Snapshots of the Day: The Evolution of Aoki Pants

by Chris Nelson on Feb 19, 2009 3:00 PM EST Comment 38 comments

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Tons more pictures in Japan-MMA's excellent Shinya Aoki - The Evolution of Tights post, plus the answer to something I've wondered for a while:

His Pride debut came against Jason Black. This was in Bushido 12, and I think this was the debut of the long tights.

Now that Aoki could be coming to Strikeforce, it'll be very interesting to see how and if he's forced to change his style without his magic submission pants.

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Bummer, the pants are part of his charm. Whats the exact rule prohibiting him from wearing them?

by Day Man on Feb 19, 2009 3:02 PM EST reply actions 0 recs

Here’s where in New Jersey’s rules:

13:46-24A.9 Apparel
(a) Each contestant shall wear mixed martial arts shorts, biking shorts, or kick-boxing shorts.

"I see him beating Anderson Silva. I see him picking him apart. Him at a 131 years old...(trails off)." - Tito on Belfort at Affliction:DOR

by Rundownloser on Feb 19, 2009 3:09 PM EST up reply actions 0 recs

I wonder if the true intention of the rule was mainly to ban the use of Gi’s and whether you could get any wiggle room on what exactly was intended by “mixed martial arts shorts”.

I mean if Aoki were to have his submission capri shorts, are those by definition mixed martial arts shorts ? There doesn’t really seem to be a concrete definition of what any of those three permitted apparels really are.

I am the bastard love child of Junie Browning and Diamond Dave Kaplan.

by The_Gaijin on Feb 19, 2009 3:13 PM EST up reply actions 0 recs

As far as I recall the issue with apparel was that no athletic commission wanted to allow fighters to wear something that they could use as a tool against their opponent – i.e. choke out with their gi sleeves, etc. – that wasn’t a part of the fighters body.

If they let dudes wear t-shirts, why can’t they wear “shorts” that go half way down their shins…frankly the amount of extra coverage afforded is a mere fraction of what a t-shirt covers. Though I would venture to guess that these “t-shirt” wearers are fighting in places without commissions or regulations?

I am the bastard love child of Junie Browning and Diamond Dave Kaplan.

by The_Gaijin on Feb 19, 2009 3:19 PM EST up reply actions 0 recs

Personally I think some people should wear rashguards.....

Hideous body hair.

by zeroword on Feb 19, 2009 7:31 PM EST up reply actions 0 recs

To tell the truth I think all fighters should have to wear rashguards and pant’s (the magicness of them should be up to the fighter, see randy pic below).

I’m not a big fan of the let’s wear our swimwear/bicycle shorts and slick up (natural workup sweat, vasoline, bath oils) our bodies to fight . That was so early olympics and has no place in modern sports of today (well some female beach sports). I mean seriously who would fight in only shorts? On the beach over a wave maybe or in a gay strip bar (reminded of something here?) but other than that I’m at a loss.

in regard to just the pants, there would need simple clarification on grabbing the opponents shorts/pants rule. But I can’t see any other problems with them. Unfair advantage is negligable in my opinion in that sweat and other lubricants offer much more variation in grip than fabric can.

by natyong on Feb 20, 2009 7:12 PM EST up reply actions 0 recs

OK that does it! I am getting some!

"Stop smiling you are about to be punched in the face !"

by Warhand on Feb 19, 2009 3:06 PM EST reply actions 0 recs

But isn't it

“an unfair advantage”?

The black and red ones look pretty cool actually. :)

Mike Goldberg: "You know Joe, When Matt and his brother Mark Hughes were growing up, they would pound each other behind the barn."

by xFenixKnightx on Feb 19, 2009 3:16 PM EST reply actions 0 recs

Of course it’s an advantage – the opponent is hypnotized by the magic pants, allowing Aoki to strike!

Ever tried. Ever failed. No matter. Try Again. Fail again. Fail better. -Samuel Beckett

by themachiavellian on Feb 19, 2009 4:43 PM EST up reply actions 0 recs

GENIUS!

Mike Goldberg: "You know Joe, When Matt and his brother Mark Hughes were growing up, they would pound each other behind the barn."

by xFenixKnightx on Feb 19, 2009 5:05 PM EST up reply actions 0 recs

allowing Aoki to strike

This is extra funny =D

A man should never waste an opportunity to keep his mouth shut.

by iiowyn on Feb 19, 2009 5:21 PM EST up reply actions 0 recs

I look forward to seeing Aoki submit fools in Strikeforce. He could go out there naked and still submit Shields.

by Bigperm on Feb 19, 2009 3:47 PM EST reply actions 0 recs

He can just wear long spandex shorts, knee socks, and cloth ankle wraps, right?

by smoogy on Feb 19, 2009 5:36 PM EST reply actions 0 recs

I think so.

