PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a featherweight kickboxing rules bout between Damien Conner (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class) and Gustavo Aldo (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class). Damien Conner has the better chin. Will he look to stand and bang today?

Conner
vs
Aldo

179 cm
18
157 lbs
1 - 0 - 0

186 cm
18
145 lbs
1 - 0 - 0

Excellent MT
Self confident

Great elbows
Powerful

Héritage!

Ladies and gentlemen. This fight is 5 rounds, in the featherweight division.
Introducing the fighter to my left, fighting out of the red corner.
With a record of 1 - 0 - 0, fighting out of Amsterdam, Damien Conner!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 1 - 0 - 0, fighting out of Amsterdam, Gustavo Aldo!
The judges for this bout are Nard Betker, Albert Achterberg and Radbod Blank.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!
Conner jabbing away but nothing is landing.
Conner swats away the attempt to clinch by Aldo.
Aldo slips under a jab from Conner.
Conner circles away from the clinch attempt
and Conner makes him pay by landing a thudding low kick.
Aldo is looking to clinch but Conner is avoiding it.
Aldo tries to clinch up but Conner circles away and keeps his distance.

Aldo gets to the clinch - let's see what his plan is here.
Aldo looks to throw an elbow but misses.
Conner lands with a light punch inside.
Both guys are working to get underhooks.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.
Conner lands a nice looking hook to the body, against the ropes.
A right hook to the body lands for Conner.
Aldo misses with an elbow over the top.
A real battle for position is taking place between these two warriors.
Conner misses with a punch to the body.
Aldo throws an elbow but it's blocked.
I was talking to Conner's coach per-fight and he was telling me that they'd been working on the clinch in the runup to this fight.
Aldo pushes off an throws an elbow but Conner leans to the side and avoids it. We're back to clinching against the ropes.

That's one minute gone in the round.

Conner's corner calls for him to break the clinch, which he does.
Aldo tries to score with an inside leg kick but telegraphs it and Conner is able to avoid easily.
Aldo tries to close the distance and clinch up but Conner swats him away and circles back towards the center.
Aldo displays some good footwork, moving neatly out of range as Conner throws out the jab.
Aldo is a painfully thin specimen of a man. You do wonder whether a good body kick would snap him clean in two.
Aldo fakes a jab and throws a low kick but Conner checks it well.
Conner avoids the clinch attempt nicely.
Conner is looking to counter punch.
Aldo avoids a lazy jab quite easily.
Aldo moves out of range of the strikes.
Aldo steps to the side to avoid the strikes from Conner.

Aldo clinches up against the ropes.
Conner blocks an elbow strike.
Aldo is looking to control Conner's arms but Conner gets an underhook and turns him. Now Aldo has his back to the ropes.
A short body shot lands from Conner as the two fighters clinch.
Conner takes an elbow to the forehead.
Aldo creates a bit of distance and throws an elbow that only just misses.
Conner stalls.
Conner takes an elbow to the forehead.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Conner tries a shoulder strike but it doesn't do any damage.
A bit of stalling here from Aldo.
Aldo trying to control the position but instead, Conner has worked for underhooks and has pushed Aldo into the ropes.
Aldo looks to throw an elbow but misses.
Aldo throws an elbow but it's blocked.
With the fighters up against the ropes, Aldo throws an elbow but misses.
A battle for position here, against the ropes.
Aldo throws an elbow but it's blocked.
Conner throws a punch but it's blocked by Aldo.
This is a great period of action - very entertaining stuff!
Aldo throws a nice elbow but it doesn't land.
Conner swings wildly with an uppercut but Aldo uses good head movement to avoid it.
Conner lands on the inside with an uppercut.
Conner blocks an elbow strike.
Conner lands a shoulder strike that jolts his opponent's head backwards.
Conner tries to work over Aldo's body with a swooping hook but it only glances the target.
Conner is really struggling to find his range with his punches. Aldo's reach advantage is clearly causing him problems.
Conner lands a right hand.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Damien Conner dominated that round.
That's time! Back to the action!

