Six years after he last played a down in the NFL, retired All-Pro linebacker Shawne Merriman has signed on for a new contact sport.
Merriman, 34, has agreed to fight this fall with the World Bare Knuckle Fighting Federation during their inaugural pay-per-view show, "Rise of the Titans," on a date to be determined in Casper, Wyoming.
A longtime fan of mixed martial arts, the three-time Pro Bowler, nicknamed "Lights Out" for his physical tackling style, Merriman will compete at heavyweight against an opponent that has yet to be announced.
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"This is really exciting for me," Merriman said. "It's a real privilege and honor for me to come out and fight. Thank you to everyone at the World Bare Knuckle Fighting Federation for your support. It's time for Lights Out!"
The co-feature bout for the card will feature former UFC fighters Chris Leben and Phil Baroni for the WBKFF light heavyweight title. There will also be a $100,000 eight-man lightweight tournament that will kickoff featuring UFC veterans Melvin Guillard, Tom Gallicchio, Josh Neer and Isaac Vallie Flagg.
The WBKFF will feature rules which allow holding, striking, spinning backlists and hammer fists. The bouts will be contested in a traditional boxing ring and all matches (men and women) will feature five, two-minute rounds.
Merriman was a first-round draft pick of the San Diego Chargers in 2005. The former University of Maryland star ended his NFL career with three seasons playing for the Buffalo Bills.
"We are thrilled to have Shawne as part of our team," WBKFF CEO Tom Stankiewicz said. "It's a very exciting time for everyone. Shawne was a proven warrior on the field and we look forward to seeing him in the ring. We feel that Shawne's signing with WBKFF opens the doors to champions from all sports and shows that he has the guts and courage to step into this gladiator sport. Bare knuckle fighting is the combat sport for the 21st century. We welcome Shawne as part of our family!"
