PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a welterweight MMA rules bout between Dustin Knapp (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class) and Kaleb Forrest (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class). We have two fighters making their debuts here, so let's see who comes out of this one with their first professional victory.

Knapp
vs
Forrest

180 cm
19
175 lbs
0 - 0 - 0

198 cm
21
180 lbs
0 - 0 - 0

BJJ Blue Belt
Brawler
Good chin

BJJ Blue Belt
Brawler
Tends to cut

Ladies and gentlemen. This fight is 3 rounds, in the welterweight division.
Introducing the fighter to my left, fighting out of the red corner.
With a record of 0 - 0 - 0, fighting out of Las Vegas, Dustin Knapp!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 0 - 0 - 0, fighting out of Las Vegas, Kaleb Forrest!
The judges for this bout are Tiny Johnson, Alan Glass and Robert Twigg.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!
Knapp throws a nice looking combination but Forrest bobs and weaves to avoid any damage.
Knapp throws a head kick that misses.
Forrest wants to land a leg kick but Knapp is out of range.
Forrest shoots in for a takedown. "I don't think so" says Knapp as he avoids it easily.
Forrest scores with a crisp jab that stopped Knapp in his tracks.
Knapp has his takedown stuffed
and Forrest makes him pay by landing a thudding low kick.

Forrest looks for a takedown. He's got it. We're now in half guard.
Forrest thows a huge punch but Knapp dodges it nicely.
Forrest throwing shots but Knapp is blocking nicely.
The fighters are pressed up against the cage, both looking to find a bit of space to work.
Forrest controlling the action here.

Knapp looking to work for a kimura from the bottom.
Knapp is breathing heavily.
Forrest trying to control the pace.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Forrest's corner are shouting for him to control the position and he seems happy to oblige.
Forrest working the head and body with strikes.

Forrest decides to stand up and try his luck on the feet.
Forrest moves out of range of the strikes.
Knapp shoots in but doesn't get the takedown

and Forrest counters with a shoot takedown. Knapp fights it but they end up in guard.
Forrest tries to free his leg and advance position but Knapp is retaining full guard.

Knapp working for a triangle but Forrest defends it easily.
Knapp wants to sweep here but Forrest controlling him for the moment.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Forrest postures up.
Forrest must be cautious of submissions here, given that his opponent has the superior Jiu Jitsu.
Forrest would like to get this fight back to the feet but can't get free from the closed guard.
Knapp lands a beautiful switch and he's in full mount! That could spell trouble for Forrest!
Forrest is looking to get to half guard.
Knapp in mount throwing good strikes here, bouncing his opponent's head off the canvas.

It looks like Kaleb Forrest has been cut.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Forrest is trying to escape but when you're mounted that's not too easy.
Knapp trying to control but he's not successful this time.
Knapp avoids the attempt from Forrest to control.
Knapp fakes a shot to the body and cracks his opponent in the head. Nice ground and pound there!
Knapp fails to move to back control.
Forrest is writhing around trying to get back to his feet.
Knapp trying to control but Forrest is having none of it.

Knapp gets to his feet and calls his opponent to stand. Here come the fireworks!
Knapp misses the body punch

and Forrest counters with a nice double leg into side control. Knapp won't be happy with that.

Forrest has had enough of the ground for now and decides to stand.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Forrest keeps the fight on the outside.

Forrest looks for a takedown. He's got it. We're now in half guard.
Forrest prevents Knapp from improving his position.
Forrest scoring with strikes to the body and head.
Wooooo! Give it up for these two warriors! They are putting on a show!

Knapp has one foot on Forrest's thigh - he pushes off and manages to get back to his feet.
Knapp fails with a takedown attempt.
That's three failed takedown attempts in the round for Dustin Knapp. That's going to take a lot out of him.

Forrest darts in and lands a nice takedown into half guard.
As the round comes to an end the crowd are showing their appreciation for a great round of action.
Forrest tries to pass to full mount but Knapp defends it.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Kaleb Forrest dominated that round.
The cut man is working on Kaleb Forrest's cut.
That's time! Back to the action!

Knapp shoots and misses

and Forrest counters with a takedown into side control.
Knapp tries to improve position but can't.
Forrest is a painfully thin specimen of a man. You do wonder whether a good body kick would snap him clean in two.
Knapp is trying to buck Forrest off.

Forrest stands up and beckons Knapp to his feet.
Knapp with a lazy takedown attempt

and Forrest counters with a takedown into side control.
Wooooo! Give it up for these two warriors! They are putting on a show!
Knapp tries to buck Forrest off but Forrest is having none of it.
Knapp is not content to let Forrest control the position.

Forrest decides to stand back up.
Forrest takes a step back and watches a body kick go sailing past his mid section.
Dustin Knapp seems to be the more aggressive standup fighter in this bout.
Knapp scores with a jab to the jaw of his opponent.
Knapp looks to clinch

and Forrest counters by moving into the clinch. Good anticipation by Forrest.
Both fighters are absolutely exhausted here.
Knapp is trying to break free.
Knapp is looking for a takedown up against the cage. Forrest gets underhooks though and prevents the takedown attempt.
That's three failed takedown attempts in the round for Dustin Knapp. That's going to take a lot out of him.
Forrest will no doubt start fighting again in a minute but for now he's just having a little rest, leaning Knapp up against the cage.
Forrest wants to stall.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Knapp tries to land knees in the clinch but Forrest avoids the damage to the body.