Aldo finds nothing but air with that leg kick attempt.
Conner ducks down and throws a hook to the body.
Aldo tries to clinch but Conner moves out of range.
A counter left hand to the body from Conner misses its target.
Conner throws a hook but Aldo blocks it.
Aldo steps in looking to clinch after the strikes miss from Conner.
Conner throws a big shot that misses.
Aldo tries to clinch up.
Aldo doesn't manage to clinch there - Conner circles away.
Aldo moves in looking to clinch but Conner pushes him off.
Aldo has tried to improve his agility in the runup to this fight.
An inside leg kick from Aldo misses.
Aldo gets cracked there but stands up to it.
Aldo is looking to clinch but Conner is avoiding it.
Aldo moves away from the strike by Conner.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.
Conner throws an overhand right that lands on Aldo's shoulder, as Aldo tries to avoid the shot.
Conner digs a good hook to Aldo's body.
Aldo walks straight into an uppercut. Luckily it didn't land flush.
Aldo is looking to clinch but Conner is avoiding it.
Aldo tries to close the distance and clinch up against the ropes but Conner paws at him with a jab and circles away.
Aldo fails in his attempt to clinch.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Aldo is looking to take this fight into the clinch.
Conner throwing a counter right hand but Aldo manages to avoid it.
Conner swings and misses with a hook to the body.
Aldo uses good head movement to avoid the hook from Conner.
Aldo is looking to clinch.
Aldo wants to clinch.
The fight stays on the outside here - Aldo looks like he's thinking about clinching though.
Conner misses with an uppercut.
Aldo doesn't manage to clinch there - Conner circles away.
Aldo tries to close the distance and clinch up but Conner swats him away and circles back towards the center.
Aldo tries to clinch but Conner is having none of it.
Conner misses with a body shot.
Aldo tries to clinch but is not successful on this occasion.
Conner was looking to counter that move with a punch but didn't quite pull the trigger.
Aldo tries to clinch but Conner moves out of range.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Conner misses with an uppercut. Aldo saw that one coming.
Conner circles away from the clinch attempt
and Conner counters with a straight punch to the midsection.
Conner is really dominating this fight. Is there anything that Aldo can do to turn this around?
A shot to the liver by Conner. Beautiful body shot.
Conner swats away the attempt to clinch by Aldo.
Gustavo Aldo seems to be the more aggressive standup fighter in this bout.
Aldo ducks under a wild hook from Conner.
Conner stuns Aldo with a nice body shot, before stepping back out of range.
Aldo throws a low kick, looking for Conner's leg but Conner calmly moves out of range.
Conner scores with a slapping inside leg kick.
Aldo closes the distance looking to clinch
letting Conner counter with a right hand.
The crowd cheering loudly, showing their appreciation for the quality fight we're seeing here.
Conner throws a looping overhand right but Aldo ducks down to avoid it.
Aldo misses with a low kick.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Damien Conner dominated that second round.
That's time! Conner's corner gives him a slap on the ass as he gets ready to fight.

Conner swats away the attempt to clinch by Aldo.
Conner throws the left hand but Aldo avoids the punch easily.
Aldo is looking to take this fight into the clinch.
Conner was looking to counter that move with a punch but didn't quite pull the trigger.
Conner misses with a body shot.
Conner sets himself, and Aldo steps forward looking for the clinch! Conner avoids it this time.
Aldo fails in his attempt to clinch.
Aldo keeping a good distance there, avoiding the body shot.
Conner avoids the clinch attempt nicely.
Conner throws a body punch but Aldo moves out of range.
Aldo checks a leg kick nicely.
A swing and a miss from Conner.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.
Aldo tries to clinch but Conner is having none of it.
Conner half committed to a counter leg kick.
Aldo tries to clinch but Conner moves away
and Conner counters with a lovely straight right hand!
Conner throws out a loose jab but Aldo uses good head movement to avoid it.
A looping hook to the body misses from Conner. Aldo does a little dance to reset his feet.
Conner circles away from the clinch attempt.

That's one minute gone in the round.

