Traverse City fighter Troy Lamson seeks redemption in May 23 bout

Five consecutive losses have put Troy Lamson in a place every fighter knows can turn quickly from opportunity to test. The Traverse City fighter is set for his 21st professional appearance May 23 at HK Hall in New York, where a win over Ryan Gerena would do more than improve a record. It would interrupt a skid that has already changed the way promoters, opponents and fans view him.

Lamson, 34, is listed at 13-7-0 by Tapology, with a 75-inch reach, a last weigh-in of 156.2 pounds and a fighting home base in East Lansing. He was born in Flint on Oct. 15, 1991, and his next bout is scheduled at 155 pounds on the main card of Flex Fights: Martial Kombat Vol. 57. For a fighter whose last bout was July 19, 2024, in WXC, the return is not just about activity. It is about whether his career still has momentum or whether the recent slide becomes the defining stretch of his run.

The stakes are sharper because Lamson did not build his reputation as a cautious point fighter. Michigan State’s wrestling roster listed him as a junior in 2013-14 with a 15-12 record, and My City Magazine has identified him as a Flint native and former Kearsley High School wrestler who drew Division I interest before choosing Michigan State over North Carolina and Arizona State. That background matters in the cage. Lamson was first known as a pressure fighter with an aggressive style, and My City Magazine reported that he entered MMA with a 17-0 amateur record, won his first six professional fights and finished all of those victories by stoppage.

That early surge made later setbacks harder to ignore. After back-to-back losses, Lamson reportedly reassessed his mental approach, a reminder that the shift in combat sports is often as much psychological as physical. The pressure now is different. A convincing win over Gerena would help restore confidence, improve matchmaking options and keep Lamson relevant on larger regional cards. Another loss would deepen a five-fight slide that already threatens his standing in the sport.

Lamson has faced higher-profile stages before. In Professional Fighters League’s March 11, 2022 Challenger Series weigh-in coverage, he was credited with 10 stoppage wins at the time of his matchup with Edwin Cooper Jr., and Cooper Jr. went on to win that fight by decision. That history makes May 23 more than a routine return. It is a test of whether Lamson can still turn a rough stretch into a restart, or whether the next chapter in his career begins with a harder climb back.