Bryce Meredith MMA: Has the three-time All-American wrestler stepped inside the cage to fight professionally?

Former Wyoming Cowboys wrestling star Bryce Meredith is yet to make his MMA debut. The decorated collegiate wrestler is currently signed under the LFA (Legacy Fighting Alliance) banner and will make his pro-MMA debut at LFA 108.

In his first professional mixed martial arts bantamweight outing, Bryce Meredith will face former Victory FC fighter Steven Merrill (5-6). The fight will take place on the undercard of Gregory Rodrigues (8-3) vs. Josh Fremd (7-1). Meredith's MMA debut is highly anticipated; he boasts one of the best resumes of any surging prospect in the sport.

Speaking to MMA Fighting last year, the former two-time NCAA Division-1 finalist claimed that his extensive wrestling background is tailor-made for success in MMA.

Regarding his physical attributes, Bryce Meredith explained:

“I’m 5-9, and I’m probably going to fight at 135 [pounds], so that [makes] me a very long, lengthy 135-pounder with a wrestling background."

Speaking about the advantages of a wrestling background, the collegiate champion mentioned:

“I’ve talked to other people, I’ve rolled with other people, and the way the style goes, my wrestling really favors a fighting style of wrestling."

The standout wrestler trains at the New Jersey Regional Training Center and is currently working to claim a spot on the U.S.A. team for the 2021 Tokyo Olympics. Meredith believes his transition to MMA comes at a perfect time as he is a marketable wrestler with sufficient credentials.

“Pretty much I’ve known my entire life that I was going to transition into MMA,” Bryce Meredith said in an interview with MMA Fighting.

Speaking about the timing of his move to professional mixed martial arts, Bryce Meredith said:

“You’ve got to figure out the right time to do it, when you decide that you want to leave wrestling, or if you want to do both for a little bit and then transition into MMA completely as you get the ball rolling."

Bryce Meredith's MMA debut will take place at the Sanford Pentagon

Henri Hooft rebranded his Hard Knocks 365 gym in 2019 to Sanford MMA. The former Blackzilians coach made the move after inking a deal with Sanford health. The gym opened a training facility in Deerfield Beach, Florida along with the Sanford Health Clinic. The 10,000 sq-ft training facility is home to several notable athletes, including UFC lightweight Michael Chandler.

Additionally, the Sanford Pentagon regularly hosts Legacy Fighting Alliance events for viewing on UFC Fight Pass. According to Sanford Health's website, the facility would like to include spectators for such events once the government lifts lockdown restrictions.

On 21 May 2021, Sanford Pentagon will host LFA 108, where Bryce Meredith and former University of Minnesota football player Bailey Schoenfelder will make their MMA debuts.