Variety is about to become the spice of the Kenai Peninsula fight scene.
Mat Plant of Power Plant Productions is the only fight promoter currently operating on the Kenai Peninsula. He’s been at it for eight years, and said he has the feeling the area has moved past shows of only mixed martial arts.
“I’m trying to incorporate everyone’s different style,” Plant said. “I think MMA has been done to death here on the peninsula.
“A lot of gyms are now doing Muay Thai kickboxing and boxing.”
While Plant has already promoted several variety fight shows in Homer, his first on the central peninsula will be the “Fight Before Christmas.”
“I’m kind of testing the water doing these variety shows,” Plant said. “The two in Homer went well. I’m excited to bring it up here and see how it goes.”
The card of four boxing matches, two kickboxing matches, one mixed martial arts fight and one pro-style wrestling match will take place at the Peninsula Center Mall on Thursday. The doors open at 8 p.m. while the fights start at 8:30 p.m.
If the variety show goes well, Plant will use the same format for a three-fight deal he recently booked with the Soldotna Regional Sports Complex for 2017. The first of those fights is set for May 6.
By going the variety route, Plant said he is trying to reflect the community. He said Pound 4 Pound AK Fitness is doing a lot of boxing, while AK-49 Combat Sports does Muay Thai kickboxing.
This will be Plant’s second show in the Peninsula Center Mall. He said he plans to sell about 350 tickets. He added the view should be better than the previous MMA event at the mall because a ring will provide better viewing than an octagon.
The main event will feature Jay “Hurricane” Harris of Pound 4 Pound AK Fitness against Codyne Williams of Anchorage. The discipline will be kickboxing and Plant said Harris is a well-known local fighter perfect for the top of the card.
The co-main event will be a boxing match between local fighters Robyn Sullens and Megan Anderson.
Plant also is looking forward to the MMA fight between AK-49 Combat Sports’ Victor Rodriguez and independent local fighter Kory Spooner.
Tickets to the show are $20. Half of the mall will be a beer garden, while the other half will be general admission. Tickets, while they last, are available at the door and at The Duck Inn.
There also will be a wall of guns done by Sportsman’s Warehouse, with tickets costing $10. Proceeds from the wall of guns go to Kenai Peninsula Special Olympics.
