Iridium Prospect Showcase | Lucas Clay

Photo by Sara Levin Photography

LAS VEGAS — Nobody should be too surprised that Lucas Clay is a professional pugilist.

His middle name is Cassius — an obvious homage to the birthname of the greatest boxer of all time, Muhammad Ali.

“I think it is my destiny,” the newly signed Iridium Sports Agency client says.

“My dad was a martial artist as well. He was my first coach and would always tell me stories. That’s a bond we have, and fighting is really the only thing that’s ever come naturally to me. If nobody taught me how to fight, it’s something I would’ve figured out on my own.”

Lucas has been at home in martial arts academies for his whole life, practicing karate, judo and boxing from a young age. At 14, he was inspired to try his hand at MMA.

“I saw that movie Never Back Down, and it clicked in my head that I could be an MMA fighter,” he says. “I realized that I could make my own martial art that was a perfect blend of striking and grappling.”

A little more than a decade later, Lucas is widely regarded as one of the top lightweight prospects in the sport. He holds a record of 7-1 on the strength of three straight wins. His most recent victory came in the Co-Main Event of LFA 98 in January.

Lucas has accomplished a lot, including racking up a 9-1 amateur record before his pro debut. But he feels he’s just scratching the surface in his fighting career.

“My time is now,” Lucas says. “I’m 25 now, soon I’ll be entering my prime, and I’m ready to make waves in this game for the next 10 to 15 years.”

ABOUT IRIDIUM SPORTS AGENCY

Iridium Sports Agency is a full-service professional management firm. Founded in 2009 by attorney Jason House, Iridium represents more than 80 fighters in the UFC, Bellator and ProFightLeague. Iridium's team of agents is devoted to assisting athletes in all aspects of their professional lives.

Five Minutes With Team Iridium’s TJ Brown

LAS VEGAS — “Downtown” TJ Brown is riding high. The Arkansas-based featherweight contender earned his first UFC victory in May with a thrilling decision over Kai Kamaka III in Las Vegas. But the Iridium Sports Agency client’s road to this moment has been a long time coming. He recently spent five minutes with Iridium’s Ed Kapp.

Do you remember your 2013 professional MMA debut well?

(Laughs) Oh man, you’re trying to break my heart, dude. Right out of the gate, you’re going to break my heart. I was undefeated as an amateur, 10-0. I took this pro fight on two weeks notice. I underestimated my opponent. I broke my hand, had a mental lapse, and I got the crap beat out of me for the next round before my coach threw in the towel.

Could it have gone any worse?

No, dude. At the time, my heart was broken. There was so much hype behind me, and I felt like I was invincible. I realized very quickly that I wasn’t (invincible) and that you have to prepare for fights accordingly. Bad things are going to happen in fights, so you have to learn how to mentally adjust and move past them. Ultimately it made me the fighter I am today.

How did you rebound from it at the time?

It was tough for me on a lot of levels. A lot of people who I thought were my friends and supporters, they were gone after I lost. It really put me in a place where I was alone. It made me dig down deep and realize who I was as a fighter, and it really made me a better man. You have to put the work in, you have to take things seriously, and you have to prepare your best to be ready at all times.

How do you compare that situation to losing your first two UFC fights?

They were both gut-wrenching moments, but the UFC fights were definitely at a higher magnitude. For the UFC fights, I prepared my whole life for that moment, then I dropped two in a row. It was a tough moment. But I knew that I could dig deep and make a comeback; I knew that I had that feather in my cap. I knew that when my back was against the wall, I could find a way to get back on top.

Do you ever think about where you might be without MMA?

Oh man, without MMA and my son, I really don’t wanna know. That thought has kept me up at night. I’m very thankful for MMA and my son; they’ve made me the man I am today. I’m very thankful that I’ve got a great career in the UFC, and I’m really grateful that MMA has put me in a position where I can really give back, and give my son the life that he deserves to live.

I know I’ve asked you this before, but who was more excited after your first UFC victory, you or your son?

Man, we were both pumped, dude (laughs). He wasn’t there because of the restrictions in place at the time, but I called him and he was about in tears. He was so pumped up! It was a great moment, and even better when I got home to see him in person.

ABOUT IRIDIUM SPORTS AGENCY

Iridium Sports Agency is a full-service professional management firm. Founded in 2009 by attorney Jason House, Iridium represents more than 80 fighters in the UFC, Bellator and ProFightLeague. Iridium's team of agents is devoted to assisting athletes in all aspects of their professional lives.

Eight Team Iridium Athletes Lace Up For UFC Vegas 29

LAS VEGAS — Eight Iridium Sports Agency clients return to action Saturday at UFC Vegas 29 on Saturday in Las Vegas.

- “The Korean Zombie” steps into the UFC’s Octagon for the 10th time when he battles Dan Ige in the Main Event. This is the eighth straight Main Event booking for “Zombie,” who’s won three of his past four bouts. A victory will propel the Korean featherweight contender to 17-6 in his historic career.

- Earlier on the Main Card, Marlon “Chito” Vera steps into the Octagon for the 18th time as he locks horns with Davey Grant. Marlon has won six of his past eight UFC battles, and is hungry to avenge his 2016 loss to Grant in this highly anticipated bantamweight rematch.

- Aleksa Camur is ready to take home his second UFC win and climb to 7-1 in his blossoming career when he meets Nick Negumereanu in the light-heavyweight division.

- Julian “Juicy J” Erosa shoots for his third straight stoppage victory in the Octagon when he meets Seung Woo Choi in the featherweight division. A win will be the fourth of Julian’s UFC career, and will up his overall record to 26-8.

- Ricky “The Gladiator” Glenn makes his highly anticipated return to the UFC’s Octagon for the first time since 2018 when he takes on Joaquim "Netto BJJ" Silva. A win will be the fourth of Ricky’s UFC tenure. Joaquim tries to improve his UFC record to 5-2, and overall mark to 12-2 as he steps back into action for the first time since 2019. This is his first fight as an Iridium client.

- Roque Martinez is ready to make a statement and earn his first UFC victory when he battles Josh Parisian in the heavyweight division. A win will be the 16th of his career.

- “Khaos” Williams takes aim at his third UFC win when he fights Matt Semelsberger in the welterweight division. “Khaos” is quickly establishing himself as one of the most exciting young fighters in the game after scoring back-to-back, sub-30-second KOs in his first two UFC battles.

ABOUT IRIDIUM SPORTS AGENCY

Iridium Sports Agency is a full-service professional management firm. Founded in 2009 by attorney Jason House, Iridium represents more than 80 fighters in the UFC, Bellator and ProFightLeague. Iridium's team of agents is devoted to assisting athletes in all aspects of their professional lives.