UFC Lands Japanese Star Hioki

Hioki (24-4-2) will carry a four-fight winning streak into the UFC. The 27-year-old last appeared at Shooto Tradition 2011 in April, when he submitted Donald Sanchez with a second-round triangle choke in Tokyo. A Brazilian jiu-jitsu black belt, Hioki has secured 12 of his 24 professional victories by submission.

Wins over Nova União’s Marlon Sandro, onetime UFC featherweight title contender Mark Hominick (twice), former Shooto lightweight champion “Lion” Takeshi Inoue, 2009 Sengoku featherweight grand prix winner Masanori Kanehara and former WEC featherweight title contender Jeff Curran highlight his resume. All four of Hioki’s defeats have come by decision, three of them by split verdict.

Widely regarded as one of the top two fighters in the world at 145 pounds, Hioki (Pictured; file photo) becomes an immediate and legitimate threat to the reign of current UFC featherweight champion Jose Aldo. The 24-year-old Aldo has won 12 consecutive fights.