MMA: Two professional bouts highlight Kalispell Kombat

A mixed martial arts card loaded with Kalispell’s top talent will be on display Saturday evening in Kalispell Kombat at Majestic Valley Arena.

Thirteen bouts are scheduled with two listed as professional — the main event and co-main event.

In the main event, Hamilton Ash of Straight Blast Gym in Whitefish will face Michael Kuehne, who trains with Absolute Fight Factory in Kalispell, at 156 pounds.

Ash, 26, is a SBG coach and is 3-2 in MMA action. He was in the main event at last year’s Kalispell Kombat.

The co-main will feature Duran Flagert of SBG in Kalispell. He is scheduled to meet Devante Kyse of South Dakota in a featherweight bout (145 pounds).

Doors open at 6 p.m. with boxing at 7.

General admission is $25; 12-and-under $15.

The event is run by Bryan Deats of Strike Force in Bozeman. Strike Force puts on 10 shows a year in Montana.

In the 11 amateur bouts, SBG will have three entrants — Gage Morsette, Josh Schreiner and Derrick Moody. This will be the first MMA event for Morsette and Moody while Schreiner fought in Kalispell Kombat a year ago, winning his debut.

Morsette will take the ring with Isaiah Burkhalter of Kalispell at 135 pounds.

Schreiner, 125 pounds, will face off with Justin Neely of Libby.

And Moody, 155 pounds, will face Erik McQueen of Kalispell.

Kalispell’s Taylor Reed, a member of the U.S. National taekwondo team, will face Marshall Sutherland of Great Falls in a bout at 175.

“I think it’s the best card we’ve ever had in Kalispell,” Straight Blast Gym in Kalispell owner and coach Travis Davison said.

“I expect it to be loud and I know the energy will be higher than it has ever been.”

Davison said the main event with Ash and Kuehne should be a crowd-pleaser.

He said the Morsette-Burkhalter matchup could be the surprise bout of the night.

“Non-stop action,” he predicted between those two 18 year olds.

“It will go back and forth.”