Team Iridium’s Jace Luchau goes for NAIA gold, looks ahead to MMA career

LAS VEGAS — Jace Luchau will finish his impressive wrestling career with an exclamation point this week.

Starting on Thursday in Wichita, KS, he’ll step onto the mat for the final time as a collegiate athlete, representing Iridium Sports Agency and the University of Cumberlands Patriots at the 2025 NAIA Men's Wrestling Championship.

This week has been nearly two decades in the making. Luchau has worked his whole life to stand atop the podium on Saturday. The stakes are high, and the heat of the bright lights will be undeniable.

But Luchau knows that pressure is a privilege, and his heart will be filled with gratitude on the mat. 

“I try to let (the pressure) motivate me instead of letting it get to me,” he says. “It’s a blessing to have the love and support of my dad (Iridium Sports Agency Partner Jeremy Luchau), the rest of my family and friends, my teammates and coaches. They have high expectations and want the best for me. My true supporters — the people that I compete for — will be with me regardless of the result, and that motivates me a lot.”

As one door closes, another opens.

Luchau was victorious in his highly anticipated MMA debut at 559 Fights in August, stopping opponent Isaias Avila in just 88 seconds at the sold-out Visalia Convention Center in Visalia, CA.

The gradual transition from wrestling to MMA has been organic, Luchau says, but now it’s full speed ahead in the cage. Luchau hopes MMA stardom is in his future, but perhaps not why many might think.

“I see the platform that MMA fighters have, and that’s something that I want. I want to give back as much as I can. I want to make the world a better place,” he says.

“At the end of the day, aside from athletics, I just want to be a good person, and hopefully encourage others to do the same.”

ABOUT IRIDIUM SPORTS AGENCY 

Iridium Sports Agency is a full-service professional management firm for the world’s best combat sports athletes, including former UFC World Champions Alexa Grasso, Brandon Moreno and Sean Strickland, and many other athletes currently in the UFC’s Top 15 rankings. Founded in 2009 by attorney Jason House, Iridium represents more than 100 athletes in the UFC and Professional Fighters League, as well as many of the world’s best wrestlers, including Olympic Gold Medalist David Taylor. Iridium's world-wide team of industry-leading agents is devoted to assisting athletes in all aspects of their professional lives, and consistently setting new standards for sports management.

Team Iridium Preview for UFC Vegas 102

LAS VEGAS — Six Iridium Sports Agency clients will represent the firm in the UFC’s Octagon at UFC Vegas 102 on Saturday at the UFC Apex in Las Vegas.

Ismael “Marreta” Bonfim is ready to climb to 3-1 in the UFC with a second straight victory against Nazim Sadykhov in lightweight action. Ismael has been victorious in 14 of his past 15 trips to the cage. The Contender Series alum’s overall record of 20-4 includes nine knockouts, four submissions and one Performance Bonus.

Youssef “The Moroccan Devil” Zalal is locked in record his fourth straight finish in the Octagon and bring home a third straight Performance Bonus against Calvin Kattar, the No. 10 contender in the UFC featherweight division. Youssef is unbeaten in his last nine fights. A win on Saturday will be the seventh UFC victory of Youssef's career. His overall record of 16-5-1 is comprised of four knockouts and nine wins by tapout.

Gabriel “Marretinha” Bonfim and Khaos “The Oxfighter” Williams meet in a battle of two of the UFC's most electric welterweight contenders. Gabriel looks to climb to 4-1 in the UFC with a second straight victory, while Khaos tries to up his UFC record to 7-2 with a third straight win and a fifth Performance Bonus. Khaos is 15-3, with nine of his wins coming by stoppage (seven knockouts, two submissions). Gabriel's record of 16-1 includes three knockouts, 12 victories by submission and one Performance Bonus.

Vince “Vandetta” Morales and Elijah “Swift” Smith meet in a can't-miss featherweight bout that has "Fight of the Night" written all over it. Vince is going for his fourth victory in the Octagon, while the Contender Series alum Elijah is making his highly anticipated UFC debut. Elijah is 7-1 on the strength of five straight wins, with all but two of his victories coming by finish (four knockouts, one submission). Vince has been victorious in five of his past six bouts. Vince's 16-8 record includes seven knockouts and five submissions.

ABOUT IRIDIUM SPORTS AGENCY 

Iridium Sports Agency is a full-service professional management firm for the world’s best combat sports athletes, including former UFC World Champions Alexa Grasso, Brandon Moreno and Sean Strickland, and many other athletes currently in the UFC’s Top 15 rankings. Founded in 2009 by attorney Jason House, Iridium represents more than 100 athletes in the UFC and Professional Fighters League, as well as many of the world’s best wrestlers, including Olympic Gold Medalist David Taylor. Iridium's world-wide team of industry-leading agents is devoted to assisting athletes in all aspects of their professional lives, and consistently setting new standards for sports management.

Team Iridium Preview for UFC 312

LAS VEGAS — Three Iridium Sports Agency clients, including Sean “Tarzan” Strickland in the Main Event, return to action at UFC 312 on Saturday at Qudos Bank Arena in Sydney, Australia.

Sean is locked in to win back his UFC World Middleweight Championship and notch his 17th Octagon victory as he meets Dricus Du Plessis in one of the most highly anticipated rematches in UFC history. A Performance Bonus on Saturday would be the fifth of Sean’s UFC career. His overall record of 29-6 includes 11 knockouts and four wins by submission.

Sean is second all time for most significant distance strikes landed in UFC history (1,891) and has landed the second most significant strikes in the history of the UFC’s storied middleweight division (1,310).

The unbeaten Kody Steele makes his hotly anticipated UFC debut against Rongzhu in the lightweight division. Kody is 7-0 after earning a UFC contract at Dana White's Contender Series in October. All but two of his wins have come by stoppage (four knockouts, one submission).

The undefeated “Peace of Mind” Hyun Sung Park looks to up his UFC record to 3-0 and earn a second straight Performance Bonus at the expense of Nyamjargal Tumendemberel in their flyweight matchup. He is 9-0 on the strength of eight straight stoppage victories (four knockouts, four submissions).

ABOUT IRIDIUM SPORTS AGENCY 

Iridium Sports Agency is a full-service professional management firm for the world’s best combat sports athletes, including former UFC World Champions Alexa Grasso, Brandon Moreno and Sean Strickland, and many other athletes currently in the UFC’s Top 15 rankings. Founded in 2009 by attorney Jason House, Iridium represents more than 100 athletes in the UFC and Professional Fighters League, as well as many of the world’s best wrestlers, including Olympic Gold Medalist David Taylor. Iridium's world-wide team of industry-leading agents is devoted to assisting athletes in all aspects of their professional lives, and consistently setting new standards for sports management.