Shinya Aoki
Rising from the ashes, the Japanese DREAM promotion has announced a trio of matchups for it’s upcoming New Year’s Eve event partnering with Glory Sports featuring a mix of mma and kickboxing bouts.
Lightweight Shinya Aoki (31-6, 1NC) will take on Antonio ‘Mandingo’ McKee (28-4-2) in a bout that officials had attempted to put together back in May 2011, while bantamweights Bibiano Fernandes (12-3) and Yoshiro Maeda (30-11-2) square off, as well as a middleweight bout between Melvin Manhoef (26-9-1, 1NC) vs. Denis Kang (35-15-2, 2NC).
GLORY Sports International presents Dream 18 & Glory 4 Tokyo ~ Special 2012 ~ New Year’s Eve (aka Dream 18 & Glory 4 Tokyo) is scheduled for Dec. 31, 2012 at the Saitama Super Arena in Saitama, Japan. No broadcast rights for North America have emerged yet for the mixed martial arts and kickboxing event.
Aoki was in action this past October, earning a quick first round technical submission win over Arnaud Lepont after choking out the French fighter with a triangle choke. The victory put Aoki back into the win column following a first round TKO loss to Eddie Alvarez last April.
McKee has won three straight since his one and only UFC appearance at UFC 125. He most recently won a decision in March of this year over opponent Chad Dietmeyer at a EFWC event.
Fernandes has won four straight with his last fight coming in August under the ONE FC banner, a decision win against Gustavo Falciroli. Previous to that he captured the inaugural DREAM bantamweight strap in the 2011 bantamweight Grand Prix.
Maeda won two straight this year, both with the DEEP promotion in Japan earning him that promotions 135-lbs title. He is 4-2 in his last six fights.
Manhoef earned an impressive one punch knockout victory last October in Singapore at the ONE FC: Rise of Kings show by stopping Japanese opponent Ryo Kawamura in the first round. Manhoef is 2-0 (1NC) in his last three.
Kang ended a three fight losing skid this past June in South Korea by stopping opponent Hae Suk Son at a Road FC 8 show via first round knockout. His three losses all came in 2011.