PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a middleweight MMA rules bout between Joel Kemp (ranked 2799 p4p, 2393 weight class) and Garry East (ranked 325 p4p, 281 weight class). Over to our ring announcer for the fighter introductions!

Kemp
vs
East

180 cm
25
190
2 - 1 - 0

185 cm
25
197
2 - 1 - 0

BJJ Blue Belt
Brawler
Likes comics

BJJ Blue Belt
Decent boxing
Heavy handed

Ladies and gentlemen. This fight is 3 rounds, in the middleweight division.
Introducing the fighter to my left, fighting out of the red corner.
With a record of 2 - 1 - 0, fighting out of Rio de Janeiro, Joel Kemp!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 2 - 1 - 0, fighting out of Rio de Janeiro, Garry East!
The judges for this bout are Matheus Silva, Leandro Rodrigues and Edson Gomes.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!
Kemp stuffs a takedown. It's all about dictating where the fight takes place and Kemp wants it to stay on the feet.

East moves into range and clinches up with Kemp.
Kemp stops a takedown attempt from East.
East has dropped down and is looking to force the takedown but it's defended by Kemp after a bit of a struggle.
Joel Kemp has stuffed three takedown attempts in the round now. That's going to take a lot out of Garry East.
East is trying to pull guard but Kemp has him pressed against the cage.
East has Kemp pressed up against the cage and is working for takedown. Kemp manages to improve position though and keeps the fight standing.

Kemp manages to break the clinch.
Kemp fails with a takedown attempt.
East unleashes a big counter combination but Kemp bobs and weaves and avoids any damage.
East shoots in but no luck this time.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.
East throws a looping left and ducks down for a takedown. He's got his arms around Kemp's waist but Kemp gets an underhook and avoids the takedown by throwing East off to one side.
East dives in and grabs Kemp's left leg, looking for a takedown. Kemp pushes down on East's head and hops out.
East swats away the attempt to clinch by Kemp.
East tries to clinch up.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Kemp throws a nice outside leg kick.
East sees a low kick coming and goes to check it, but it's actually a body kick and it thuds into his unprotected ribs.

Kemp clinches.
East tries to pull guard but Kemp holds him up against the cage and eventually East drops back down to his feet.
Kemp tries to score a body lock takedown but East shows good agility there to stay on his feet.
Kemp connects with a knee to the head.

It looks like Garry East has been cut.
Kemp is defending well against a takedown attempt.

Kemp gets control of East's arms and successfully pulls guard. Kemp will no doubt be looking for submissions off his back.
The fighters are pressed up against the cage, both looking to find a bit of space to work.
East stands up and looks to throw the legs aside to pass to side control. Kemp swivels though and keeps the full guard.
Kemp tries to strike from the bottom.
We've been hearing good reports from Kemp's training camp. Apparently he has been rolling around with some good quality BJJ practitioners and has been sharpening his skills. Let's see if that has an impact on the fight today.

Kemp looking for submissions from the bottom here. Moving his hips around, possibly looking for an armbar.

That's two minutes gone in the round.

Kemp working for a triangle but East defends it easily.
Kemp doesn't do any damage with a couple of strikes from the bottom.
East sitting in guard here, content to control.
East looking to sit in guard and control but Kemp gets the butterfly guard and sweeps. He's now in the guard on the top.

Kemp sitting in guard here, content to control.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
East keeping moving, preventing Kemp from controlling successfully.
Kemp tries to free his leg and advance position but East is retaining full guard.

East is active off his back here, looking for submissions.

East has his foot on Kemp's thigh. He's trying to push off and get in position for a triangle, I think. Kemp works his way back into a safe position though.
East trying to strike from the bottom but really, it's not the best position to be doing that from!
A real slowdown in the pace of the fight for a moment, as East holds on and takes a little breather.
The referee is asking the fighters to pick up the pace.
Kemp trying to control the position from guard on top but East is wriggling around, looking for whatever he can.

