Former NFL Star Shawne Merriman Open to MMA Fight vs. WWE Stars, Former Pro Athletes

Former Pro Bowl linebacker Shawne Merriman says he would be open to fighting in MMA against former athletes or a WWE star.

"I'm not opposed to [fighting]," Merriman said on Fox Sports 1's TMZ Sports show. "I would fight the right former athlete, another guy in the WWE, something that people would pay to see in Lights Out.

"They got my Instagram. They got my number. If anybody really thinking about it, and it's a good fight and people wanna see it, come on and step in Lights Out. I got no problem!"

Merriman is set to bring back his Lights Out Xtreme Fighting promotion later this month. It will be the eighth show since the launch of the company in 2019.

While Merriman has never fought professionally, he's long had a passion for combat sports. He briefly trained with WWE in 2014 but never transitioned to being a full-time wrestler before turning his eye over to MMA.

In 2018, Merriman was contracted to fight in the World Bare Knuckle Fighting Federation but never made his debut there either amid a contract dispute.

The NFL's Defensive Rookie of the Year in 2005, Merriman made Pro Bowls in each of his first three seasons before injuries derailed his career. He retired from football in 2013 after being limited to 18 games over his final three seasons.

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