Johnny Manziel is set to face Bob Menery in the main event of Brand Risk 14 on Saturday night, a matchup that puts the former college football star into an MMA bout against a much less decorated opponent by reputation but one who has been talking up the size gap between them. The combined mixed martial arts and boxing card will stream free across Kick.com social media channels, including YouTube, X, Twitch and TikTok.
Menery said on May 17 that he has to “try to force myself to eat 24/7” to close the weight gap between himself and Manziel, a blunt acknowledgment that helps explain why the build to this fight has centered as much on size as on skill. That is the hook for Saturday’s event: a retired athlete turned combat-sports attraction against a former football celebrity with enough name value to anchor the card.
Manziel brings the most recognizable sporting resume on the show. He was Texas A&M’s starting quarterback from 2012 to 2013 and became the first freshman in history to win the Heisman Trophy for the 2012 season. The Cleveland Browns made him the No. 22 pick in the 2014 NFL draft, but his NFL run lasted nine games across two seasons before he later appeared in the CFL from 2018 to 2019 and made five appearances in the Fan Controlled Football league.
The undercard gives Brand Risk 14 extra star power. Michael Beasley is scheduled to fight Lance Stephenson, while singer Ray J is booked against DeWayne Stevenson. Beasley returned to the Miami Heat for the 2013-14 season after earlier stops with the Minnesota Timberwolves and Phoenix Suns, and Stephenson remains known for blowing in LeBron James’ ear in Game 5 of the 2014 Eastern Conference Finals.
What is not clear is how seriously Manziel or anyone else on the card is taking the training side of the business. That uncertainty is part of the event’s appeal and part of the risk: Saturday night is built for curiosity, but the real test will be whether the names on the poster can turn a novelty card into something that feels like a fight rather than a stunt.
