| Peter Aerts | |
|---|---|
 Aerts in 2008 | |
| Born | 25 October 1970 Eindhoven, Netherlands |
| Other names | The Dutch Lumberjack Mr. K-1 |
| Height | 1.92 m (6 ft 3+1⁄2 in) |
| Weight | 242 lb (110 kg; 17.3 st) |
| Division | Heavyweight |
| Reach | 84 in (213 cm) |
| Style | Kickboxing, Muay Thai |
| Stance | Orthodox |
| Fighting out of | Amsterdam, Netherlands |
| Team | Judoka-Kickboxing (1984–1987) The Champs (1989–1991) Chakuriki Gym (1991–1997) Mejiro Gym (1997–2004) Team Aerts (2004–present) |
| Trainer | Mikki Benazzouz (1984–1987) Eddy Smulders (1989–1991) Thom Harinck (1991–1997) Andre Mannaart (1997–2004) Jan Plas (2004–2009) Thom Harinck (2009–present) |
| Rank | 6th dan in Kyokushin Budokai[1] |
| Years active | 1985–2014, 2017–2020 (Kickboxing) 2005, 2015 (MMA) |
| Kickboxing record | |
| Total | 145 |
| Wins | 108 |
| By knockout | 81 |
| Losses | 35 |
| By knockout | 20 |
| Draws | 2 |
| Mixed martial arts record | |
| Total | 3 |
| Wins | 1 |
| By knockout | 1 |
| Losses | 2 |
| By submission | 1 |
| By decision | 1 |
| Other information | |
| Notable students | Mourad Bouzidi, William Diender, Leroy Kaestner, Robin van Roosmalen |
| Website | http://www.peteraerts.com |
| Mixed martial arts record from Sherdog | |
Last updated on: 19 January 2020 | |
Peter Aerts (born 25 October 1970) is a Dutch retired kickboxer. Known for his devastating high kicks, which earned him the nickname "The Dutch Lumberjack", he is widely considered to be one of the greatest heavyweight kickboxers of all time.[2][3][4]
Born in Eindhoven, Netherlands, Aerts began training in Taekwondo at the age of fourteen. He won his first world title when he was nineteen years old in 1990, taking the International Kick Boxing Federation's Heavyweight Championship. He would also add the Dutch heavyweight title and the World Muay Thai Association's heavyweight title to his mantelpiece before going on to compete in Japan. He competed in every K-1 World Grand Prix except one, in 2009.
A three-time K-1 World Grand Prix Champion, he debuted at the inaugural K-1 World GP in 1993 where he was eliminated by fellow K-1 legend Ernesto Hoost. He won his first Grand Prix in 1994 by knocking out Rob van Esdonk and Patrick Smith in the quarter-finals and semi-finals, respectively, before taking a unanimous decision over Masaaki Satake in the finals. However, he was stopped on more than one occasion by Mike Bernardo, being memorably knocked out of the 1996 K-1 World GP at the quarter-finals, as part of his series of wins over Aerts.
Aerts also won the GP the following year when he beat Toshiyuki Atokawa, Ernesto Hoost and then stopped Jérôme Le Banner in the finals. He would not win the tournament again until 1998 when he stopped all three of his opponents in front of 63,800 spectators at the Tokyo Dome. In what is considered to be one of the best Grands Prix ever, and the pinnacle of Aerts' career, he stopped Masaaki Satake with a knee strike in the quarters, forced the referee to stop his semi-final match with long-time rival Mike Bernardo and knocked out Andy Hug with one of his famous high kicks in the final. He won this tournament in six minutes and forty-three seconds, which was the quickest K-1 GP win ever at the time. This record stood until 2009 when it was beaten by rival Semmy Schilt.
Although 1998 was his last Grand Prix win, Aerts continued to compete and reached the final a further three times (in 2006, 2007 and 2010).
- ^ "IBK International Kyokushin Budokai - Blak Belts". International Kyokushin Budokai.
- ^ "K-1 LEGENDS: Peter Aerts".
- ^ "Best Heavyweight High Kickers".
- ^ "Top 10 K-1 Fighters of All-Time". Archived from the original on 2013-08-26.