Sherdog’s Top 10: Lightweights of All-Time

9. Shinya Aoki

Aoki is perhaps the most dangerous ground fighter ever to compete in MMA. Just ask Mizuto Hirota. A grappling savant in every sense of the word, he has managed an incredible 65-percent submission finish rate during his career, which continues to this day under the One Championship banner. At 33, Aoki still has time with which to twist limbs, squeeze necks, manipulate joints and build his legacy. “Tobikan Judan” -- “The Grand Master of Flying Submissions” -- grew up on the Deep and Shooto scenes before he moved to Pride Fighting Championships, Dream and K-1, taking out credible opponents like Gesias Cavalcante, Joachim Hansen, Caol Uno, Eddie Alvarez, Vitor Ribeiro, Satoru Kitaoka, Tatsuya Kawajiri and Marcus Aurelio. Aoki has captured titles in Dream, Shooto and One Championship.

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