Aoki vs. Beerbohm – April 9 Strikeforce Bout
Posted On Tuesday, March 8th, 2011 By admin
Shinya Aoki faces Lyle Beerbohm in a lightweight match-up on the San Diego card. This marks the return of Aoki to Strikeforce on April 9. On Monday, Strikeforce officials confirmed the match-up.
In Strikeforce, Aoki last fought in April when he lost to lightweight champion Gilbert Melendez in a lopsided decision. Since that time, in MMA competition Aoki has gone 3-0, which includes a win over Tatsuya Kawajiri.
In December, Aoki lost a fight to kick boxer Yuichiro Nagashima. It was a mixed-rules bout hence the fight does not appear on the mixed martial arts record. In the first round, K-1 kickboxing rules were followed, while in the second round Dream MMA rules were put into use. At the start of the second round, Aoki was defeated when Nagashima knocked him out with a knee strike to the face.
This past April, Aoki made his promotional debut at the CBS-televised and faced champion Gilbert Melendez. The Cesar Gracie protege en route controlled him to a unanimous decision loss, in a one-sided and largely dull affair.
Aoki’s last trip inside the ring was disastrous, although he had success in MMA. Aoki was knocked cold by a knee just four ticks into the MMA portion of the fight, in a mixed rules bout with kick boxer Yuichiro “Jienotsu” Nagashima on New Year’s Eve, after fleeing from Nagashima for the duration of the striking-only first stanza.
Beerbohm, from the first loss of his career, would look to rebound back. On Feb. 18 in the main event of Strikeforce Challengers 14, the Wash, native was nearly submitted and ultimately outpointed by tough veteran Pat Healy. Over Rafaello Oliveira, Duane Ludwig and Vitor “Shaolin” Ribeiro, Beerbohm carries notable victories in his previous Strikeforce appearances.