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.