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UGS GAMING’S PLAYERS AND COMMENTATORS

View our roster of players and commentators working to represent UGS Gaming in competition and behind the mic.

UGS | Michael

Michael wows people. As he’s come and gone from the national stage, people have been shocked by his commitment to patient play. In both P+ and Melee, his Jigglypuff has proven consistently that speed is not everything. Many people lean on flashy tech skill and complex inputs to overwhelm people, but if you watch Michael long enough, you’ll see that people can also be overwhelmed by tight spacing and clean fundamentals. His tech skill is also on point, but he doesn’t use complex techniques just because he can. He’s particular about where he uses them.
Since his breakout in 2018, Michael has been ranked in the top 4 on Chicago’s Melee PR during every season that he’s been eligible- most of those seasons at 2 and 1. As COVID pushed people online, the former netplay king and number 1 on the old ladder preferred to lay dormant and wait for the return to offline. He saw immediate results in P+ and Melee, but he has yet to have a year active enough to earn a rank on the International scale. He closed out 2023 with a double-header weekend at Undertow and Riptide in September that saw him outplace players as highly ranked as 32 and 34 in Melee as well as players all around the 30s in P+. The question on our minds in 2024 is “How often will we get to watch Michael play?”
– Jacob “Havard” 

UGS | ICEKNIGHT

The transition to Wi-Fi play during the height of the COVID-19 bred an influx of players to the Chicago Smash community, but none had an impact quite like IceKnight, who quickly began taking out established names all from the comfort of his own bedroom. Once offline play returned, all eyes were on whether or not he – along with his cohort of netplay grinders – could carry their momentum to the scene as a whole. Well, every skeptic quickly fell quiet once they saw him placing better and better at offline events, being ranked within the top 10 in his debut season in 2021. From there, IceKnight’s tireless motivation continued. Where some may have become demotivated by frustrating matchups and frankly, the progression of time, IceKnight continued to tirelessly grind. What once was a Top 10 PR placement became a Top 5 PR placement, into eventually, he became crowned as the #1 player in Chicago this past spring, a title shared by only seven unique players throughout all of Ultimate’s lifespan. Whether it be his iconic interview at Combo Breaker 2022 (he had just beaten ESAM), his tireless insistence that he’s the best Luigi in Chicago, or his top 12 finish at Riptide 2023, few things will keep IceKnight from talking a big game while being immediately able to back it up.
– Hugh-Jay “trade war” Yu 

UGS | SIR DANK

Sir Dank is a concept to behold. It’s easy to underestimate him – I mean, he’s a Smash player with the tag Sir Dank that shows up to events, boisterous and extroverted, with a dark green sweatshirt and one of those little spinny propeller hats. Unfortunately for his opponents, it’s very easy for that exact goofy energy to cause them to lower their guard against Chicago’s most truly unhinged Captain Falcon. After all, it’s only fitting to denote a playstyle so boldly aggressive and confident after its inventor. It’s not just a Falcon up-smash – it’s a Dank up-smash. A long-time Chicago top 5 mainstay, there’s a reason why Chicago Smashers issue a sheer warning to Sir Dank’s opponents not to get cantankerous in Twitch chat – hesitate for a moment, and get run over by unrelenting but meticulously calculated Falcon aggression. 
– Hugh-Jay “trade war” Yu 

UGS | REvolver

In 2019, a young Chrom main by the tag of Sayuki pushed to the forefront of Chicago’s rising talent by winning both Midwest Arcadian II and Limit Breaker, an Arcadian-invitational hybrid. When events returned in 2021, he emerged with a new tag and a new set of mains – the much more consistent combination of Roy and Cloud – and pushed his aggression and playstyle all the way to the front of Chicago’s new offline landscape. Revolver’s been a Top 5 mainstay for years now, Chicago’s staunchest defender and Fire Emblem enthusiast. If you need proof of his ability when he’s got momentum behind him, just check in with the players at Get On My Level 2023; taking down some of Mexico, Canada, and the United States’ best en route to 17th.
– Hugh-Jay “trade war” Yu 

UGS | calavera

One of the best who has ever hopped on the mic in the Midwest. Windy City native Calavera has brought her talent to numerous Chicago events and beyond. Making her name through succinct analysis, smooth handoffs, and biting wordplay, Calavera has quickly become a household name in the Midwest, and for good reason.

2024 is set to be another benchmark in her career, starting off strong with bringing her voice to Saturday Stadium in Chicago, and from there locking in opportunities all over the region. If you are looking at one who at the peak of her craft, you need not look any further.

– Chase “Booker” DeWitt 

UGS | excelsior!

Commentator. Writer. Hater. These are just some of the many identities that EXCELSIOR! has both on and off the mic. With a talent in public speaking stemming from being hand-picked for their high school speech team, EXCELSIOR! has proven that they have the chops to cast alongside the best. They may not be known for having the highest placings in bracket, but a strong passion for competition keeps EXCELSIOR! coming back- and it’s what led them to their commentary-based role. Like most commentators, they started off doing commentary at a local level. Over time, EXCELSIOR! found themself lending their voice to events across Chicagoland and beyond, such as Warp Zone 2, Regional Rumble 4, Midwest Arcadian 5 and 6, Frosty Faustings, Saturday Stadium 3, and Rev and Roll 1000 Days. A background in writing and crafting stories gives EXCELSIOR! their unique style which has a focus on giving greater understanding to anybody at any level of play. With them continuing to become the voice behind more and more events, the community will see EXCELSIOR!’s mantra fulfilled: Higher; Always Upwards.
– Ray “Arach-Knight” Flowers