The Fall Brawl tonight at the Soldotna Regional Sports Complex will have a distinct local flavor.
There will be nine fights in various disciplines, from boxing to kickboxing to mixed martial arts to pro wrestling.
Mat Plant of Power Plant Productions, who is promoting the fight, said it is customary not to name the hometowns of the competitors in the two pro wrestling matches.
But of the 14 fighters in the other disciplines, 10 are from the Kenai Peninsula. Seven are from the central peninsula and three are from Homer.
“I feel blessed as far as how things are coming together,” Plant said. “It’s something I’ve been working at personally for quite a few years now and things are really clicking.
“There’s a good, solid team of people working at good gyms, and I’m pretty happy about that.”
In his recent productions, Plant has taken to including different styles of fighting to have something for everybody.
But talking to fans has informed him that more mixed martial arts is always desired, and that’s why Chris Finley against Quinton Kennedy is one of the main events.
It is the first fight for Finley, an area fighter. Kennedy, out of Wasilla, has fought for Plant a number of times. Plant said Kennedy can take a beating and dish one out.
“For a typical promotion, being his first fight, it wouldn’t be a main event,” Plant said of Finley. “But nothing about my shows is typical.”
The other main event features kickboxing. Experienced area fighter Douglas McFresh will go against Homer’s Alonzo Lang, who is in his second fight. He won his first fight by knockout.
“With those two, I wouldn’t be surprised if it goes all three rounds,” Plant said.
Another boxing match will also feature peninsula talent, with area fighter Doug Machado going against Kurt Leffler II of Homer. Plant said that fight pits Machado, who served in the Navy, against Leffler II, who served in the Army.
Also on the card is kickboxing between area fighter Megan Anderson and Wasilla’s Alexa Sepnafski, boxing between Wasilla’s Charlie Kennedy and area fighter Cody Smith, mixed martial arts between Homer’s Jason Breton and area fighter Kory Spooner, and kickboxing between Wasilla’s Katie “Little Monster” Halley and area fighter “Rowdy Rosie” Robyn Olivas.
In one of the pro wrestling bouts, AK Lightning will defend his New Frontier Wrestling Alliance open weight belt against the Phoenix Kid.
In the other pro wrestling bout, Sterling Folk will battle Brody Adams. In December at Plant’s Fight Before Christmas, Sterling Folk was an amateur wrestler so offended by pro wrestling he stormed the ring.
“Now, he wants to try a hand at pro wrestling,” Plant said.
The host for the evening will be Duane “Bang” Ludwig, who holds the UFC record for fastest knockout at six seconds. Then Saturday, Ludwig will give a seminar from 11 a.m. to 1 p.m. at AK-49 Martial Arts in the Peninsula Center Mall.
Tonight’s event also includes a Wall of Guns to benefit Central Peninsula Special Olympics, a performance by Diamond Dance Project of Soldotna and food by Yo Tacos.
Tickets are $20 for general admission and $25 for the beer garden. Doors open at 6 p.m., while the fight starts at 7 p.m.
“I’m expecting a good turnout,” Plant said. “The fighters have been out selling tickets, and they get to keep a piece of whatever they sell.”
