Former UFC Hopeful Pietro Menga Jailed 15 Years on Weapons, Drug Charges

Former UFC signee Pietro Menga on Tuesday was jailed for 15 and five months years after pleading guilty to conspiracy to sell or transfer prohibited weapons and conspiracy to supply cocaine.

According to a statement from the Greater Manchester Police, Menga had a “lucrative job as a middleman for an organized crime group, where he was directly involved in sourcing large quantities of cocaine for customers across the region, all of which he made commission on.”

Over time, authorities were able to identify Menga through a messaging platform service called Encrochat. Through a series of anonymous messages, it was determined that Menga used the handle “wirelessshark” to have conversations with other criminals “openly discussing the sale and purchase of wholesale amounts of drugs and firearms.” Based on the messages on his phone, a drug expert estimated Menga had been involved in the the sale of drugs with a street value well over $500,000.

Other messages indicated that Menga was part of an organized crime group “responsible for a record-breaking firearm trafficking conspiracy.” Menga was arrested at his home in Swinton, England, on Jan. 15, 2024. According to the statement from the Greater Manchester Police, “he showed no indication of slowing down or stepping away from the world of crime.”

Known as “The Italian Stallion” in the MMA world, the 37-year-old Menga compiled a 14-4 record over the course of a career that began in 2011. Menga was slated for his Octagon debut against Tim Elliott at UFC on Fox 26 in December 2017. However, the bout was canceled after he missed weight and he was cut from the promotion’s roster. Menga last appeared at a regional event in England in April 2023, when he defeated Sam Halliday via first-round submission. He was scheduled to fight at Oktagon 52 in January 2024 a few days prior to his arrest.