Aldo moves into the clinch successfully.
A head punch blocked on the inside by Aldo.
With the two fighters working up against the ropes, Aldo just misses with a elbow thrown towards Conner's brow.
Aldo blocks an uppercut.
Conner lands with a left to the head.
Conner blocks an elbow strike.
Conner blocks the elbow strike.
Conner fails to land with a short punch on the inside.
Aldo creates a bit of distance and throws an elbow that only just misses.
Aldo throws an elbow that misses.
Conner tries to throw a body punch but Aldo avoids it by throwing Conner back against the ropes.
Aldo lands an elbow that stopped Conner in his tracks for a moment.
Aldo comes over the top with an elbow. That landed flush.
Aldo misses with an elbow strike.
Conner lands a left hand that snaps the head of Aldo backwards.
Conner avoids the elbow strike from Aldo, against the ropes.
Gustavo Aldo seems to be working more effectively in the clinch in the fight so far.
Conner blocks an elbow strike.
Conner misses with the head strike.
Conner goes for a body shot but it's blocked.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Conner tries to throw a body punch but Aldo avoids it by throwing Conner back against the ropes.
This is a great period of action - very entertaining stuff!
Conner tries to work over Aldo's body with a swooping hook but it only glances the target.
Conner misses with a punch on the inside.
Aldo looks to throw an elbow but misses.
Conner fails to land with a short punch on the inside.
Aldo misses with an elbow strike.
Aldo wants to stall.
Aldo lands a damaging elbow.
Aldo gets an overhook and lands an elbow to the side of the head.
A short body shot lands from Conner as the two fighters clinch.
Conner tries a body shot but Aldo blocks it.
An uppercut on the inside fails to land for Conner.
Conner blocks an elbow strike.
A short body shot lands from Conner as the two fighters clinch.
Conner struggles to land a body shot inside as Aldo controls his hands.
Conner misses with a punch to the body.
Both fighters working to control the clinch.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Damien Conner clearly takes that round.
The fighters get back to their feet, the hooter sounds and we're back to the action!

Aldo is looking to take this fight into the clinch.
Conner half committed to a counter leg kick.
Conner lands with a shot to the body.
Conner throws a front kick aimed at Aldo's knee but Aldo avoids it well.
Conner fakes with a right hand and throws a good leg kick, right into the thigh. That had to hurt Aldo.
A swing and a miss from Conner.
Aldo avoids the body shot from Conner.
Aldo tries to clinch up but Conner circles away and keeps his distance.
Aldo tries to close the distance and clinch up but Conner swats him away and circles back towards the center.

Conner tries to keep at a distance but Aldo has taken the fight into the clinch.
Conner tries a body shot but Aldo blocks it.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.
Aldo pushes off an throws an elbow but Conner leans to the side and avoids it. We're back to clinching against the ropes.
Conner fails to land with a short punch on the inside.
Aldo lands a damaging elbow.
Conner lands a shot to the body.
Conner scores with a hook to the body.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Conner working some nice short punches in the clinch.
Conner has a couple of punches blocked by Aldo.
With the two fighters working up against the ropes, Aldo just misses with a elbow thrown towards Conner's brow.
Conner blocks the elbow strike.
Conner misses with a shot to the kidneys.
Conner blocks an elbow strike from Aldo.

Conner pushes off and circles away, back to the middle of the mat.
Aldo moves to clinch but Conner breaks away
and Conner counters with a stiff right hand.
A jab from Conner misses.
Aldo tries to close the distance and clinch up but Conner swats him away and circles back towards the center.
Aldo tries to clinch but Conner moves away
and Conner counters with a good low kick that Aldo was not able to check.
Conner keeps the fight on the outside.
Aldo moves away from the strike by Conner.
Conner keeps the fight on the outside.
Conner misses with an uppercut. Aldo saw that one coming.
Conner throws a shot from downtown. Aldo moves away and avoids it.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Aldo defending well as Conner loads up on a big left hand.
Aldo gets cracked there but stands up to it.
Aldo wants to clinch.
Conner scores with a jab to the jaw of his opponent.
The fans in attendance giving it up for the two fighters, who have really let it all hang out in the last minute or so!
Aldo tries to close the distance and clinch up but Conner swats him away and circles back towards the center.
Conner misses with a hook.
Aldo tries to clinch there but Conner circles away.
Aldo fails with an attempt to clinch.
Aldo slips a jab from Conner.
Conner connects with a looping left hand that seems like it dazed Aldo momentarily.
Conner keeps the fight on the outside.
Conner swung with a counter right hand that didn't connect.
The fight stays on the outside here - Aldo looks like he's thinking about clinching though.
Conner swung with a counter punch to the body but it didn't connect.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Damien Conner had his way with Gustavo Aldo in that round.
The fighters' corners scream their final instructions, as the referee calls time. Here we go, back to the action! This is the final round!

