Fight Hard: Tamayo vs Clay - Preview

Fight Hard MMA returns to the Family Arena on Friday with two amateur title bouts headlining the bill.

Two young talents are getting the opportunity of their short careers. Lucas Clay, out of St. Charles MMA will face Granite City's CMMA's Sam Tamayo for the vacant unified welterweight title.

Clay was originally slated to fight Zack Davis in the main event but Davis withdrew late last week. Tamayo was scheduled to face Jimmy Sievers on the undercard and now finds himself atop the bill.

The 21-year-old Tamayo is up for the challenge. He's another of a long line of good Granite City wrestlers. The blue collar grinder is 3-0, has power in his hands and is hard to submit. Tamayo spends the bulk of his time with Steve Knogl and the CMMA crew but is also known to cross train at the War Room alongside training partner Jordan Dowdy.

Clay is a tall order for any ammy. The well-rounded 20-year-old is 5-1 and recently earned a BJJ blue belt under Mike Rogers.

The unified heavyweight title is on the line when Max McNeely faces Dusty Chandler. McNeely, out of Gladiators MMA, is plenty skilled for a big man and alreayd has a win over Chandler from earlier in their careers. Chandler boasts heavy hands and good footwork and this match up will surely get the large Family Arena crowd on its feet.

In a lightweight title contender match, Aushton Dickerson will face Miguel Lisboa.

Lisboa is a member of the Pedigo Submission Fighting squad, a group known for its grappling. But Lisboa is one of the better strikers from that team. Dickerson is a veteran of the amateur circuit and has a wide-range of skills at his disposal.

"Miguel is not ranked but I think he's one of the better 55'ers around," Fight Hard MMA matchmaker Kain Royer said. "Aushton has been training with a lot of different camps and is feeling confident."

Luis Pena, a transplant from Arkansas, will make his fighting debut for his new gym, St. Charles MMA, when faces Chris Petty. Petty has been on the shelf for a bit and is coming off a first round win over Cody Huff.

BJJ brown belt Ed Williams returns to the Fight Hard cage where he will face Fred Moore in a middleweight contest. Williams has incredible toughness, having fought Wes Powers for the 185 title and did so with a broken jaw that occurred early in that fight. Moore is coming off a championship victory in Southern Missouri for D3 MMA promotions.

"I think this will be a damn good fight," Royer said. "Ed is a tough competitor and has been working nothing but his stand up."

Reminder: Doors now open at 5 with fights starting at 6PM.

Here is the full card:
Sam Tamayo vs. Lucas Clay (welterweight title fight)
Max McNeely vs. Dusty Chandler (heavyweight title fight)
Aushton Dickerson vs. Miguel Lisboa
Chris Petty vs. Luis Pena
Fred Moore vs. Ed Williams
Jon Rosener vs. Eric Ellington
Gonzalo Ponce vs Jordan Collins
Kenny Murray vs. Jake Willyard
Joe Taylor vs. Steve Coleman
Floyd Shahan vs. Alejandro Wajner
Joseph Galasso vs. Dylan Dodds

Fight Hard: Tamayo vs Clay
Saturday, August 29th
St. Charles Family Areana
St. Charles, MO

Photo courtesy of Sara Levin Photography