[PrideUFCKOTC]

Originally Posted by GiantRobotDelux

Aoki-Akira Match Headlines DEEP X

By Gino Mongelli

DEEP aimed for a Marcelo Garcia-Shinya Aoki main event at DEEP X Sunday, but with Garcia now under K-1’s wing, Pedro Akira has been selected to face the dangerous submission wizard Aoki.

Aoki and Akira met before in the 2005 Campeonato Japones, a Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu tournament in which Aoki won via reverse biceps choke a little less than two minutes into the match. This time their bout will be conducted under MMA rules, and Akira will seek to avenge his loss to the Shooto and PRIDE veteran.

AOKI TO UFC?

Sports Navi reports that Shinya Aoki has been contacted by the UFC about participating in future events for the promotion. Aoki has stated that if he participates in the UFC he would like to do so as a representative of PRIDE.

Aoki started his professional MMA career in DEEP, where he won his first bout by armbar in 52 seconds. He then moved to Shooto and finally to PRIDE, where he won his last match over Brian Lo-A-Njoe in April.

“I want to shatter the idea of PRIDE as something bad or inferior,” Aoki said. “PRIDE is the greatest of events. I love PRIDE. If there is the opportunity to enter the UFC, I want to go as PRIDE’s Shinya Aoki.”

That's awesome because I've heard he's been leaning towards Heros or Shooto