Shinya Aoki Calls Out B.J. Penn

by Kid Nate on Jan 2, 2009 10:29 AM EST Comment 22 comments

Fresh from beating Eddie Alvarez at FiELDS Dynamite! and claiming the money WAMMA belt, Shinya Aoki tells Sherdog where he thinks he rates:

"I think there's no doubt that B.J. Penn is still the best at 155 pounds. He's most likely the best fighter in the world. I don't ignore the UFC," Aoki commented. "I respect the UFC because it's a very high level organization -- a high summit in the sport."

The UFC lightweight king also figures into Aoki's hopes for the as-yet uncertain future.

"Personally, the most decisive fight in the world, the culmination, the pinnacle for me is B.J. Penn," Aoki said on the eve of arguably his greatest victory. "Please do not misunderstand -- I really need this to be clearly expressed in the media: Shinya Aoki will not go to the UFC. I just want to fight B.J. Penn. This is my selfish wish. I know that everyone says they want Penn, but I think I'm the number one Japanese fighter to be saying this."

Presumably Aoki is clarifying that he won't go to the UFC to keep in good terms with the overlords of DREAM/K-1. Of course that will prevent him from fighting B.J. Penn any time soon.

HT MMA Mania

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I’m sure WAMMA loves the fact that their “undisputed champion” is claiming there is someone better in the division.

Contributing Editor - BloodyElbow.com - SBNation's mixed martial arts headquarters.

by Brent Brookhouse on Jan 2, 2009 11:04 AM EST reply actions 0 recs

They can’t catch a break but they don’t deserve one anyway. Screw them for threatening to sue the guy who did the fan post.

Nobody takes WAMMA seriously…

by banter on Jan 2, 2009 11:16 AM EST up reply actions 0 recs

Nobody takes WAMMA seriously…

Not even their champs! Thus pretty much validating the opinions of most of us fans.

Eliot Marshall: Bader won. Like I said in the episode, I'm not going to make any excuses. It's my job to be able to deal with when somebody's doing that. It's not his job to change up his tactics.

http://eliotmarshall.com/

by BJJDenver on Jan 2, 2009 11:25 AM EST up reply actions 0 recs

I’m not sure that AOKI even knows that he’s the WAMMA champ. On the last beatdown, Jordan Breen said that WAMMA wasn’t allowed at the event.

by Jahbulon on Jan 2, 2009 11:58 AM EST up reply actions 0 recs

Yeah...

which I am considering asking the WAMMA guys about. I know I’d like to treat them like they’re dead to me after their last bullshit stunt with threatening to sue one of our readers. But I would like an “honest” explanation of how they would be willing to accept not getting to be at the fights, and the belt not being put on TV with DREAM but wouldn’t do the same with the UFC.

Contributing Editor - BloodyElbow.com - SBNation's mixed martial arts headquarters.

by Brent Brookhouse on Jan 2, 2009 1:45 PM EST up reply actions 0 recs

If you talk to them, here are a few questions I’d also like to know:

1. If Aoki loses a fight to an unranked opponent – someone like Uno or Ludwig, fighters that are clearly not top 10, yet could “get lucky” and beat him – will they recognize that fighter as the undisputed best LW in the world? Think Gomi’s last fight.

2. While Fedor is clearly the best heavyweight in the world, his record shows that he clearly enjoys fighting cans and out-sized opponents. If Fedor fights someone like Giant Silva or rematches Matt Lindland, will they promote the fight as a WAMMA championship fight?

3. The Fedor-Sylvia fight and the Aoki-Alvarez fights happened under very different rule structures (number of rounds for example). What are the minimum requirements for a fight to be considered a WAMMA championship fight? What if their LW champ fights at 165 lbs? What if heel hooks and elbows are not allowed? What if closed fist strikes are not allowed? What about a fight that happens under K1 rules?

by Jahbulon on Jan 2, 2009 2:43 PM EST up reply actions 0 recs

id like to know what if fedor or aoki goes to the UFC, what happens to their wamma champ then? the UFC still wont recognize wamma in any way, and they surely wont make money off the UFC so what do they do then?

http://weoweoweo.deviantart.com/

by Anton Tabuena on Jan 2, 2009 2:46 PM EST up reply actions 0 recs

I wonder if they considered sanctioning the Bob Sapp vs Kinniku Mantaro fight for the intergalactic anime cosplay title?

by who me on Jan 2, 2009 3:14 PM EST up reply actions 0 recs

1. no because like Pride they would claim it was an exhibition
2. see above
3. requirements, what are those?

by #5mmafan on Jan 2, 2009 4:15 PM EST up reply actions 0 recs

Does WAMMA recognize non-title fights?

by who me on Jan 2, 2009 4:21 PM EST up reply actions 0 recs

Everyone knows is just a Velcro belted money making venture and I don’t trust any site that has someone on the committee like 5ozpain (Sam Caplan) and MMAJunkie. As much as I love BE I would ignore any writer who was on their committee.

by banter on Jan 2, 2009 2:41 PM EST up reply actions 0 recs

Well, when DREAM goes out of business maybe Dana will sign Aoki.

"BJ on the BE" - Kierkegaard

by Brett Jones on Jan 2, 2009 11:15 AM EST reply actions 0 recs

Aoki will be depantsed.

by iiowyn on Jan 2, 2009 11:24 AM EST up reply actions 0 recs

If the UFC does try and make a push into Japan Penn vs Aoki would be a good match to start with.

by who me on Jan 2, 2009 12:41 PM EST up reply actions 0 recs

ahhhh man

i was reading it goin ‘oh boy oh boy oh boy’ thinking aoki might consider coming stateside. oh well.

im not impressed with your performance

by troy145 on Jan 2, 2009 1:02 PM EST reply actions 0 recs

I love Shinya’s grappling ability, but BJ will stand with him and simply punch him in the face. Love the idea, but I don’t like Shinya’s chin – I’d watch though.

by thebookofrob on Jan 2, 2009 1:21 PM EST reply actions 0 recs

exactly

this is what i was going to write but you beat me to it. i doubt aoki can submit bj penn which would leave us with bj penn punching Pink Tights in the face until herb dean pulled him off.

by #5mmafan on Jan 2, 2009 4:17 PM EST up reply actions 0 recs

Hellboy Hanson just spanked Aoki. Aoki vs BJ would be interseting but only because BJ would have fun toying with him.

by dualdiagnosis on Jan 2, 2009 3:41 PM EST reply actions 0 recs

… is it really “calling out” BJ Penn to compliment him repeatedly and say that you’d be honored to have a chance to fight him?

Maybe it’s just me, but when I see a headline that somebody is “calling out” another fighter, I anticipate some kind of smack … not a big deal, I guess.

by Kierkegaard on Jan 2, 2009 4:41 PM EST reply actions 0 recs