After 17 months away from competition, Nicholas Meregali is preparing to step back onto the mats.

Now signed exclusively with UFC BJJ, Meregali discussed the business future of grappling, sharply criticizing the Craig Jones Invitational:

I don’t think they’re entering the grappling world to lose or to make the industry smaller or to destroy the industry, as was the example of CJI.
CJI entered to divide the industry in a negative way.

In contrast, he believes UFC BJJ offers structure that the sport has long lacked:

I think they are entering to add, they are entering to professionalize.
They have structure to put me where I want, in the sense of career, brand, finances.

The idea is to try to compete four times this year.

Meregali said the promotion’s model convinced him to sign:

You performed. Bonus of the night. Your payment goes up. We put you more in the media. Our business grows.
And when you see a ladder of people being trained, man, I think this will help grappling a lot.

He also pointed to mainstream combat sports as the blueprint:

If the guys want to grow, build a long-term brand, pay the athlete with a projection.
Like, we want to pay you this amount. You need to win this number of matches. You need to sell this number of pay-per-views.

I think it’s natural for us to have this, to bring this side of business to Jiu-Jitsu.

Reflecting on grappling’s current economics, Meregali was blunt:

It’s a new sport, man. There’s no money. There’s no structure…
Otherwise, we’ll always be competing in the gi here and there.

Paying to compete. Or signing to compete with one or another organization here and there.
Making a few thousand dollars. It doesn’t make sense.

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