The referee has decided to stand the fighters back up, so we'll restart on the feet.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Well. There's a bit of a lull in the action here and the crowd are starting to get restless.
East is looking to clinch but Kemp is avoiding it.
Kemp chopping away at his opponent's legs.
Kemp avoids the clinch attempt nicely.
East is trying hard to land a takedown here. Kemp sprawls well and keeps this one on the feet.

Excellent takedown into side control there by Kemp.
East wants to get back to his feet but Kemp is dominant here and he's now got East's back!

Kemp patiently working for the choke. Which fighter will keep their nerve here?
The crowd thankful this round is nearly over.
East wants to control his opponent's hands but Kemp gets his hands free.
Kemp throws a big right hand but he misses and hits the mat. Ouch.
And that is the end of the round. The fighters go back to their corners.

Joel Kemp dominated that round.
The cut man is working on Garry East's cut.
OK. That's time! The bell goes and we're back to the action.

Kemp moves in looking to clinch but East pushes him off.
East throws a series of strikes that have Kemp backpedaling.
No luck for Kemp with that takedown attempt.
East shoots in for a takedown but Kemp shows good takedown defense.
East stuffs the takedown.
A telegraphed takedown attempt from East is defended easily by Kemp.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.
Kemp throws a head kick that misses.
East wants to counter with a clinch but Kemp pushes him away.
Nice sprawl there from Kemp as East shoots in.
Joel Kemp has stuffed three takedown attempts in the round now. That's going to take a lot out of Garry East.
The fight stays on the outside here - Kemp looks like he's thinking about clinching though.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Kemp blocks a low kick nicely.
Kemp seem to be loading up, looking for a big counter.
East slips under a jab.
Kemp tries to clinch but East moves out of range.
Kemp avoids the head kick by East.
Kemp seem to be loading up, looking for a big counter.

A momentary lapse in concentration from East enables Kemp to shoot in and score with a neat double leg. East manages to secure a closed guard as the fighters hit the mat.
We get told so often about how wrestlers don't like to be on their backs. Let's see if East can do anything to dispel that myth.
East wants to control but instead he gets his guard passed and Kemp is now in half guard.
East desperately trying to maintain half guard.
Kemp prevents East from standing back up.
Kemp is really dominating this fight. Is there anything that East can do to turn this around?

That's two minutes gone in the round.
East is pressing down on Kemp's left leg trying to get back to full guard. He's managed it.
Kemp preventing the sweep.
Kemp showing good wrestling skills to control the position.
East is working an open guard here, looking to improve his position. No doubt that will leave him open to counters but at least he's being more offensive.
Kemp trying to land body shots but he keeps hitting the mat.
Kemp trying to control the position from guard on top but East is wriggling around, looking for whatever he can.
Kemp wants to stand and escape but instead East has hit a sweep and he's now on top in guard.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
East tries to free his leg and advance position but Kemp is retaining full guard.
My spies in Rio Grappling Club inform me that East has been getting involved in the gym's BJJ sparring sessions. Let's see whether that pays dividends!
Kemp tries to land a sweep but no joy.
Kemp preventing the ground and pound from doing any damage.
East tries to free his leg and advance position but Kemp is retaining full guard.
Kemp thows some rabbit punches from the bottom but they don't do any damage.
East controls the pace of the fight for a moment.

The referee has decided to stand the fighters back up, so we'll restart on the feet.
Kemp misses with a takedown

and East counters by moving into the clinch. Good anticipation by East.
Kemp fails to pull guard.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
The crowd are starting to boo a lack of action.
Kemp is trying to pull guard but being pressed up against the cage enables East to keep the fight standing.
Kemp tries to score a body lock takedown but East shows good agility there to stay on his feet.
Stalling in the clinch from Kemp.

Kemp breaks the clinch and we're back to striking at distance.
East stuffs the takedown attempt from Kemp. Kemp gets slowly back to his feet.
Kemp shoots in for a takedown. "Ole!" shouts East as he jumps to the side.
Joel Kemp is looking to throw some combinations by the looks of things.
Both fighters are absolutely exhausted here.