Aldo tries to clinch but Conner is having none of it.
Aldo uses good head movement to avoid the hook from Conner.
Aldo tries to clinch but Conner moves out of range.
Conner throws a hard body shot but it just misses.
Conner keeps the fight on the outside.
Conner scores with a sloppy punch to the body. Not much technique there but it did the business.
Aldo tries to clinch
and Aldo takes a counter punch right on the button for his troubles.

Aldo moves into range and clinches up with Conner.
Conner lands with a short head shot on the inside.
Aldo lands an elbow just above Conner 's eye.
Conner throws a blind hook that connects with the side of Aldos head.
Nice body punch from Conner - that landed with a thud.
Conner misses with a punch on the inside.
Conner lands a right hand that snaps the head of Aldo backwards.
Aldo taking a breather.
A real battle for position is taking place between these two warriors.
Aldo throws an elbow that misses.
Fantastic stuff here - a very entertaining period of action, which has drawn cheers from the crowd.
The referee is keeping an eye on Conner - much more stalling and he will separate the fighters.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Aldo creates a bit of distance and throws an elbow that only just misses.
A hook to the body from Conner.
Aldo pushes off an throws an elbow but Conner leans to the side and avoids it. We're back to clinching against the ropes.
Conner throws a head punch that misses.
Conner blocks an elbow strike.
Aldo blocks a body shot from Conner.
Conner throws a head punch that misses.
Gustavo Aldo has stepped it up - he knows he needs a finish here!
Aldo throws an elbow that misses.
Conner lands a hook to the body. It's hard to tell if that hurt Aldo or not.
Conner tries to work over Aldo's body with a swooping hook but it only glances the target.
Conner dodges an elbow strike from Aldo.
Conner lands a left hand.
With the two fighters working up against the ropes, Aldo just misses with a elbow thrown towards Conner's brow.
Both fighters working to control the clinch.
Conner goes for a body shot but it's blocked.
Aldo wants to stall.
Aldo pushes off an throws an elbow but Conner leans to the side and avoids it. We're back to clinching against the ropes.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Conner misses with a hook from the clinch.
Conner tried to land a shot to the body but connects with Aldo's elbow.
Aldo throws an elbow that misses.
Conner cracks Aldo with a nice body shot.
Aldo looking to slow down the pace here.
Conner fails to land with a short punch on the inside.
Conner lands a body punch.
Aldo misses with an elbow over the top.
Aldo is working hard here but doesn't seem to be able to control effectively, up against the ropes.
Aldo creates a bit of distance and throws an elbow that only just misses.
Conner works on Aldo's body with a couple of short punches.
Conner pushes Aldo back against the ropes and lands a hook to the side of the head.
The crowd are loving this. Great action here.
Conner avoids a wild elbow strike from Aldo.
Aldo creates a bit of distance and throws an elbow that only just misses.
Conner lands a hook to the body. It's hard to tell if that hurt Aldo or not.
Conner takes an elbow to the forehead.

And that's the end of the fight!
Damien Conner showed his dominance in that final round.
Well I reckon that's a shut out for Conner, winning every round. Will the judges agree? They are the ones who matter, even if they are often depressingly incompetent. Over to the ring announcer for the scorecards.

Ladies and gentlemen, after 5 rounds of action, we go to the scorecards for a decision.
Judge Nard Betker scores the fight 50:44
Judge Albert Achterberg scores the fight 50:44
Judge Radbod Blank scores the fight 50:44

In favor of your winner, by unanimous decision... Damien Conner!
An out of breath Damien Conner thanked his loyal fans in his post fight interview, giving them credit for his success over the course of his career.