Less than 24 hours before stepping up to the Power Slap stage in New Orleans, Aaron faced a major shake-up—his original opponent, Nate Bernard, was out. In stepped Ro, a significantly shorter, but tougher-than-expected replacement. But Aaron didn’t flinch at the last-minute change.
“In this sport, you’ve got to be ready for anything,” Aaron said. “Five days, 24 hours, even 1 hour notice—I’m always ready to compete.”
A Game Opponent Earns His Respect
Aaron made sure to give props where they were due, recognizing the grit Ro brought to the table.
“He’s really, really tough,” Aaron said. “I give him that mutual respect. He can take a slap, and I think he’s going to go far in this game.”
Although Aaron had been preparing for someone taller—Bernard stands nearly five inches above Ro—he said his training adjustments prepared him well.
“Power Slap 12 helped,” he said. “I went from a 6’4″ guy to now 6’1″. My coach worked with me to prep for height differences, and I felt like my strikes were on point.”
That KO Still Elusive
Despite a clean win, Aaron was visibly hungry for more.
“I wanted that knockout. Everyone at home probably did too. But Ro came to party. He came to show,” Aaron said. “I wasn’t happy with that first flinch, but I pushed through and took the rest of the strikes.”
Still, the victory wasn’t without some serious noise. Sitting in the press section, the unmistakable pop of Aaron’s second-round strike echoed through the arena.
“You could hear it,” he smiled. “I tested his chin, and he passed that test. Big neck, wrestling background—it helped him for sure.”
Life After the Bell—and a Call to Mom
Post-fight, Aaron’s energy remained dialed in. Reporters noticed he had that UFC-style walkout swagger, pacing and staring down his opponent. When asked about any MMA ambitions, he laughed.
“You’ll have to talk to my mom about that,” Aaron joked. “Power Slap’s good for me right now. I’m learning, I’m growing. But I do come from a high-level football background, so who knows.”
His mom, however, plays a key role in his post-fight ritual.
“Like any mom, she didn’t want her kid getting slapped,” Aaron said. “But I’m going to give her a call and say, ‘Mama, we won.’ I think she’ll be happy.”
Back to the Lab
As Aaron reflects on his win, he knows there’s still work to do.
“This was a learning experience,” he said. “It’s back to the drawing board, back to watching film, and back to sharpening the tools. I’ll get that KO power back.”