Former UFC prospect Pietro Menga is headed to prison following a significant sentence handed down this week.
According to an announcement from the Greater Manchester Police, the former UFC signee received a sentence of 15 years and 5 months on Tuesday. This sentence comes after Menga pleaded guilty to serious charges: conspiracy to sell or transfer prohibited weapons and conspiracy to supply cocaine.
Menga was once considered a promising flyweight fighter, launching his mixed martial arts career with an impressive 13 consecutive victories, which brought him to the attention of the UFC. Originally based in Manchester, known as “The Italian Stallion,” he had planned to participate in the tryouts for season 27 of The Ultimate Fighter as a featherweight. However, he received a last-minute call to step in and face Tim Elliott at UFC on FOX 26 in 2017. Unfortunately, Menga failed to make the flyweight limit, coming in at 131 pounds. Elliott declined the catchweight bout, leading to the UFC releasing Menga. Following his departure from the promotion, he lost his next four fights.
Menga finally returned to the win column in April 2023. He was then scheduled for a fight against Kiru Sahota under the OKTAGON promotion banner in January 2024. However, his plans were interrupted when he was arrested on January 15th after police executed a warrant at his residence in Swinton, England.
Authorities from Manchester`s Serious Organized Crime Group were alerted to Menga`s activities through a series of communications intercepted on an encrypted messaging platform. These messages reportedly showed Menga openly discussing the sale and purchase of drugs and firearms with a combined value exceeding $500,000. Menga is suspected of acting as a middleman for a major organized crime network implicated in one of the largest firearm trafficking conspiracies identified in the United Kingdom.