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Bear River Casino and Resort has announced the Rumble at the River fight night will return in October after a record-setting night earlier this month.

Rumble at the River VI “Putasos Party” was held on May 3 and set two new records, according to event organizers.

A packed night of action featured 20 fights on the card, which was a national record, organizers say, and attracted a Humboldt County record 1300 fans.

“We broke the Humboldt County record for attendance,” Bear River general Manager and event organizer John McGinnis said. “The whole night was electric.”

And with the success of that night and of recent fight nights at the local casino resort, plans are already in pace for the next fight night, which take place on Oct. 18.

Unlike the recent Blue Lake Casino Hotel MMA fight night, which was held on the same night, the Bear River events feature a wider assortment of fights, including bare knuckle fights.

And plans are in the works to expand even further.

“We wanted to set out to change the game in Humboldt,” McGinnis said. “We’ll be doing a lot more bare knuckle fights and dirty boxing.

“(Dirty boxing is) a lot more action, and that’s what our fan base have been asking for. We’re really trying to elevate the game.”

Among the highlights of Rumble at the River VI was the return of local MMA legend Cass Bell.

The Arcata based fighter was making his first appearance in the ring in 18 months and fought in the featured fight of the night.

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Bell improved to 9-3 with a split decision victory over a previously undefeated Jason Denk in a title fight that went the distance of three rounds of five minutes each.

One of the other highlights of the night was Lypin Lee’s victory in a 145-pound kick boxing bout, as well as a KO by Bell’s Institute of Combat teammate Dustin Crow, who won his fight with “one of the most devastating knockouts we’re ever seen (at Bear River),” according to McGinnis.

“Talk about an electric kick boxing fight,” McGinnis said of Lee, who beat 2024 Bear River fighter of the year Caleb Harrison. “He’s such a supreme talent.”

In addition to the record-setting card and attendance, the recent fight night also debuted the new Bear River Fight Night Hall of Fame, with local pro bare knuckle fighter Ryan Petersen the first inductee.

“Ryan Petersen is taking the world by storm right now,” McGinnis said of the Humboldt County fighter, who got his start in the sport at a Bear River event.

“The hall of fame is brand new,” McGinnis added. “We’ve been doing fights for some time and we have had so many great fighters come through here.”