Bell, Kill Eagle bring Havoc on the Hi-Line

By Pierre Bibbs

Phillips County News

On Saturday, June 13, Rezorblade Productions will host Havoc on the Hi-Line at the Dodson Fairgrounds. The event will be the first mixed martial arts event held in Phillips County within the last five years.

Rezorblade Productions are aiming to have 12 fights among local area fighters. Those fighters include new and older fighters. So far six of those fights have been filled. The event will host fights from 125 pounds to super heavyweight if possible.

By hosting the event, Shawn Bell and Wes Kill Eagle Jr. hope to do a few positive things for not only the local communities for all communities up and down the Hi-Line.

One mission of Havoc is to erase the stigma that mixed martial arts is a blood sport.

“UFC was banned in so many states back in the early ’90s because it was so violent and bloody,” Bell said. “When Dana White became president of the UFC, he got together with other guys who invested and bought the brand.”

That’s when the rules started to change.

“The boxing commission came in and said you can’t do this or you can’t do that,” Bell said. “It has evolved into what it is now, a sport.”

He went on to say that if the art is regulated enough and people know what they’re doing it becomes a safe sport.

“It is fairly safe,” Bell said noting that he and Kill Eagle have been confronted numerous times about the safety of the sport.

Another aspect of mixed martial arts is fitness

“Cross fit kind of came from the way fighters train,” Bell said. “So cross fit is a big part of how we train because of the endurance and the mental part of it. It’s probably one of the best ways to cut weight and get in shape.”

The sport of Mixed Martial Arts started with boxing and ground and pound fighting but since the Gracie family — descendants of Carlos Gracie — took over the sport, the sport has had a heavy Jiu-Jitsu influence.

Jiu-Jitsu focuses on grappling and ground fighting, which is now a staple in the sport.

“People would come in with just one discipline,” Kill Eagle said. “You had a boxer against Royce Gracie who did Jiu-Jitsu. He would take them down and the boxer wouldn’t know what to do and tapped out right away.”

Being friends since a young age, Bell and Kill Eagle have experienced many “tough guys” growing up in the Dodson, Harlem and Fort Belknap  areas.

“Being where we are from a lot of people think they’re tough anyway,” Bell said. “That’s where we grew up. It was like, don’t pull a gun out on anybody. Let’s box this out and deal with it that way.”

Both Kill Eagle and Bell have plenty of fights under their belt and knowing it has brought them discipline, they hope it can bring discipline to any who are involved in the fights.

The idea for Havoc was brought up after years and years of talking about hosting a fight.

“We have some connections and we know a lot of people from Wolf Point all the way to Havre,” Bell said. “It wasn’t necessarily to make money it was more so for the love of the sport.”

Another goal of the event is to provide a venue for Hi-Line fighters to work on their craft.

“You got fights all over Montana, but nothing on the Hi-Line,” Kill Eagle said. “This is going to be our first fight that we put on but we want to put it all up and down the Hi-Line.”

The deepest reason for the event is to empower communities and individuals that simply need a way out.

“On the reservation, we have a drug and alcohol problem so this is a way out for a lot people,” Kill Eagle said. “It gives them discipline and something to work hard for.”

The Havoc on the Hi-Line is an amateur event, meaning the fighters will not be paid, however there will be cash trophies for the “Fight of the night,” “Knockout of the night” and “Submission of the night.”

Upon receiving medical clearance all fighters and ring girl participants must be 18 or older.

There will be a raffle at the weigh in. The first-place winner will win a table that seats eight at the fight. The second-place winner will receive a Kenmore four-burner barbecue grill, and third place will win a 14’ inflate able quick-set pool that also comes with a slip and slide. Tickets for the raffle are one for $10 or five for $25.

The fights start Saturday, June 13, at 7:30 p.m. at the Dodson Fairgrounds but the doors will open at 6 p.m.

For more information on the event or to enter as a fighter contact Kill Eagle at 406-399-6580 or search Havoc on the Hi-Line on Facebook.