Fights at OC Fair

Since the Orange County Fair opened almost two weeks ago, fairgoers have bought deep-fried Kool-Aid and paid to see a giant gator.

On Thursday, they can purchase tickets to watch mixed martial arts fighters go at it inside a cage.

To make weight, you can bet none of the fighters ate anything deep-fried at the fair leading up to Fist Series SummerFist IV. For the sake of the fighters, they do not have to wrestle the gator.

Eight bouts are scheduled on the card and the action inside the fairgrounds’ Action Sports Arena is expected to begin at 7:30 p.m. Tickets for the event start at $12.50 for grandstand seats and $20 for cage-side seats. Each ticket includes admission to the fair.

One local fighter has sold close to 75 tickets for SummerFist IV. Cameron McCarty of Fountain Valley is hoping the hometown support can help him to his first victory.

McCarty (0-1) faces Pala’s Squire Redfern (1-1). Redfern is coming off his first win, which he recorded last month.

James Gomez, who trains out of the Huntington Beach Ultimate Training Center with McCarty, goes into his middleweight fight against Joshua Miller with a 2-0 record.

Gomez has submitted each of his opponents in the first round. Miller (1-1), who is from Llano, has gone the distance in every fight.

The opening fight features the debut of Victorville’s Michael Sanchez. He is up against Jairamy Robinson, who lost his debut, in a bantamweight bout.

The second bantamweight fight of the night has Shannon MacKenzie of Redlands facing Calimesa’s Robert Hawkes. MacKenzie looks to improve to 2-0, while Hawkes is searching for his first victory.

In a lightweight match, two fighters from Anaheim, Kyle Mason and Anthony Moncayo, are fighting for the first time.

Chula Vista’s Dale Malensek (1-0) will try to stay undefeated when he squares off with Daniel Bermudez of Long Beach in a middleweight fight. Bermudez is making his debut.

Anaheim’s Nicholas Dominguez (1-0) and San Diego’s Brandon Sheard (0-1) battle in a light heavyweight match.