There’s more than just bragging rights at stake at this Saturday’s AK Beatdown at Elizabeth Peratrovich Hall.
Three belts in the 155, 170 and 185-pound weight classes will be awarded. In addition, an amateur belt will be awarded for a women’s bout. All belt bouts will be MMA fights.
“It always makes it fun when you have a belt fight,” said AK Beatdown owner Cyndi Isaak, who originally planned to have 8-10 belt fights but settled for four.
Doors open at 7 p.m. and fights begin at 8 p.m. Tickets are on sale at McGivney’s Sports Bar and Grill, Complete Warrior Academy (located in Alaska Club valley) and Hearthside Books for $30. Tickets will be available at the door for $40.
Each of the belt fighters pockets $250 for fighting. The belt winners will receive an additional $250.
Ketchikan Fight Club’s Tyson Duckworth, who just so happens to be getting married today, will fight Craig Reishus for the 155-pound title. Reishus and Duckworth are each 1-1 in their previous two fights against each other.
Capital City Judo’s Uncle Sam Carney defeated Duckworth in the first round of the main event at the last Beatdown in October.
The “Uncle” will not be in action this Saturday, but will instead watch his wife, Victoria, take on Cacie Crawford in an amateur MMA fight.
“Having women’s fights is very hard to come by so I just made the executive decision to make it a belt fight,” Isaak said.
The 170-pound belt bout between Alonzo Leisholmn Jr. and Matthew “Nino” Maka will be the last fight of the night. Both fighters have a strong track record and fan base. Isaak went so far as to beef up event security for the fight.
“I was told this guy is a good fighter so I’m willing to test my skills against him,” Maka said by cellphone Thursday.
Maka last fought at AK Beatdown over a year ago, defeating Zachary Oldaker in September 2016. A couple months later, Maka rolled his ankle playing basketball and was forced to take some time off fighting. Maka’s been fully healed for months now and is ready to reenter the fight game.
“This is the best shape I’ve been in so I’m just ready to go in there and make a statement,” Maka said.
Kolbjorn Skaflestad will duel with Anchorage’s Marques Facine for the 185-pound belt.
McGivney’s and Dr. Christine Molesky, DMD, sponsored the new belts, which are scheduled to arrive today.
Isaak says all belt winners must be willing to defend them at a future Beatdown. There will also be at least four undercard fights between fighters that are new to the sport and looking to gain more experience.
• Contact sports reporter Nolin Ainsworth at 523-2272 or nolin.ainsworth@juneauempire.com.
