Shinya Aoki puts a definite end to his rivalry with Eduard Folayang, scoring another submission win at ONE 172 in Japan.
Shinya Aoki wasted no time in settling his long-standing rivalry with Eduard Folayang, submitting the Filipino MMA icon in just 53 seconds via armbar at ONE 172.
With the victory, Aoki now holds a commanding 3-1 lead in their head-to-head series, winning the last three encounters—all via first-round submissions.
Their rivalry began in 2016, when Folayang scored the biggest victory of his career by stopping Aoki via TKO to capture the ONE Lightweight World Championship.
However, the Japanese legend has dominated every rematch since, avenging that loss with quick finishes in 2019, 2021, and now at ONE 172, putting a definitive stamp on their saga.
For Aoki, the win cements his mastery over a former champion, while for Folayang, it marks the end of a rivalry that helped define his career.
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[Editor's note: This article was generated by a member of the One Sports Digital team using AI, and then checked by the staff to ensure accuracy.]