Author: Luke Irwin

By: Luke Irwin | January 17, 2020 Vacant WBC Continental Americas Light Heavyweight Championship: Eleider Alvarez (24-1) vs. Michael Seals (24-2) Luke Irwin: Just a tune-up fight after Alvarez’s rematch loss to Sergey Kovalev to get him back into the title picture. Alvarez via R5 KO. Lightweight Bout: Felix Verdejo (25-1) vs. Manuel Rey Rojas (18-3) Luke: After suffering a shocking TKO loss despite being up on the cards against Antonio Lozada, the full rebuild for Verdejo is on, and it’s rolling through Rojas, who hasn’t defeated a winning fighter since 2017. Verdejo via R4 TKO. Featherweight Bout: Adeilson...

By: Luke Irwin | January 17, 2020 Welterweight Bout: Conor McGregor (21-4) vs. Donald Cerrone (36-13) Luke Irwin: Goddamn, do I love Cerrone, but this is an absolutely horrible matchup for him. His way to victory is on the ground, even on his back, but he’s going to stand and trade with McGregor to disastrous results. Cerrone’s already a little chinny, and his technical boxing isn’t nearly good enough to avoid that lunchbox left that’s coming in. McGregor via R1 KO. Women’s Bantamweight Bout: Holly Holm (12-5) vs. Raquel Pennington (10-7) Luke: In February 2015, Holm made her UFC...

By: Luke Irwin | January 17, 2020 WBA Super/IBF World Junior Middleweight Championships: Julian Williams (c) (27-1-1) vs. Jeison Rosario (19-1-1) Luke Irwin: Williams is getting a fairly easy first defense of his titles after toppling Jarrett Hurd. Rosario is a fine second-level fighter, maybe a fringe contender if you squint hard enough, but a split-decision over Jorge Cota isn’t exactly blistering momentum. Williams via R9 TKO. Interim WBA World Junior Lightweight Championship: Chris Colbert (13-0) vs. Jezzrel Corrales (23-3) Luke: Colbert has checked the boxes of an up-and-comer dispatching veterans. He had little trouble against Mario Briones, Alberto...

By: Luke Irwin | January 17, 2020 Date: March 18, 1995Card: NCAA Division I Wrestling ChampionshipsChampionship(s): NCAA 150lb Gold MedalVenue: Carver-Hawkeye ArenaLocation: Iowa City, Iowa [embedded content] Combat, MMA, Undercard Superstar View the original article on Undercard Superstar: Fight of the Day: Lincoln McIllravy vs. Steve...

By: Luke Irwin | January 16, 2020 Date: May 13, 1995Card: Pancrase Eyes of Beast 4Championship(s): King of Pancrase Championship (Shamrock)Venue: Tokyo Bay NK HallLocation: Chiba, Japan [embedded content] Combat, MMA, Undercard Superstar View the original article on Undercard Superstar: Fight of the Day: Ken Shamrock vs. Minoru...

By: Luke Irwin | January 15, 2020 Here at Undercard Superstar, we’re in the business of your business! Just follow our sound betting advice, and you too, can run your unbelievably lame parody account right into the ground over one bizarre tweet during the debates! As usual, we’ll take a hundred dollars and divide it among five fights. Let’s make some cashola. Conor McGregor -325 over Donald Cerrone ($30) Holly Holm -140 over Raquel Pennington ($10) Roxanne Modafferi +600 over Maycee Barber ($5) Julian Williams -2250 over Jeison Rosario ($50) Claudia Gadelha -120 over Alexa Grasso ($5) I’m probably...

By: Luke Irwin | January 15, 2020 Date: November 4, 1995Card: Pancrase Eyes of Beast 6Championship(s):Venue: Yokohama Cultural GymnasiumLocation: Yokohama, Japan [embedded content] Combat, MMA, Undercard Superstar, Updates View the original article on Undercard Superstar: Fight of the Day: Frank Shamrock vs. Masakatsu...

By: Luke Irwin | January 14, 2020   1. Rodtang Jitmuangnonz: Left no doubt in his rematch with Jonathan Haggerty after their majority decision bout in August, TKOing him in the third round, and defended his ONE Muay Thai Flyweight title, the same title he took from Haggerty.   2. Alejandra Jimenez: Pulled off a major upset by claiming both world titles from Franchon Crews Dezurn on the Golden Boy card, earning a split-decision win in a fantastic bout, and now she and Elin Cederroos hold all the gold at 168lbs.   3. Elin Cederroos: Is now the IBF...

By: Luke Irwin | January 14, 2020 Date: September 11, 2010Card: Shark Fights 13Championship(s):Venue: Amarillo Civic Center ColiseumLocation: Amarillo, Texas [embedded content] Combat, MMA, Undercard Superstar View the original article on Undercard Superstar: Fight of the Day: Jorge Masvidal vs. Paul...

By: Luke Irwin | January 13, 2020 Date: March 10, 1979Card: 1979 NCAA Wrestling ChampionshipsChampionship(s): NCAA Division I 118-lb Gold MedalVenue: Hilton ColiseumLocation: Ames, Iowa [embedded content] Combat, MMA, Undercard Superstar View the original article on Undercard Superstar: Fight of the Day: Gene Mills vs. Joe...