Forrest manages to pull guard.
Knapp won't allow Forrest to sweep him here.
Knapp throws a strike but Forrest rolls with it and manages to sweep. Now he's in guard on top.
Knapp wants to sweep here but Forrest controlling him for the moment.
Forrest prevents Knapp from getting back to his feet.
Forrest slows down the pace of the fight, as he sits in guard.
Forrest trying to control the position from guard on top but Knapp is wriggling around, looking for whatever he can.
Knapp is trying to control the position but Forrest postures up.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
The crowd are starting to boo a lack of action.
Forrest throwing shots from guard but he's hitting more mat than opponent.

The referee decides to stand the fighters back up.

Knapp shoots in from a long way out. He's driving through with the takedown attempt and he eventually gets it, landing in Forrest's guard.
Knapp passes Forrest's left leg - he's now in half guard.

Forrest is looking to sinch up a gullotine here but Knapp pulls his head out easily.
Forrest trying to hold on to Knapp's head to control him but Knapp postures up.
Knapp not throwing his punches with enough precision this time.
Ground and pound from Knapp.
Forrest tries to get to full guard but Knapp has control of the leg.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Forrest moves into full guard.
Knapp pressing down on his opponent's thigh, looking to pass guard. Forrest is keeping the position for now.
Forrest is controlling Knapp's posture.

Forrest scrambles and gets back to his feet.
Forrest moves into range and lands a nice body kick.
Dustin Knapp is looking to throw some combinations by the looks of things.
Knapp throws a head kick that half lands.
Knapp with a lazy takedown attempt

and Forrest counters with a shoot takedown into half guard.
Knapp wants to control but Forrest is keeping busy.
Forrest lands a big shot. The thud that echoes around the arena is like music to the fans' ears.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Fantastic stuff here - a very entertaining period of action, which has drawn cheers from the crowd.
Nice strikes from Forrest there.
Knapp has a hand on Forrest's thigh, trying to get back to full guard. Forrest takes advantage of the position though and mounts him!

Forrest is in full mount, looking to secure a guillotine but Knapp is surviving well by controlling Forrest's body position as best he can.
Knapp tries to get back to half guard but can't.
Forrest controlling from the full mount.
As the round comes to an end the crowd are showing their appreciation for a great round of action.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Kaleb Forrest showed his class in that round. I'd imagine he'll take it on all the scorecards.
The cut man is working on Kaleb Forrest's cut.
That's the end of the round. The referee orders the cornermen out of the cage so we can get back down to business. This is the final round!

Knapp doesn't succeed with the takedown

and Forrest counters with a nice shoot takedown that brings the fighters to the ground.
Knapp being controlled here, momentarily.
Forrest pushing down on Knapp's thigh, trying to pass to half guard. He's managed it... Nice work.
Forrest stalling.

Forrest escapes and gets back to his feet.
Knapp misses with a series of wild punches.

Forrest shoots in for a takedown and gets it.
Forrest is scoring with some nice ground and pound from the dominant position.
Forrest takes a big intake of breath there - he's definitely tired.

That's one minute gone in the round.

Knapp looking for submissions off his back.
Knapp is looking to improve his position.
Kaleb Forrest has got the better of the ground game so far.
Forrest trying to mount his opponent but Knapp defends it.
Forrest missing with some ground and pound from the half guard.
Knapp wants to improve his position but Forrest is controlling well.
Forrest is looking to take a break and control but Knapp is keeping him honest, looking to work from the bottom.
Knapp might be looking to lock onto one of his opponent's long limbs for a submission, whilst we're on the ground.
Knapp is trying to get back to full guard.

The referee decides to stand the fighters back up.
Knapp misses with a leg kick

and Forrest counters with a shoot takedown into half guard.
Knapp is looking to control Forrest's leg but it's slowly edging free. Can Knapp avoid being mounted?

That's two minutes gone in the round.
The referee calls for the fighters to work.
The ref warns both fighters not to hold the cage as they work up against the meshing.
Knapp is trying to get back to full guard.
Knapp is looking to get full guard. It looks like he might be successful but at the last minute Forrest jumps into side control!

Forrest tries for an arm triangle. That looks pretty tight to me. Is this one over!?! Possibly, maybe, no Forrest has let go of the choke. Obviously it wasn't as tight as we thought!
Knapp struggling a bit here.
Forrest working the head with strikes.

Forrest is trying to land an Americana. He has the arm isolated but Knapp is keeping cool and he's avoided the danger for now.
Forrest landing a few strikes.
Forrest has been the more effective fighter overall so far.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Knapp is trying to improve his position.
Forrest gets to mount! Knapp was on the offensive and wasn't defending properly.
A nice elbow there by Forrest.
Forrest tries to control but Knapp wriggling away.
Knapp wants to improve position but instead he's given up his back.
Forrest controlling the position well here. Knapp rolled but Forrest kept the hooks locked in and stayed in the dominant position.
Knapp tries to escape the position - he's now mounted. Is that better or worse? Hard to tell!
Knapp slips a leg in and gets back to half guard.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Knapp makes his way to full guard. A much better position for Knapp.

Forrest avoids a guillotine attempt easily.
Knapp not looking particularly offensive just at the moment.
Forrest is stalling in the full guard.

Forrest stands up from Knapp's guard - Forrest perhaps looking for a knockout.
Forrest throws a nice inside leg kick.
The crowd applaud the fighters efforts here as the round comes to an end.

Forrest looking for a takedown here - he's got it.

Forrest stands and steps away. Knapp gets to his feet too and we're back to the striking game.

And that's the end of the fight!
Kaleb Forrest comfortably won the final round on my scorecard.
Well Forrest has outworked and out performed his opponent in all aspects of the game today. He was simply too good and the decision should be no more than a formality. 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 Tiny Johnson scores the fight 27:30
Judge Alan Glass scores the fight 27:30
Judge Robert Twigg scores the fight 27:30

In favor of your winner, by unanimous decision... Kaleb Forrest!