Bryce Meredith (Top) strikes Steven Merrill (Bottom) during LFA 108. Meredith got the win via TKO in the first round of his MMA debut.
Before the 1990s, the professional path for a NCAA Division I wrestler after their collegiate career ended was simple: training for the Olympics, coaching the sport at the high school or collegiate level, or leaving wrestling altogether.
Today, however, mixed martial arts (MMA) has presented itself as a viable option for those former scrappers who don't wish to pursue freestyle wrestling in the Olympics but still haven't lost that thirst for combat sport. Since the turn of the 2000s, this is an option being explored by former NCAA greats with even greater regularity.
Another wrestler, former Wyoming three-time All-American and two-time NCAA finalist, Bryce Meredith, made his professional MMA debut this weekend in convincing fashion.
On Friday, May 21, 2021, Meredith made his professional debut at Legacy Fighting Alliance 108 (LFA 108) in a bantamweight bout against Steven Merrill.
Merrill landed the first punch, taking the former Wyoming Cowboy off his feet and putting Meredith in a tight guillotine. However, Meredith weathered the storm and grounded and pounded his way into a technical knockout victory in the first round.
https://twitter.com/UFCFightPass/status/1395913261078532099?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw%7Ctwcamp%5Etweetembed%7Ctwterm%5E1395913261078532099%7Ctwgr%5E%7Ctwcon%5Es1_&ref_url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.sherdog.com%2Fvideos%2Fhighlightreels%2FLFA-108-Highlight-Video-Bryce-Meredith-Pounds-Out-Steven-Merrill-16965
The fight, albeit a short one, was an impressive foray into the fight game for the former Cowboy lightweight.
https://twitter.com/NoBickal/status/1395917372788150272
LFA 108 Results
Gregory Rodrigues def. Josh Fremd via Knockout (Punch) at 2:20 of Round 1 – Middleweight Championship
Mark Climaco def. Rodney Kealohi via Decision (30-27, 30-27, 29-28)
Tyler Ray def. Ernesto Ancona via Decision (29-28, 29-28, 29-28)
Kathryn Paprocki def. Tiani Valle via Submission (Rear-Naked Choke) at 4:01 of Round 3
Clayton Carpenter def. Nick Clem via Submission (Kneebar) at 0:45 of Round 1
Bryce Meredith def. Steven Merrill via TKO (Punches) at 3:35 of Round 1
Kenan Jackson def. Blayne Richards via Unanimous Decision
Bailey Schoenfelder def. James Munoz via TKO (Punches) at 0:20 of Round 1
Archie Colgan def. Keith Phathaem via Submission (Arm-Triangle Choke) at 4:53 of Round 1
Jeff Nielsen def. C.J. Hays via TKO (Punches) at 2:39 of Round 2 – Amateur
Eva Brundage def. Cheyanne Bowers via Unanimous Decision – Amateur
Colten Larson def. Thomas Vievering via TKO (Punches) at 1:23 of Round 2 – Amateur
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