Johnny Manziel is set to make his professional boxing debut on May 23 at the UFC Apex in Las Vegas against social media personality Bob Menery. The former NFL quarterback and Heisman Trophy winner will step into the ring in a fight being promoted by Brand Risk Promotions. The event will be broadcast live on YouTube, Kick, Twitch, X, and TikTok.
The rivalry between Manziel and Menery goes back to their time together in the Fan Controlled Football league, where their relationship reportedly soured during a tense interview. Since then, the two have been going back and forth on social media, with Menery calling out Manziel over his supposed lack of commitment to the sport.
According to ESPN, UFC President Dana White has already weighed in on the fight, and he is not betting on Menery to even make it to the ring. In an Instagram video posted in April, White placed a $10,000 bet that Menery won’t show up for the event at all, pointing to what he called a long history of cancelled plans and broken promises.
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Dana White’s blunt $10,000 bet on Menery says everything about how seriously he takes this fight
White did not hold back when talking about Menery’s track record. “Menery never does anything he says he’s going to do,” White said in the video. “There’s no way 49 percent of people believe in Bob Menery and that he’s going to show up.” He made his position very clear, he has no faith in Menery following through.
The combat sports world has seen its share of bold personalities, much like when Mike Tyson opened up about his wild psychedelic hallucinations on Jimmy Kimmel Live. In a separate post, White talked about a direct conversation he had with Menery after news broke that the fight had been signed through Adin Ross’ fight show in Miami.
“So Menery is back, and he has supposedly signed a deal on Adin Ross’ fight show down in Miami to fight Johnny Manziel,” White said. “Menery hits me up and says, ‘Who are you betting on?’ I said, ‘I’m betting on you don’t even show up, that’s my bet.'”
Menery has responded by using White’s doubt as fuel, actively promoting the fight on his social media platforms. Whether or not he actually shows up on May 23 remains to be seen, but White’s public challenge has only added more attention to the event. If Menery does appear, it will directly cost White $10,000.
Despite White’s skepticism, Brand Risk Promotions is moving ahead with the event as planned. The UFC Apex has hosted many high-stakes combat sports events and is a well-known venue in Las Vegas. The fight is expected to draw a large online audience given the publicity surrounding it.
Manziel, for his part, has been training for the fight and is preparing to make his boxing debut regardless of the noise around his opponent. His move into boxing has received mixed reactions; some see it as a bold new challenge, while others have questioned his lack of experience in the sport.
Either way, with White’s bet on the line and a large audience expected to tune in, the May 23 event is shaping up to be one of the more talked-about celebrity boxing matches of the year. Off the field and outside the ring, athletes have also been making headlines for other reasons, such as Miles Bridges securing a restraining order against his ex-girlfriend after court documents revealed deeply troubling allegations.
Published: May 9, 2026 01:00 pm