Luke Burrett: The Rise & Fall of Silver Star, $50K Walkout Shirts and Relaunching an MMA Icon

Written by :

Don Shapiro

Published on :

28 February, 2026

Luke Burrett, the visionary behind Silver Star Casting Co., joins Erik Apple to reveal the untold history of the MMA clothing boom. From his early days detailing cars for the founder of Black Flys to building a jewelry and apparel empire, Luke shares what it was really like during the "Golden Age" of the UFC.

Discover the behind-the-scenes drama of the Affliction fallout, why Luke chose to side with Dana White and Lorenzo Fertitta over Todd Beard, and the story of the famous "Money Shirt" that crashed Silver Star’s servers after Rashad Evans won the title.

Luke also discusses the massive sponsorship checks of the mid-2000s, the acquisition of Silver Star by Authentic Brands Group (ABG), and his exciting new move to reacquire the brand for a massive 2026 relaunch.

Watch below.

Brandon Moreno vs. Lone'er Kavanagh Fight Night Odds February 28, 2026

Brandon Moreno -210
Lone'er Kavanagh +178

These odds and prop bets courtesy of BetOnline here

Method of Victory

Brandon Moreno by Points
+185
Lone'er Kavanagh by Points
+380
Brandon Moreno by Submission
+390
Brandon Moreno by KO/TKO
+470
Lone'er Kavanagh by KO/TKO
+500
Lone'er Kavanagh by Submission
+2500
Draw
+5000

TIMESTAMPS: MUST-WATCH MOMENTS

(0:07) – Welcome back to The Fight Guys with Erik Apple.

(1:07) – Origins: From car detailing to high-end jewelry for celebrities.

(2:30) – The birth of Silver Star Casting Co. in Newport Beach.

(3:56) – Working on NDX with Ice-T and bridging action sports with hip-hop.

(4:36) – Finding the lane between Tapout and Affliction.

(5:05) – The Todd Beard drama: Picking the UFC’s side in New York.

(5:51) – Sponsoring Rashad Evans vs. Forrest Griffin: The night the server blew up.

(6:44) – The $50,000 Walkout: When sponsorships paid more than the fight.

(7:35) – Finding Jon Jones and building a stable of world champions.

(9:34) – Confronting the Fertittas: What really happened at the Affliction meeting.

(11:21) – The collapse of MMA clothing: How the "vibe" was killed.

(13:36) – Selling to ABG: The "shelfing" of Silver Star and Sinister.

(15:53) – BREAKING: Reacquiring Silver Star and the plan for a 2026 relaunch.

Don Shapiro, Gambling911.com

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