Fight club Bloody mixed martial-arts action returns to the club scene Friday night. After Myth closed this summer, the Twin Cities' top MMA promoter, Brutaal: All American Cage Fighting, lost a great venue for putting on these wild nights. The promotion has moved into downtown Minneapolis with a fight at Epic. It'll feature a heavyweight bout between Kevin Asplund and Heath Roth. While it's not exactly the UFC, these fights attract big crowds. More info: www.abrutalnation.com.
7 p.m. Fri. 110 N. 5th St., Mpls. $20-$50. 18 and older. 612-332-3742. www.epicmpls.com.
Stand up comedy: 'Goin' Native' Comedy has always been a potent weapon for discussing serious topics (racism, politics, etc.) without scaring people off. It's safe to say that the four American Indian comedians behind the Pow Wow Comedy Jam have no shortage of material. Here's a quick zinger: "Indians celebrate Thanksgiving Day. Except we call it 'You're Welcome Day.'" That one comes from Jim Ruel, who will be joined by J.R. Redwater, Vaughn Eaglebear and Marc Yaffee on their self-described "Trail of Laughs." On Thursday, they'll perform this rare stand-up show at the new MinneHaHa Comedy Club in Burnsville. The four (representing the Navajo, Ojibwe, Colville and Sioux nations) are featured in a new Showtime special airing this month called "Goin' Native: The American Indian Comedy Slam."
7 and 9 p.m. Thu. 251 W. Burnsville Pkwy., Burnsville. $15 advance/$20 door. Info: 612-860-9388 or www.minnehahacomedyclub.com.
Hops, hops and more hops There's nothing like the pungent, tongue-biting taste of a hoppy beer. But can you beer nuts drink your way through 60 different brands? That's the number of beers that the Muddy Pig hopes to have on hand for the second annual Festival of Hops. Starting Wednesday (and ending Jan. 24), the St. Paul bar will rotate the lineup through its 40-plus taps. As usual, you can get a flight of three 5-ounce beers for $8. Since there's no real program -- just a lot of beer -- admission is free.
162 Dale St., St. Paul. 651-254-1030. www.muddypig.com.
TOM HORGEN
