Boxing is back, and because of the sport’s resurgence globally, there is no better time for Undisputed, the upcoming video game, to drop.
The roster is growing as we approach the October 11 release date on all platforms. According to sources with direct knowledge, some significant names are joining the already robust roster.
I recently wrote about the impending announcement that Anthony Joshua and Jake Paul would be added to the game. Still, more fighters should be revealed either before launch or as post-release downloadable characters.
According to reports, Francis Ngannou, Jaron “Boots” Ennis, Shakur Stevenson, and Zhilei Zhang are the latest major names to agree to join the Undisputed roster.
Ngannou, a former UFC heavyweight champion and current PFL fighter, has become one of the most recognizable combat sports athletes in the world, though he has yet to make his mixed martial arts debut for the company.
Ngannou has had two high-profile boxing matches over the past year: a split-decision loss to Tyson Fury that saw him drop the former undisputed champion and a second-round K.O. loss to Joshua in March. While Ngannou’s overall rating will likely be modest in Undisputed, many gamers will want to give the 37-year-old a spin to test his massive punching power.
The additions of Ennis, Stevenson, and Zhang will make a much bigger splash with boxing purists. Ennis recently made his 154-pound debut with an impressive TKO win over David Avanesyan. Ennis is one of the sport’s rising stars, and his promotional deal with Matchroom Boxing has positioned him for a larger platform moving forward. He could be a fun fighter to use in the game.
Undisputed recently showed off new A.I. tech designed to push fighters into archetypes, allowing them to fight more realistically.
Ennis should fall into the boxer-puncher archetype that the Jessica McCaskill model in the trailer below demonstrated.
Stevenson is a free agent, and we’re awaiting his decision regarding his promotional agreement. It’s possible Stevenson will remain independent, which would allow him to work closely with the Saudi group that powers Riyadh Season, the movement largely responsible for some of the high-profile fights we’ve seen over the past 18 months.
Stevenson’s speed and defensive skills could make him a fan favorite in the game. He was announced as an upcoming member of the roster more than a year ago, but we haven’t seen his render. Lastly, Zhang, the powerful Chinese heavyweight fresh off a TKO win over Deontay Wilder in June, will provide another potentially formidable option for fans to choose from at heavyweight.
In early access, the heavyweight division has the fewest viable options when competing against human opponents. Perhaps Zhang will become a favorite among users.
In addition to the new additions to the roster, sources have told me many of the major stars who have agreed to be a part of the game have signed 10-year deals with Steel City Interactive to remain a part of the game’s foreseeable future.
Stay tuned for more information on the game as we move closer to launch.