East darts in and clinches Kemp up against the cage.
The crowd thankful this round is nearly over.
East drops to a knee looking for a takedown but Kemp gets the underhooks and prevents it.
East prevents a body shot from Kemp.
And that is the end of the round. The fighters go back to their corners.

Garry East showed his class in that round. I'd imagine he'll take it on all the scorecards.
The cut man is working on Garry East's cut.
That's time! Back to the action! Let's hear some noise people - this is the final round!

East scores with a nice right hand.
Kemp keeps the fight standing with a nice sprawl.

Kemp fakes with an overhand right and moves in to clinch with East, pushing him back against the cage.
Kemp tries for a takedown. No joy.
Kemp keeps the fight in the clinch, despite East's efforts to push away.
East wants a takedown but no success here.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.
East jumps guard but Kemp turns him against the cage and keeps the fight standing.
Joel Kemp has stuffed three takedown attempts in the round now. That's going to take a lot out of Garry East.
Kemp with an attempt at a knee that misses.

Kemp has managed to pull guard. Let's see whether he can work an aggressive guard. It will also be interesting to see what tactics East uses from the top position.
Kemp not looking particularly offensive just at the moment.

That's one minute gone in the round.

Kemp is looking for a guillotine. You can't force these things though and East defends well.
East controlling from the top position.
Joel Kemp overall seems to be getting the better of the ground position in the fight so far.
East stands up and looks to throw the legs aside to pass to side control. Kemp swivels though and keeps the full guard.
East is taking a break and basically stalling. The referee will not allow him to do that for long.
Kemp is trying to keep East in close.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
A lull in the action here being met with boos from the crowd.

Kemp throws his legs up looking to secure a triangle. Oh, that looks pretty tight, I gotta say! East escapes and throws Kemp's legs to the side, diving into side control!
East controlling the position from side mount.

East decides to stand back up.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
East tries to clinch up.
Kemp tries a switch kick but it misses it's target.
East looking to land some kicks to the body here.
East dives in and grabs Kemp's left leg, looking for a takedown. Kemp pushes down on East's head and hops out.
Kemp changes levels looking for a counter takedown but doesn't commit.
East shoots in for a takedown but Kemp shows good takedown defense there and keeps this one on the feet.
Kemp tries to clinch there but East circles away.
Kemp walks into a straight right hand from East.
Kemp lets loose with a powerful body kick. East will feel that in the morning.
East tries a head kick but it misses.
Kemp tries to close the distance and clinch up against the cage but East paws at him with a jab and circles away.
East darts in looking for a takedown but Kemp gets double underhooks and turns East into the cage.
East takes a big intake of breath there - he's definitely tired.
Horrible takedown attempt by Kemp or perhaps it was just good defense by East, which made it look bad.
Joel Kemp is winning the standup battle so far.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
East wants to clinch up but Kemp keeps it at a distance.
No luck for Kemp with that takedown attempt.
Kemp fails with the takedown.
East is loading up here, looking for a big counter of his own.
Kemp fails miserably with a takedown attempt.
Nice takedown defense from East. No joy for Kemp on that attempt.
Boooooooooooooooooooo!!! God, this has been a terrible round. Come on you two, sort yourselves out!
East fails with a rather predictable takedown attempt.

Kemp closes the distance and presses his opponent up against the cage.

And that's the end of the fight!
That was a close round. You could make an argument for either fighter but I would give it to Joel Kemp.
Well Kemp has outscored his opponent in every aspect of the fight today. Only a scarily incompetent judge or two will keep him from a well deserved win... Over to the ring announcer for the scorecards.

Ladies and gentlemen, after 3 rounds of action, we go to the scorecards for a decision.
Judge Matheus Silva scores the fight 28:29
Judge Leandro Rodrigues scores the fight 29:29
Judge Edson Gomes scores the fight 29:29

The fight is ruled a majority draw!