Big night for local gym
The roughly 900 fans standing and roaring in the Majestic Valley Arena wanted a knockout and in the final fight of the night, Jake Oyler delivered one with a steady current of fists.
The 24-year-old Kalispell fighter won his first professional bout with a TKO against Nebraska fighter Justin Reason in the main event of the FightForce Kalispell Kombat mixed martial arts event on Friday night.
Oyler, fighting out of Straight Blast Gym in Kalispell, came into the fight with an 0-2 record but made certain his first professional bout in front of the home crowd was ending on a different note.
Right from the bell, the 155-pounder baited Reason with his left hand held way out in front and Reason bit, lurching in after it. From there, Oyler sunk one fist after another into the cheeks and chest of his opponent. Reason took a clean pair of hits that buckled his knees and sent him down solid before referee Dennis Bain stopped the fight.
“I needed that, so I’m pretty happy,” Oyler said afterward. “I’m glad it happened at home too in front of everybody, that’s the place to win.
“It’s hard to describe (what it feels like),” he added. “It’s the best thing I’ve ever felt, to put all that time in and to win. It’s amazing.”
Oyler capped a successful night for the local Straight Blast Gym. Before the main event, Zach Dickson defended his FightForce featherweight title belt with a third-round submission. Dickson owned the momentum throughout the first two four-minute rounds and sealed his sixth-straight victory with a rear-naked choke early in the third.
“Once I shook that takedown off him and had his back I knew it was over,” Dickson said. “Just a matter of time.”
Will Barnhart of SBG, who was scheduled to fight, was a late scratch.
After the main event, Straight Blast owner and head trainer Travis Davison embraced his group of fighters like a proud father with a giant smile.
“I just love when my guys win, it’s more exciting than when I win,” Davison, who fights in MMA as well, said. “It’s like watching your kids succeed at something. I was just really proud of them tonight ... the sky’s the limit. I thought the gym represented well tonight.”
Another Kalispell talent to come out victorious on Friday was Thomas Lamarr, who is now training and living in Missoula. The 22-year-old battled through the nerves of fighting in front of the home crowd and suffered a few blows to the body early on against Joe Kessick of Helena. Lamarr was able to move the fight to the ground and turned in a rear choke that earned him the submission victory.
“I felt like it was my first fight again for some reason,” he said. “I lost sleep last night, it was a lot of pressure. (The fans) are supporting you but at the same time you feel like you have to live up to it, you have to get it done .... I’m just happy to get a win in again.”
FightForce Kalispell Kombat
Saturday’s Results
170 — Martin Besa, Wolfpack FC of Ronan, wins by submission over Jeremy Combs, freestyle of Montana (00:58)
165 — Elijah Wallowing, 406 Jiu-Jitsu of Arlee, wins by submission over Matthew Johnson, Wolfpack FC of Ronan (3:45)
185 — Justin Bradfield, Team Apocalypse of Salmon, Idaho, wins by submission over Kenny Weasselhead, Team PFC of Canada (00:48)
155 — Louie Moses, 406 Jiu-Jitsu of Arlee, wins by submission over Tracy Sanford (00:52)
170 — Donnie Cheaney, Wolfpack FC of Ronan, wins by submission over William Bailey, freestyle of Kalispell (1:09)
135 — Eric Oakland, Big Sky MMA of Big Sky, wins by submission over Lance McMarrell, Team EFC of Eureka (3:01)
170 — Thomas Lamarr, GNFC of Misssoula, wins by submission over Joe Kessick, Team PFA of Helena (2:27)
180 — Kolton Menzat, Team PFA of Canada, wins by submission over Nick McMarrell, Team EFC of Eureka (2:45)
145 Featherweight FightForce title fight — Zach Dickson, Straight Blast Gym Montana of Kalispell, wins by submission over Kahl Clark, SOB of Butte (8:42)
155 professional fight main event — Jacob Oyler, Straight Blast Gym Montana of Kalispell, wins by TKO over Justin Reason, freestyle of Nebraska (1:08)