Nicholas Meregali Says He Has No Interest in Ever Fighting MMA
Nicholas Meregali is one of the top heavyweight grapplers in the world right now, but he’s made it clear he has no plans to follow the path that led fighters like Marcus “Buchecha” Almeida into MMA. There was a time when a jump to the cage felt almost inevitable for a competitor at his level, but that calculus has changed. Grapplers today can earn money that rivals all but the biggest names in the UFC, so the pressure to cross over simply isn’t what it used to be.
Meregali addressed the subject during the pre-match press conference ahead of his rematch with Felipe Pena at Spaten Fight Night 3. The topic first came up in the context of facing an MMA fighter in a grappling match, and he wasn’t in favor of that either.
“No, not really. So I think MMA stars have such a different legacy. They are champions in their fields. I don’t think it’s very fair with a grappling match,” Meregali said.
From there the conversation shifted to whether Meregali himself might eventually step into MMA, and he explained that he views that scenario the same way he views the reverse. He referenced a conversation with UFC veteran Glover Teixeira to make his point.
“I was talking with Glover about it. So I shouldn’t be doing grappling match against a grappling fighter. Doesn’t make any sense. It’s the same as if I decide fighting Glover in MMA match. He’s going to kill me, you know? I need to be respectful. So if they want to do that for fun, I can do it, but I also know that I should be respecting them from what they do. Instead of telling them that they should be into my field and kind of, you know, take the challenge. It’s not fair,” he said.
He then closed the door on the idea entirely, leaving little room for speculation about a future crossover.
“I’m fine on grappling. I’m fine on grappling. I don’t want to be involved,” Meregali said.
A freelance journalist with more than seven years of experience covering a wide range of topics, with a focus on delivering accurate, engaging, and well-researched reporting. He studied at the University of Birmingham, where he developed a strong foundation in journalism and communications. Martin is a 10th Planet BJJ brown belt and has been training for approximately 10 years and a keen follower of submission grappling.
