PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a heavyweight MMA rules bout between Keenan Lester (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class) and Dongstae Friend (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class). Keenan Lester has a significant reach advantage - let's see if he can make it count.

Lester
vs
Friend

211 cm
23
279 lbs
2 - 2 - 0

190 cm
24
265 lbs
0 - 0 - 0

BJJ Blue Belt
Counter fighter
Cuts easily

BJJ Purple Belt
Brawler
Very confident

Ladies and gentlemen. This fight is 3 rounds, in the heavyweight division.
Introducing the fighter to my left, fighting out of the red corner.
With a record of 2 - 2 - 0, fighting out of St Petersburg, Keenan Lester!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 0 - 0 - 0, fighting out of St Petersburg, Dongstae Friend!
The judges for this bout are Aleksandr Martynov, Igor Prikhodko and Konstantin Menshow.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!
Friend looks for the body kick but Lester saw that one coming.
Lester tries to counter by clinching up but Friend breaks away and moves out of range.
Friend misses with a body kick.

Lester tries to sprawl but Friend drives through with a takedown into half guard.
We could do with one of the fighters taking the initiative a bit more on the ground - they're both waiting to capitalize on a mistake.
Friend trying to control the pace.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.

Lester looking to work for a kimura from the bottom.

That's one minute gone in the round.

Friend seems to be looking for submissions.

Friend is trying to work for a kimura but Lester is defending well.
The ref warns both fighters not to hold the cage as they work up against the meshing.
Friend takes a deep breath and rests his weight momentarily on top of his opponent, to control the position.
Friend should think about turning a few of those tyres round his middle into muscle if he wants people to take him seriously as an athlete.
Friend's corner are shouting for him to control the position and he seems happy to oblige.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
A lull in the action here being met with boos from the crowd.
Friend trying to control from half guard but Lester is working away.
Lester is working for an escape here. He's hooked one of Friend's legs and he's managed to sneak out and take Friend's back!

Lester patiently working for the choke. Which fighter will keep their nerve here?

The fighters are going at a pretty good pace and they're both starting to sweat now.
Friend preventing the rear naked choke attempt from Lester.
Friend rolls, trying to escape but Lester keeps control of the position.
Friend tries to escape the position - he's now mounted. Is that better or worse? Hard to tell!
Friend sneaks a leg back under and regains half guard and is working straight away to try and get back to guard. He hasn't managed just yet though.
The fighters are pressed up against the cage, both looking to find a bit of space to work.

That's three minutes gone in the round.

Lester is looking for submissions but instead, Friend has regained full guard.
Lester is working the ground and pound from guard. He might want to try advancing position though to get more of an impact.
Friend is pulling down on Lester's head. It's preventing any offense from Lester, at least for the moment.
Lester distracts Friend with his right hand and drops a big elbow with his other arm.
Lester with a flurry of punches that miss.

Friend is throwing his legs up, looking for submissions. Lester is aware though and is defending well.
Lester lands a couple of elbows.

Friend looking for a guillotine here but Lester defends easily.

That's four minutes gone in the round.

Friend is looking for a guillotine. You can't force these things though and Lester defends well.
Lester content to strike from guard, landing some decent shots.
Friend is trying to control the position from the bottom.
Lester throws a big elbow that misses.
Boooooooooooooooooooo!!! God, this has been a terrible round. Come on you two, sort yourselves out!

Friend throwing his legs up looking for a triangle.

Friend looking for submissions off his back, moving his hips, looking for an opening.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

A close round but Dongstae Friend will probably get the nod.
The fighters' corners scream their final instructions, as the referee calls time. Here we go, back to the action!

Lester wants to clinch up but Friend keeps it at a distance.
Dongstae Friend seems to be the more aggressive standup fighter in this bout.

Friend takes the fight into the clinch.
Lester looking for a takedown.
Lester has a body lock and is looking for a takedown. Friend is bouncing around trying to prevent the takedown and somehow he has indeed managed to stay on his feet.

Friend tightens his grip and picks Lester up, before dumping him to the ground. Lester manages to land in guard.
Friend looking to pass the guard.
Lester controls Friend momentarily but Friend frees himself.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.
Friend looking to sit in guard and control but Lester gets the butterfly guard and sweeps. He's now in the guard on the top.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Friend wants to sweep but no luck.

