Japanese star Aoki sets ONE submission record with standing choke of Nakashima.
ONE Championship’s first event of 2021 went down live on Friday in Kallang, Singapore, and one of the standouts on the six-fight card was Japanese veteran Shinya Aoki. Aoki, a PRIDE and Dream veteran, has long been one of the best lightweights out of Japan. Not to mention one of the best lightweights outside the major promotions.
He reminded MMA fans why, picking up his third straight victory, this time against James Nakashima in the co-main event of ONE: Unbreakable. Nakashima, a former welterweight title challenger in the organization, was moving down a weight class for the fight.
Aoki opened the affair with a number of high kicks, connecting to the body several times. That led to a clinch along the cage, with Nakashima in control initially. But it was Aoki breaking free, and later landing a sharp right hand. It wasn’t too long after that that Aoki mounted the back of his opponent, while still standing. Soon enough, he had a body triangle locked in. The rear-naked choke, at a nasty-looking angle, locked in seconds later, and Nakashima quickly tapped!
Shinya Aoki 🇯🇵 becomes the all-time submission leader in ONE with a SLICK rear-naked choke against James Nakashima! @a_ok_i #ONEUnbreakable #WeAreONE #ONEChampionship
How to watch ONE: UNBREAKABLE 👉 https://t.co/d5xA7Pby8N pic.twitter.com/lwqBrAF5BY
— ONE Championship (@ONEChampionship) January 22, 2021
The win, Aoki’s 46th, put him in the lead for most submissions in ONE Championship history, with eight. The 37-year old veteran looked sharp throughout the fight, and appears to have no plan to slow down just yet. The Japanese star was seen wearing a shirt following the bout proclaiming “age is just a number.”
Official Result: Shinya Aoki def. James Nakashima by submission (rear-naked choke), Round 1, 2:42
