Roadblock - The Catch Scouting Report on Kenny Lester

(A playlist of the matches used for this scouting report can be found here.)

Much like Brandon Ruiz, Kenny Lester is a decorated but largely anonymous wrestler, and one who represents the largest potential block on Ruiz's run to the tournament finals.

First the resume. Lester was a Florida state high school champion and 2006 Junior National Champion in Greco-Roman at 275 lbs, and graduated high school holding the state record for pins (114). He redshirted his freshman year for Arizona State, but was the University National Greco-Roman champion, took 2nd at the Junior World Team Trials and 5th at the Senior Team Trials. He also found the time to attempt the Junior World Team Trials in freestyle and took 3rd in the US National Sombo Championhips. Had a 6-8 record in his sophomore year, the only year he was active for ASU. Did not compete his junior year, but stayed active in Greco-Roman competition and made a successful foray into FILA Grappling, winning the US Team Trials in the 120kg and Absolute gi divisions, and placing 3rd in 120kg no-gi. He would take a Bronze in no-gi at Worlds (Ft Lauderdale edition - this is the year there were two tournaments, and I'd still like an explanation of that) but did not place in the gi division..



If you snuck ahead, you'll notice there is not a ton of footage available for Lester. Generally speaking, I hate to go back more than about five years - and preferably no more than two - for accurate scouting. A lot can happen in that 12 years after high school. But this is a beggars vs choosers kind of situation and we take what we can get. Lester's a big man who knows how to throw, and that automatically makes him a serious pinning threat. Even his limited collegiate experience produced two falls, so expect Lester to be able to flatten out the poor soul who ends up underneath him. I don't see much in the way of submission skills from him - the top wristlock on Tellis was more of a power move than a technical one - but he's almost a decade removed from when these matches were filmed and reportedly has had some training with Scientific Wrestling and MMA, so expect some improvement in that area.

That's good, because on tape he looks like a guy who can get caught. He was clearly conscious of keeping his arms in good position in guard against Stark of Canada, and still got caught with a double wristlock reversal. A Josh Barnett or Brandon Ruiz in that position is taking an arm home with them.  His conditioning is also a concern; the Cross match makes him look like someone who can be worn down, and that's something that will only get worse in the best-of-three falls format of the Snake Pit tournament. But conditioning even more than technique is something that can change radically - for better or worse - over time.

Assuming he comes in in good shape, I see Lester as a likely semi-finalist. His size and ability in the clinch should see him out of the first round, but his probable second opponent is Brandon Ruiz, and I think Ruiz just has too deep a game, both on the feet and on the mat, for Lester to have more than a thrower's chance against him.

Tomorrow! I have a ton of video to watch on the man with probably the most pure catch experience in the field, the Catch Wrestling Alliance's Curran Jacobs. There's gonna be some fun stuff to watch. You don't want to miss it.

(For more on the 2018 Catch Wrestling World Tournament, including tournament scheduling and bracketing, see Snake Pit USA and Catch Wrestling U.)