The New Year often prompts people to set new goals, and Shinya Aoki is no different.

“I would like to live my life to the fullest in 2018,” said the 34-year-old martial arts legend from Tokyo, Japan.

Aoki will test himself in ONE Championship’s second-ever Grappling Super-Match at ONE: KINGS OF COURAGE, when he takes on former ONE Featherweight World Champion Marat Gafurov in Jakarta on 20 January.

It will offer Aoki a serious test of his long-respected grappling credentials. Besides being a former martial arts world champion with 11 of his 15 wins by submission, Gafurov is a Dagestan BJJ Champion, National ADCC Grappling Champion, as well as a World FILA Champion in Grappling and Pankration.

It’s exactly the test Aoki was looking for to start the year.

“I feel that Marat’s strengths are similar to mine,” he said.

“I will do my best to win, as always.”

Aoki’s desire to test himself and put himself into uncomfortable positions in competition has meant he’s had to endure his fair share of losses as well as successes.

After he lost his ONE Lightweight World Title to Eduard Folayang in November 2016, he moved up a weight class to test himself against undefeated ONE Welterweight World Champion Ben Askren at ONE: IMMORTAL PURSUIT a year later.

When you take risks and work outside of your comfort zone, sometimes things don’t go your way, and that was certainly the case for Aoki against Askren. The American defeated the Japanese star in just 57 seconds to score a notable stoppage win before announcing his retirement from the cage.

Askren’s reputation as one of the world’s very best welterweights was well known heading into the bout, but despite Aoki’s vast experience, even he was surprised by the American’s strength and control.

“I did my best, but he was strong,” he said.

“His power was amazing and his technique was amazing, as well. He is a wonderful athlete. I do not regret it.”

Aoki’s reaction to that loss was to jump straight back into training, as he looks to further improve his skills ahead of his next test.

“I am always practicing year round. I am always ready. An athlete should be prepared for an offer at any time.”

That offer came in the form of a special grappling bout with Gafurov, and Aoki was happy to accept. The Japanese athlete also competed in ONE’s first Grappling Super-Bout when he took on Garry Tonon. The pair battled for more than seven minutes before Aoki eventually succumbed to a Tonon heel hook at the 7:47 mark.

Aoki says he believes his contest with Gafurov pan out differently.

“I feel that this match will be quite different to the previous match. I am always learning from every experience,” he said.

“I love that with martial arts, you are able to learn every day. It is the same as life.”