Sports, and life in general, can often seem like it’s about chasing the next best thing. To narrow the lens on the comparatively niche MMA prospect scene, this seems ever more true. Much like the NFL, MMA newcomers will have their more professional opportunities based on what they accomplished on the junior scenes. For football players, this means college tape. For fighters, it is what they do on regional circuits like the CFFC. Speaking of which, I am developing quite the soft spot for the CFFC. We have covered a few of their fighters, and they never fail to disappoint. This week is no different, as Kevin “Sweet Pea” Pease is speed running what is shaping out to be a very promising career. There is literally nothing to rag on Pease about. He has a spotless 7-0 professional record, the vast majority of which have come from premier feeder organizations like the CFFC, and against quality opponents, I might add. Pease trains at Kill Cliff FC, while also receiving instruction from the likes of Daniel Cormier, and even being a part of Islam Makhachev’s “champ champ” camp. He has a perfect record, instruction, and skills (which we will get into in just a moment). In his last outing, he won the CFFC welterweight belt. On May 29th, he has a chance to win the lightweight crown as he moves down a division to take on William Starks. To hold double champion status in a quality organization should damn well be a golden ticket to at least the Contender Series. Here is how, and why, I believe he can finish the job.
At five foot eight, Pease would appear to be at a bit of a disadvantage compared to some of the fellows at 170, in terms of the standup. Yet just like DC, it hasn’t seemed to thwart him, and at lightweight, any height differential will be smaller. Pease truly shines with his wrestling and otherworldly top pressure, but I have found that he is sneakily creative on the feet as well. For one, he has a sharp 1-2 that he will often use to set up a takedown as the opponent is forced to step back towards the cage. Pease is a southpaw and makes good use of his lead right hand to post and parry, while keeping his left guard high. His high hands make for excellent parrying, and against CJ LaFragola, we saw him employ a stonewall defense similar to Dustin Poirier’s, where he blocks with the elbow and forearm to defend a larger surface area. Pease’s overhand left will usually make an appearance in his fights for the better. Unlike the 1-2, which he uses to facilitate an opponent’s retreat, the overhand left is used to intercept their forward momentum as they advance, while Pease’s head is off-center.
In particular, I love his use of the step-up outside low kick to open up the fight and set up further offense. This, paired with Pease’s gorgeous body kicks, opens up the option of wrestling that much more. Against LaFragola, a solid wrestler, Pease utilized these step-up low kicks to cover distance quickly and take out LaFragola’s base without bringing his hips too far in to risk being taken down. With inside low kicks, Pease is a bit more susceptible to either being countered (i.e., against Nick Meck) or having the kick caught and used to take him down (i.e., against Ethan Pauley). However, this is likely due to the positioning the move requires rather than any lapse in judgment from Pease himself. I believe it is important to take notice of Pease’s knowledge of distance management. He knows when to engage and when to keep his distance, and will not hang out in the pocket for too long. This sounds obvious, but it is easier said than done, and Pease definitely has it down pat.
Pease’s greatest asset by far is his grappling in terms of top pressure. It doesn’t matter if he is the one being taken down, or if he can’t get the best grip on a shot. All he needs is a grip on his opponent for him to resemble prime Khabib. Time spent training with DC has reaped its rewards, and there is no better example than his very last fight against Pauley back in October. Even though he was coming off of a lengthy layoff, Pease absolutely dominated Pauley on the ground, tallying constant takedowns after throwing a 1-2 setup. Any time he can get a hold of anything, the takedown is as good as completed. At one point, Pease was in on a low single, so Pauley was able to throw his legs around Pease to try and take the back, but Pease was still able to spin him down. Highly apparent strength paired with skill gets the job done here. Once on the ground, Pease wants his opponent’s head mashed against the cage, while he favors a top half guard position. This may not be the best in terms of submissions, but it does allow for phenomenal control for Pease to rain ground and pound. Pease’s insane top pressure also streamlines one of his favorite submissions, the arm triangle, of which he has tallied back to back wins earlier in his career.
Some of Pease’s best work on the ground does not come by way of his own takedowns, but via his ability to reverse position if he is taken down himself. As a cat lands on its feet, Pease always seems to find a way to literally come out on top. Against LaFragola, Pease found himself on the mat only to reverse the position moments later. This must have been a real bitch for LaFragola, who dealt with this turn of events numerous times in the fight. Pease is a master of switching his hips and trapping legs to bail himself out of positions like these. It is a terrible idea to get your leg trapped by Kevin Pease, no matter where you find yourself. Against Pauley, Pease found himself taken down after Pauley caught one of his inside low kicks. Pease reversed the position in mere seconds. In a fight where Pauley was taken down at will, even this momentary victory did not alter his fate. In fights, it is the top guy who usually holds all the advantages. Pease almost always finds himself here, no matter how he gets there. To encapsulate Pease, he is an adept enough wrestler to take down any opponent, and nearly impossible to keep him down should he be on the receiving end. Paired with crafty striking, he is certainly one of the most gifted prospects we have covered.
“Sweat Pea” has every reason to succeed. From the caliber of training he receives at Kill Cliff to the minds he finds himself around, such as DC, he has the MMA equivalent of Miracle-Gro. Pease is a tricky striker and an even better grappler; the only thing he has been missing recently is a finish, though certainly not for lack of trying. If Pease wins his next fight, he will have won CFFC titles in two different divisions. Assuming he can make the weight comfortably, I think Pease’s assets will be all the more effective against lighter fighters. Moreover, if he wins by finish, I don’t see any way he is not signed to the Contender Series. What more could they possibly want to see? To the victor go the spoils.
