Peter Aerts Cuts Down Schilt in Seoul

The fighter they call the "Dutch Lumberjack" has cut down many an adversary in his illustrious K-1 career, but Peter Aerts outdid himself - overcoming a 20cm/7" height and 17kg/35lbs weight disadvantage to beat three-time and defending K-1 World Grand Prix Champion Semmy Schilt in the Main Event at the K-1: World Grand Prix 2008 Final 16.

It's no easy task to figure how to beat Semmy Schilt, because so few fighters have managed the feat. Schilt is the most dominating fighter in K-1 history and the strongest champion of any fightsport in the world. But the timeless Aerts - whose last World GP championship came 10 years ago - executed an intrepid go-to strategy to slay the giant and establish himself as a leading contender for this year's K-1 crown.

Aerts started fast and hard, charging through Schilt's long reach with a vicious punching attack that backed the big seidokaikan fighter over the ropes. No slouch, Schilt fought back, slamming in punishing low kicks. But Aerts refused to stay outside, first answering Schilt with low kicks of his own, then relentlessly fighting through to close on his opponent, landing a great right hook then planting a straight punch up and smack on the money. Throughout, Aerts kept his guard out far in front, swatting at Schilt's fists then barreling forward with punches. By the end of the first round it looked like he just might have a chance. The crowd was starting to believe, and the arena got loud.

In the second round, Aerts again went all-out, fighting past Schilt's legs and fists with more guts than grace. Schilt was now in a defensive mode, desperately trying to fend Aerts off with front kicks. But Aerts would not stop, and continued taking the fight to his opponent, pushing forward with the fists, at one point knocking Schilt's mouthpiece out.

Schilt, clearly surprised, resorted to the clinch, for which he received a warning. In the third round Schilt landed a couple of brutal lefts, but Aerts did better with a right that was the strike of the night, and his aggressiveness crescendoed to the final bell.

The first judge's card had it for Aerts, but the second scored the contest a draw. The exhausted Aerts was visibly relieved - actually he was ecstatic - when the third card gave him the win.

"I'm not happy," said Schilt afterward. "I should've done more, but Peter put on a lot of pressure and he didn't let me fight."

Said a beaming Aerts, "I feel good, it was a hard fight. It's difficult to fight a guy like Schilt, you have to keep going at him. My trainer made a good plan for tonight, I'm the doer but he's the thinker, so I'll let him explain!"

Aerts' trainer, Jan Plas, explained. "Schilt's a big guy who needs lots of space, he works with a big circle but if you give that to him he's going to kill you! So the way to beat him is to get inside his circle, and that's with Peter did perfectly."