By: Luke Irwin | January 10, 2020 Light Heavyweight Bout: Jesse Hart (26-2) vs. Joe Smith Jr. (24-3) Luke Irwin: Bernard Hopkins was a mentor to Hart, who desperately wants to avenge his idol’s humiliating final bout, in which he was knocked literally out of the ring by Smith. 2016 might as well be twenty years ago for Smith, who has looked pretty damned listless since that monumental win. Hart, meanwhile, has looked great, taking Gilberto Ramirez to the absolute limit and dominating Sullivan Barrera, whom routed Smith in their bout. Hart via R10 TKO. Lightweight Bout: Hector Garcia...

By: Luke Irwin | January 10, 2020 Middleweight Bout: Gary O’Sullivan (30-3) vs. Jaime Munguia (34-0) Luke Irwin: After a year and a half of turning down all challengers (Dennis Hogan robbery aside) at 154lbs, Munguia moves up to middleweight. In Sullivan, he gets a name, but limited opponent. Sullivan is a solid B-level fighter who gets summarily pummeled when he steps up in competition. He’ll come to fight, but Munguia is just too much. Too talented, too young, too fast. Munguia via R6 KO. Junior Middleweight Bout: Fernando Castaneda (26-13-1) vs. Travell Mazion (16-0) Luke: Semi-dangerous bout for...

By: Luke Irwin | January 10, 2020 Date: January 29, 1996Card: 1996 National Wrestling Coaches Association All-Star ClassicChampionship(s):Venue: Carver-Hawkeye ArenaLocation: Iowa City, Iowa [embedded content] Combat, MMA, Undercard Superstar View the original article on Undercard Superstar: Fight of the Day: Cary Kolat vs. Mark...

By: Luke Irwin | January 9, 2020 Vacant WBC/WBO World Female Junior Middleweight Championships: Claressa Shields (9-0) vs. Ivana Habazin (20-3) Luke Irwin: Shields drops down another weight class to move towards some more money fights, facing off against Habazin, who has faced precisely one (1) winning fighter in her last five fights. Shields has been loathe to let her hands go, but I can see it happening here. Shields via R8 TKO. WBA/IBF World Female Super Middleweight Championships: Alicia Napolen Espinosa (c) (12-1) vs. Elin Cederroos (c) (7-0) Luke: Title vs. Title, baybay! Both of these ladies have...

By: Luke Irwin | January 9, 2020 Date: May 5, 2007Card:Championship(s): WBC Junior Middleweight Championship (De La Hoya)Venue: MGM Grand Garden ArenaLocation: Las Vegas, Nevada [embedded content] Combat, MMA, Undercard Superstar, Updates View the original article on Undercard Superstar: Fight of the Day: Floyd Mayweather vs. Oscar De La...

By: Luke Irwin | January 8, 2020 As always, programming is listed in ESTLive fights are in BOLD.Premiere programming is in ITALICS.MMA programming is in ORANGE.Boxing programming is in RED.Kickboxing/Muay Thai/Karate programming is in BLUE.Wrestling/Jiu Jitsu/Grappling programming is in PURPLE.Misc./Combination combat sports programming is in GREEN. Friday January 10 5:30am: ONE: A New Tomorrow Prelims (Facebook/Twitter)7:30am: ONE: A New Tomorrow (ONE App)10:30am: 2020 Eastern States Classic (FloWrestling)11:00am: 2020 Geary Invitational (FloWrestling)12:00pm: 2020 5 Counties (FloWrestling)1:00pm: Hart vs. Smith Weigh-Ins (ESPN+)4:00pm: Munguia vs. O’Sullivan Weigh-Ins (DAZN)5:00pm: Lehigh vs. Binghamton (FloWrestling)5:30pm: Max on Boxing (ESPN2)6:30pm: Columbia vs. Binghamton (FloWrestling)7:00pm: Ohio vs....

By: Luke Irwin | January 8, 2020 Here at Undercard Superstar, we’re in the business of your business! Just follow our sound betting advice, and you too, as a notable person who brags about their cash, can get publicly shamed after a 16-year old psuedo-celebrity outs you shooting your shot! As usual, we’ll take a hundred dollars and divide it among five fights. Let’s make some cashola. Jaime Munguia -1800 over Gary O’Sullivan ($40) Jesse Hart -550 over Joe Smith Jr. ($15) Elin Cederroos +400 over Alicia Napoleon Espinosa ($5) Travell Mazion -1800 over Fernando Castaneda ($20) Hector Tanajara...

By: Luke Irwin | January 8, 2020 Date: May 7, 2016Card:Championship(s): WBC World Middleweight Championship (Alvarez)Venue: T-Mobile ArenaLocation: Las Vegas, Nevada [embedded content] Combat, MMA, Undercard Superstar View the original article on Undercard Superstar: Fight of the Day: Amir Khan vs. Canelo...

By: Luke Irwin | January 7, 2020 The championship fight. The pinnacle of achievement across combat sports for centuries. A premiere attraction that draws millions every year. But not all title bouts are created equally. So which title bouts every week are the ones to watch? We’ll look over every title fight from across the combat sports landscape and give you the five best based on five criteria: Competitiveness: Is this an even matchup? Or just a warm body to throw at a champion? It’s a title fight, so we want the best possible at that division in that...

By: Luke Irwin | January 7, 2020 Date: July 23, 1988Card:Championship(s): IBF World Junior Lightweight Championship (Lockridge)Venue: Arco ArenaLocation: Sacramento, California [embedded content] Combat, MMA, Undercard Superstar, Updates View the original article on Undercard Superstar: Fight of the Day: Rocky Lockridge vs. Tony...