Johnny Manziel made a winning MMA debut on Saturday, May 23, stopping Bob Menery in the first round at the UFC Apex in Las Vegas.
The former NFL quarterback and 2012 Heisman Trophy winner earned a referee stoppage 2:16 into the opening frame after landing several strikes to Menery’s face, which caused Menery to lose his mouthpiece.
Manziel’s opponent, Bob Menery, is an influencer with 2.8 million Instagram followers who works as a sportscaster and comedic video producer. Menery previously called a game for the Salt Lake Screaming Eagles of the Indoor Football League.
The card also featured a co-main event between Lance Stephenson and Michael Beasley. Stephenson secured a first-round submission just 1:26 into the fight. The matchup came after the two had previously competed in a 1-on-1 basketball game that Beasley won.
Elsewhere on the card, DeWayne "Supah Hot Fire" Stevenson knocked out Ray J less than 30 seconds into the second round following a largely defensive first round. One voice on the night summed up the energy with a simple refrain: "Supah Hot Fire".
Another reaction captured the surprise of the evening’s twists: "I thought we had a plan."
