MMA fighter jailed for 15 years after major drug and gun bust

Ex-UFC hopeful Pietro Menga has been jailed for over 15 years on drugs and firearms offenses.

Greater Manchester Police broke the news on April 22. Specialist detectives infiltrated private messaging back in 2020, and found Menga implicated in an organized crime group earning commission as a drug middleman.

"After identifying Menga through messages where he openly spoke about his girlfriend, his knee injuries from fighting, and his home gym, detectives were able to piece together evidence which demonstrated the anonymous user was in fact Menga," GMP's report read.

Drug experts estimated the street sale of Menga's dealings to be worth "between £490,000 and £620,000," or $650,000 to $825,000.

Menga was scheduled to fight Tim Elliott at UFC on FOX 26 in 2017, but the fight was cancelled after 'The Italian Stallion' missed weight. After this, he dropped four performances on the British regional scene before picking up one win in 2023.

"Today, Pietro Menga of Mount Street, Swinton, was jailed for 15 years and five months. He pleaded guilty to conspiracy to sell or transfer prohibited weapons and conspiracy to supply cocaine."

The news comes less than a week after UFC debutant Ahmad Hassanzada was arrested on allegations of sexual violence against a minor.

Never a dull news week in MMA.

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