Submitted photo – Scottie Stockman out of Oregon will headline this weekend’s fight night at the Bear River Casino Resort.

By Ray Hamill — Local MMA fans will be treated to a night of fights on Saturday as the Bear River Casino Resort gets set to host BFC 19.

The longest running local fight night promises another exciting evening of action with Oregon’s Scottie Stockman headlining the card.

“He’s one of the top up-and-coming prospects on the West Coast,” event promoter Brian Wilson of Hard Fought Productions said. “He’s sensational, top notch.”

The 29-year-old Stockman is 8-2 as a pro and will face off against the experienced Kerry Lattimer out of Idaho in a 155-pound main event.

The 38-year-old Lattimer is a seasoned pro with a record of 14-26.

This weekend’s event will feature three pro and nine amateur fights with seven local fighters on the card.

Facing recent competition from fight nights at Blue Lake and The Heights casinos, Wilson says the Hard Fought Production event at Bear River is still the best MMA action in the county.

“We’ve had like five guys that have fought in the UFC,” Wilson said this week. “We’ve had Bellator champions. And just look at our history. We’ve put on 24 fight nights locally, and we love our partnership with the Bear River Casino. It’s the biggest facility and the best venue, with the best sound and lighting … and we have the best announcer (Dante Gelormino). I’ve never seen anything like him and the way he announces the show.”

Fans have responded and the event continues to sell out the 1,100 tickets for almost every event, held four times annually.

“We always expect to sell out,” Wilson said. “We have a huge following that loves the show. They’re loyal to the sport, and every time we get new fans coming out to the event they always say ‘man, we can’t believe we get this in Humboldt County.’ They’re always pleasantly surprised.”

Wilson expects more quality fights this weekend, which will feature two other pro fights in addition to the main event.

Nate Montana (2-1) out of the Mendo Training Center in Ukiah will fight David Gray (0-0) out of the Dragon House MMA in San Francisco in a 135-pound fight, while Christian Gardner (0-0) out of Grants Pass will fight Drew Davis (0-1), who is also out of the Dragon House MMA, at 170.

The seven local fighters include three each from the Lost Boys Gym in Arcata and the Redwood Muay Thai in Fortuna, as well as one from Team Pik Ship in Hoopa.

Wilson believes the Redwood Muay Thai fighters always put on a good show for the fans and is expecting more of the same this weekend. 

“It’s a great striking gym,” he said. “They’re putting out tough fighters. These guys are getting better and better.”

Gerardo Salas (155 pounds), Caleb Harrison (145) and Alex Cork (195) will represent the Fortuna gym.

Salas and Harrison are both 2-1, while the 6-foot-6 Cork will be making his fight debut in a kickboxing fight against Austin Chase out of the Lost Boys Gym in an all-local showdown.

Lost Boys Sam Gonzalez (135) and Daniel Todd (170) will also represent the longtime Arcata gym.

Gonzalez is 3-1, while Todd will be making his MMA fight debut.

Wilfred Ferris will represent Team Pik Ship  in a 205-pound fight.

The doors open at 5 p.m. and the fights get under way at 6:30.