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On Saturday, Johnny Manziel stepped into the amateur MMA ring for the first time at Brand Risk 14, swiftly overcoming social media personality Bob Menery in a 205-pound match at the UFC Apex in Las Vegas.
During the initial moments of the fight, Menery approached with little defense and was quickly taken down. Manziel, known for his past as an NFL quarterback and as the 2012 Heisman Trophy recipient, seized the opportunity to mount his opponent, unleashing a barrage of elbows and punches that forced the fight to be halted at 2:15 of the first round.
Following his swift victory, Manziel expressed his respect for Menery, stating, “Respected you for getting in here. Much love, brother,” as he was presented with an honorary “W U” belt.
Both fighters confirmed they don’t plan to step into the ring again anytime soon. Menery humorously added, “Not after that display,” when questioned about a potential rematch.
This influencer-centric event, initially planned for Miami but relocated to Las Vegas after UFC CEO Dana White gave his approval, attracted an elite audience. Among them were music superstar Chris Brown, Las Vegas Raiders’ defensive end Maxx Crosby, and UFC middleweight champion Sean Strickland.
White previously helped generate buzz by publicly doubting the fight would even happen, stating he placed a $10,000 bet that the notoriously unpredictable Menery would no-show.
Saturday’s 11-fight card — with an MMA main card after a boxing prelim card — was the first Brand Risk event held outside Miami or Nashville since its inception.