Former UFC signee Pietro Menga receives 15 years in jail for drugs and firearms

Pietro Menga is going to jail.

On Tuesday, per the Greater Manchester Police, the former UFC signee received a 15 year and 5 month prison sentence after he plead guilty to conspiracy to sell or transfer prohibited weapons and conspiracy to supply cocaine.

At one point considered to be a top flyweight prospect, Menga began his MMA career with 13 consecutive wins, catching the eyes of the UFC. Based in Manchester, “The Italian Stallion” was planning to tryout for season 27 of The Ultimate Fighter as a featherweight before receiving a call to step in as a short-notice replacement against Tim Elliott at UFC on FOX 26 back in 2017. Unfortunately, Menga failed to make weight, coming in at 131 pounds. Elliott refused to accept a catchweight bout and the UFC released Menga, who then lost his next four bouts.

Menga finally got back in the win column in April of 2023, and was then scheduled to face Kiru Sahota in the OKTAGON promotion in January of 2024, however, he was arrested on Jan. 15 after police executed a warrant on his home in Swinton, England.

Menga came to the attention of Manchester authorities Serious Organized Crime Group after a series of messages over an encrypted messaging platform showed Menga communicating openly about the sale and purchase of drugs and firearms, worth over $500,000. Menga is believed to have been a middleman for an organized crime group responsible for one of the largest firearm trafficking conspiracies in the United Kingdom.