Bolts from the Blue // "Game over." - Jamal Williams
Bloody Elbow // "Every normal man must be tempted at times to spit upon his hands, hoist the black flag, and begin slitting throats." - H.L. Mencken

by Richard Wade on Feb 19, 2009 6:23 PM EST up reply actions 0 recs

But will he lose the Magic of the pants?

A man should never waste an opportunity to keep his mouth shut.

by iiowyn on Feb 19, 2009 7:12 PM EST up reply actions 0 recs

Fancypants

Yeah, but he’s no Lyle Beerbohm.

by argyle on Feb 19, 2009 5:40 PM EST reply actions 0 recs

Here's my thing...

if Aoki is as good as his rep…he shouldn’t NEED these pants to beat dudes right? So why is there always the scramble to see if he’ll be allowed to wear them in the states?

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

by Brent Brookhouse on Feb 19, 2009 5:47 PM EST reply actions 0 recs

What do you mean If? Are all of those submissions asterisks because he had pants?

by Bigperm on Feb 19, 2009 5:52 PM EST up reply actions 0 recs

Jesus...

you people look for the smallest thing to grab on to sometimes. It was more of a general question…not an “I personally think…” thing. Althought I suppose I do place a small asterisk next to the subs because I wonder what impact the pants do have. But that being said, it is only an “in my mind” type of asterisk because it isn’t like he is breaking rules in the environment he is fighting in.

I just hear a lot of people claim that the pants aren’t the reason he gets his subs, but a lot of the same people freak out thinking he may not be able to wear them if he fights in the states. It strikes me as odd is all.

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

by Brent Brookhouse on Feb 19, 2009 6:11 PM EST up reply actions 0 recs

The pants are so closely identified with Aoki that seeing him fight without them would feel like blasphemy. I imagine they do help by increasing friction, allowing the legs to grip more tightly and preventing the opponent from slipping out. Of course, I could wear grappling pants and still suck at fighting, so there must be some talent lurking in them.

Ever tried. Ever failed. No matter. Try Again. Fail again. Fail better. -Samuel Beckett

by themachiavellian on Feb 19, 2009 6:30 PM EST up reply actions 0 recs

I’ve heard from some people who have tried out similar pants or grappled against people wearing them. What I heard was that the pants are a double-edged sword. On one hand, they give the wearer better control from guard, and make it harder for someone to pull and arm free if it’s trapped in an arm bar. However, they make it easier for the wearer to be taken down, and if their guard isn’t VERY active, to be passed. In side control or mount, obviously, the pants have no value at all. To me, that makes it a saw-off. For the extremely marginal benefits, there are also very marginal costs. Frankly, if Aoki wasn’t a frickin’ amazing grappler, the pants would probably hurt more than they would help.

"I'm AJB and I endorse this nut-puncher."

by AJB on Feb 19, 2009 6:40 PM EST up reply actions 1 recs

Agreed

Exactly right. Also, when you consider his 2 wins via gogo, if anything, the pants would have made that more difficult to slide his leg into position. If he ever fights Kitaoka, I wonder if he will still wear the pants given the risk of leg locks.

by GeeDub on Feb 20, 2009 7:05 PM EST up reply actions 0 recs

NJ didn’t make Kimbo shave him beard. They have rules they don’t enforce and maybe they didn’t exclude tight pants when they wrote that rule. Maybe it was meant to exclude loose gi clothing. That is where my intrest comes from, but I see what you mean. Personally I think he is a bit of hype. I mean the way I look at it is he split with jesus so where is jesus in the rankings?

by szucconi on Feb 19, 2009 5:55 PM EST up reply actions 0 recs

Jesus?

I’m not following this. The only guy Aoki has split two fights with is Hansen, who is generally right behind Aoki in the rankings.

by FRANKIE on Feb 19, 2009 6:35 PM EST up reply actions 0 recs

Gesias “JZ” Cavalcante or jesus.

by szucconi on Feb 19, 2009 6:40 PM EST up reply actions 0 recs

Ah, but they didn’t split. Aoki has the only victory.

by FRANKIE on Feb 19, 2009 6:44 PM EST up reply actions 0 recs

But jesus was winning. at least IMO. Thats why I said "the way I look at it " They are very close in skill level and Aoki escaped a split with an inadvertent elbow. He clearly won the rematch, but I just see them as much closer then they are in the rankings.

by szucconi on Feb 19, 2009 6:49 PM EST up reply actions 0 recs