Friend looking for submissions from the bottom here. Moving his hips around, possibly looking for an armbar.
Lester connects with a couple of short punches.
Lester chips away with some ground and pound.
Friend has a closed guard, preventing Lester from standing up.
Lester has to be careful here, sitting in the guard of a superior BJJ player.
Hammerfist, elbow! yells Lester's corner. There ya go! There ya go!
Friend looking to hit a scissor sweep but Lester is one step ahead there.
Friend looking to control.
Lester will need to keep those long limbs tucked in whilst he's on the ground, to prevent any submissions.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Lester throws a big right hand that misses.
Lester would like to get this fight back to the feet but can't get free from the closed guard.
Friend managing to control the position.
Lester throws an elbow that misses. Friend uses the momentum to reverse the position. He's now in Lester's guard. Nice move by Friend!

Friend advances to half guard.
Friend wants to lay and pray for a moment but Lester keeps working.
Friend keeping composed on the top, looking to control the action.

That's three minutes gone in the round.

Lester makes his way to full guard, as Friend worked for a kimura.
Lester 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.
Friend showing good wrestling skills to control the position.
Friend postures up to throw the ground and pound strikes but they don't connect.
Lester has Friend pulled in close to control his posture.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
The crowd are hurling abuse towards the fighters... You can hardly blame them though because there isn't a lot going on in the fight.
Friend sitting in guard here, content to control.

The referee has stepped in and called for a break in the action. We'll restart on the feet.

Lester fakes a strike and closes the distance, dragging Friend to the ground. Lester is now in Friend's guard.
Friend wants to get back to his feet but Lester passes into half guard.

Friend works his way to full guard. Good work.
Boooooooooooooooooooo!!! God, this has been a terrible round. Come on you two, sort yourselves out!
Lester is looking to stand up but Friend won't let him.
Lester postures up and lands some nice ground and pound.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

A close second round but Dongstae Friend will probably get the nod - 10:9.
OK. That's time! The bell goes and we're back to the action. This is the final round!

Friend closes the distance and scores a nice trip takedown into half guard. Lester did well to prevent Friend getting side control.
Friend perhaps working for something from half guard, or maybe not. It looks like he's just sitting there.
Friend is continuing to stall.
Lester is doing well to control the position and prevent Friend from advancing to side control.
Friend content to sit in half guard and control for a moment.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.
Lester is looking to improve his position.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Lester keeping control of the leg, stopping his opponent passing to mount.
Friend controlling the action here.

The ref stands the fighters back up due to a lack of activity.
Friend swings wildly with a couple of big hooks

and Lester counters by moving into the clinch. Good anticipation by Lester.

Friend has hold of one of Lester's legs. Lester is fighting the takedown attempt but Friend gets the trip and lands the takedown into guard.
Lester looking to hit a scissor sweep but Friend is one step ahead there.
Lester is trying to keep Friend in close.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Friend trying to pass the guard. He's being very persistent here but Lester manages to land a sweep and now he's on top!

Friend controls Lester momentarily but Lester frees himself.
Lester postures up and scores with a shot to the body and a follow up elbow to the head.
Friend wants to control here, rather than go for any submissions from the bottom. At least for now.
A big thud reverberates around the arena there as Lester accidentally thumps the mat. Hopefully he's not broken his hand.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Friend has a closed guard, preventing anything of note from happening. Perhaps he's looking to stall.

Friend looking for submissions from the bottom here. Moving his hips around, possibly looking for an armbar.
Friend takes a big intake of breath there - he's definitely tired.

Friend throwing his legs up looking for a triangle.
Lester trying to land body shots but he keeps hitting the mat.
Lester stands up over Friend, holding his feet. He dives back in and lands a decent shot to the head.
Lester is looking to stand up but Friend won't let him.

Lester stands up over his opponent, looking to dive in with a big punch. Here he comes, superman style! Oh, the punch misses and Friend has got him in a triangle choke for good measure! Oh no! Lester manages to get his head free but now Friend has transitioned to an armbar! Lester grimaces and is forced to tap! Beautiful Jiu Jitsu from Friend! I'd be surprised if that didn't end up as submission of the night!

Ladies and gentlemen, after 4:55 of round 3, we have a winner by way of Submission (Armbar). Dongstae Friend!