Former Heisman Trophy winner Johnny Manziel made his MMA debut on Saturday night, defeating podcaster and social media influencer Bob Menery at the the UFC Apex Center in Las Vegas.
Manziel, 33, quickly dispatched Menery, connecting with several kicks before taking him down to the canvas. The former Texas A&M star then kept Menery pinned down and pummeled him with several punches. With Menery unable to defend himself and losing his mouthpiece, the referee stopped the match at the 2:16 mark of the first round.
Despite his quick success in the ring, Manziel said afterward that this was likely his lone fight.
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“This was good enough for one time,” he said, via ESPN.
The former NFL first-round pick had a height and weight advantage over Menery, 38, known for his comedy videos on Instagram, voice acting and broadcasting. He put up little resistance, immediately going on the defensive while Manziel aggressively attacked him.
Manziel versus Menery was the co-main event of a UFC Apex card held by internet personality Adin Ross and his Brand Risk Promotions. The card — streamed on YouTube, Kick, Twitch and TikTok included several other matches between social media personalities.
In another featured match, former NBA players Lance Stephenson and Michael Beasley also squared off. Stephenson defeated Beasley with a first-round submission.
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Manziel won the 2012 Heisman Trophy, the first freshman to earn the honor. He passed for 3,706 yards and 26 touchdowns, leading the Aggies to an 11-2 record under head coach Kevin Sumlin. He improved on that performance the following season, throwing for 4, 114 yards and 37 TDs. Yet Manziel finished fifth in Heisman voting behind winner Jameis Winston.
The Cleveland Browns selected Manziel with their first-round pick (No. 22 overall) in 2014. In two seasons, Manziel started eight games and appeared in 14, passing for 1.675 yards, seven TDs and seven interceptions.
The Browns released him after the 2015 season, after which he played for the Montreal Alouettes and Hamilton Tiger-Cats in the Canadian Football League, in addition to the Memphis Express of the short-lived Alliance of American Football.
