seasons. He is going to be a hall of famer and didn't come into the league until he was 28. He is absolutely an elite athlete. Athleticism is huge in being a great outfielder, do you even watch baseball.
> 
> Japanese athletes are very competitive in the sports they actually have as part of their culture. What are you even judging your statement on? That they don't have a bunch of guys in the NFL. Look at their olympic results they aren't exactly at the bottom of the barrel. How many of the elite kickboxers in K1 or soccer players are american? Does that mean america can't produce great athletes?


I agree 100%.

Gwabblesore, you can say what you want about Aoki, but your Asian racial inferiority theory is absolutely ridiculous.


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## evilappendix (Jan 4, 2007)

So hadn't they agreed on an immediate rematch in Japan? Anyone know how legitimate that is and whether Aoki plans on honoring it?


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## alizio (May 27, 2009)

so nice to win such easy $.....


seriously easiest $ in a long, long time was betting against the japanese "legends" lately...

no refs to help and forced to do it on his own... no chance.

A nice win for Gil who i have in the FLL pool. What a 2nd round pick.... who is gonna beat him at SF??? ill tell ya.... nobody 

gg japanese mma


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