Kember Hunt Reflects on Her MMA Debut at XFA Fight Night 4

On May 24th at XFA Fight Night 4 in Harriman, Tennessee, amateur mixed martial artist Kember Hunt made her long-awaited MMA debut after a 2-2 run in the amateur kickboxing circuit. Stepping into the cage for the first time under MMA rules, Hunt squared off against the undefeated Gabrielle Hopwood, who entered the bout with a 1-0 record. Despite a strong showing of grit and determination, Hunt’s debut was cut short in the first round when she was submitted via arm triangle. We caught up with Kember after the fight to reflect on her experience, lessons learned, and what lies ahead in her combat sports journey.

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XFA:  Kember, this was your amateur MMA and XFA debut after a background in kickboxing—what was the biggest difference stepping into the cage for MMA for the first time?

Hunt:  The biggest difference stepping into the cage for an MMA debut for myself personally is the grappling aspect.  I’m learning and growing with my grappling each day, and it’s a journey I will continue to pursue. Slight mistakes can change the tide in an mma fight a lot quicker than in a kickboxing bout. 

XFA:  You faced a tough opponent in Gabrielle Hopwood, who came in undefeated—what was your game plan going into the fight, and how did you feel in those opening moments?

Hunt:   In preparation for my fight with Gabby, we worked a lot of takedown defense.  We knew she had a grappling background based off the commentary from her debut.  Hats off to her though, even though I stood up initially she was able to collect my arm above my head and successfully trip me. My initial feelings were a little different this go round because I knew I was stepping into a new world, and that in itself is intimidating. 

XFA:  The fight ended in the first round via arm triangle—can you walk us through what happened and what you took away from that experience?

Hunt:  So walking through what happened, I came out and began to work my striking.  I tried to feel her out with a jab, and then I began to throw some kicks.  She timed me really well on a kick to her lead thigh and was able to catch it.  She took me down and I scrambled up pretty quick, but she still had a body lock on me whenever I stood.  Somehow in the midst of trying to hand fight she worked my arm up above my head and was able to trip me, and I landed into the head and arm choke.  I tried to hold on the best I could, but I was caught early and couldn’t hold out for the remaining 2 minutes.  As far as my takeaway from the experience goes, we have obviously worked defending that submission as soon as I was back to training that following Monday.  I’ve never made any excuses and I won’t start now, I will just continue to work hard and keeping learning and growing. 

XFA:  Now that you’ve had a taste of MMA, do you see yourself continuing to pursue it alongside or instead of kickboxing?

Hunt:  I’m still going to pursue MMA, it’s a dream that I’m not willing to give up on.  I’ve taken losses before and they hurt every time, but I refuse to quit.  I’m open to doing some kickboxing matches, grappling matches, and even boxing matches.  I feel like as an amateur it’s important to get as much experience as you can in a competition setting.  MMA is the long term goal that I am chasing though. 

XFA:  What’s the biggest lesson you learned from this fight, and what are you already looking to improve on for your next appearance?

Hunt:  The biggest lesson I’ve learned from this fight is to surrender the outcome.  I worked extremely hard in my fight camp, and it still just wasn’t my night, and that’s okay!  Once you feel all the emotions that come after a loss, you have to pull yourself back together and get back to work.  You collect the data of your performance and you keep hustling towards your goals, there isn’t time to sit in sadness.  As for my next performance, I will be working tirelessly on my take down defense and submission defense. 

XFA:  Finally, is there anyone you'd like to thank or give a shoutout to after your debut performance?

Hunt:  On the list of thank you’s I have to give, the first one will always go to God.  I overcame a lot of adversity just to be able to step inside a cage again, and it’s all due to answered prayers.  Win or lose it is a blessing to be able to train and fight.  I also want to thank my wonderful husband who supports me in this. It’s hard to deal with people under the stress of fight camps and weight cuts and he is always there for me during those hard times.  And the last thank you has to go to my amazing coaching staff at Kuzushi Club Dalton.  These guys are constantly giving me new knowledge and helping me level up in any way that they can. From skill building in the gym to my weight cuts and nutrition, they are always there for me and provide me with the best advice and support.

Though her MMA debut didn’t go the way she hoped, Kember Hunt remains undeterred and focused on growth as a fighter. With a solid foundation in kickboxing and a newfound hunger to evolve in all areas of mixed martial arts, she’s already back to work preparing for what’s next. As she continues to sharpen her game and gain experience, fans can expect to see a stronger, more complete version of Kember in the cage next time out. For all updates on Kember Hunt and to stay informed on upcoming XFA events, visit www.officialxfa.com.


About Xtreme Fighting Alliance (XFA):
Founded in 2024, XFA is a Tennessee-based mixed martial arts promotion dedicated to elevating the sport through dynamic, high-quality events that combine professional and amateur MMA action. Sanctioned by GAMMA, XFA continues to provide a platform for fighters to showcase their skills in front of passionate combat sports fans across the Southeast.