Bryce Robert Meredith, born on April 30, 1995, in Cheyenne, Wyoming, is an American professional mixed martial artist (MMA) and former freestyle and folkstyle wrestler. He is known for his transition from a successful wrestling career to the world of MMA, where he currently competes in the bantamweight division.
Early Life and Wrestling Career
Meredith's childhood in Cheyenne, Wyoming, was characterized by a strong sense of community and a love for outdoor activities. He began his wrestling journey at Cheyenne Central High School, where he quickly established himself as a standout athlete. Meredith compiled an impressive high school wrestling record at Central High School in Cheyenne, Wyoming, finishing with 123 wins and 8 losses.
Meredith's accomplishments extended beyond state titles, earning him four-time All-American honors from the National High School Coaches Association (NHSCA), one for each year of high school. He went on to become a four-time state (WHSAA) champion with a record of 123 wins and 8 defeats.
Collegiate Wrestling
After graduating high school, Meredith initially competed for NC State University during the 2014-15 season at 133 pounds, posting a 15-7 record with four pins and four major decisions. During the season, Meredith compiled an overall record of 15-7, including a 14-5 mark in dual meets and a 2-2 record in Atlantic Coast Conference (ACC) competition. He secured four pins and four major decisions, demonstrating offensive prowess in select bouts.
After just one year attending NCSU, he transferred to his home state, Wyoming. After transferring from North Carolina State to the University of Wyoming ahead of the 2015-2016 season, Bryce Meredith quickly established himself as a key contributor to the Cowboys' wrestling program at the 141-pound weight class.
Read also: Highlights of Bryce Burkett's Wrestling
As a sophomore ('15-'16), he quickly made a difference from last year, going up in the rankings from #31 to #5, finishing the season with 29 wins and 5 losses and winning a bronze medal at the Big 12 Conference. At Wyoming, he secured three NCAA Division I All-American honors, placing second in 2016 and 2018, and fourth in 2017; he also won the 2018 Big 12 Conference championship.
As a junior ('16-'17), he opened up the season with a Northern Colorado Open title and compiled a dual-meet record of 11-3. In the post-season, he made the finals of the Big 12s where he faced Dean Heil, whom he had lost to at last year's NCAA finals. He was once again defeated on points, earning runner-up honors and an automatic qualification ticket for the NCAAs.
Meredith had his most successful season as a senior ('17-'18). He opened up with a victory over ninth-ranked Chad Red from Nebraska and then went on to compete at the Cliff Keen Invitational, where he lost to two-time Cadet World Champion and fifth seed Yianni Diakomihalis in the semifinals and placed third. In the post-season, he once again defeated Heil in the Big 12 finals to claim his first title of the tournament.
Here's a summary of Meredith's collegiate wrestling record:
| Year | University | Record | Achievements |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2014-2015 | NC State University | 15-7 | |
| 2015-2018 | University of Wyoming | 94-15 | Three NCAA Division I All-American honors |
Freestyle Wrestling
Bryce Meredith would make his freestyle comeback in 2019 at that years Dave Schultz M. International tournament. He then made an appearance at the US Open in April, where he went 2-2 and did not place. In his last tournament of the year, Meredith went on to compete at the US Nationals of December, where he performed outstandingly in comparison to his last appearances.
He opened up by tech'ing multiple-time age-group national champion Josh Saunders and once again two-time NCAA champion Dean Heil before being stopped himself by eventual winner of the tournament Jordan Oliver. He then continued to tech his competition in the consolation bracket, once again defeating Saunders and also three-time All-American Ethan Lizak before being defeated himself by two-time Cadet World Champion and reigning NCAA champion Yianni Diakomihalis. Meredith travelled to Cuba to attend the Granma y Cerro Pelado International in February.
In early 2020, Meredith achieved a significant milestone in his international freestyle career by earning a bronze medal at the Granma y Cerro Pelado International tournament in Havana, Cuba, competing in the 65 kg weight class. The COVID-19 pandemic drastically altered Meredith's season, leading to widespread cancellations of competitions and training opportunities across the wrestling world.
Meredith's final major freestyle outing came at the FloWrestling 8-Man Challenge in December 2020, serving as a key preparatory bout amid the disruptions.
Transition to MMA
Bryce Meredith vs Lazaro Dayron
Reflecting on the limited prospects of advancing further in international freestyle wrestling, Bryce Meredith decided to fully commit to a career in mixed martial arts (MMA) by late 2020. Meredith had long been drawn to MMA for its ability to incorporate his elite wrestling background with striking and additional grappling techniques, allowing him to expand beyond the mat's restrictions-particularly the desire to "punch someone," which is prohibited in wrestling.
He described this transition as a natural evolution, viewing MMA as an opportunity to become "the baddest man on the planet" while embracing a combat style that felt more engaging and personality-driven than pure wrestling. Meredith's initial exposure to MMA came during his post-collegiate years starting in 2018, when he began training in boxing, jiu-jitsu, and MMA alongside wrestling, influenced by peers who were boxers and informal fight clubs from his youth.
He had always been a fan of the sport, stating that he "knew my entire life" he would eventually transition, a plan he considered "written in stone" even naming his dog after MMA fighter Quinton "Rampage" Jackson.
Professional MMA Career
Bryce Meredith made his professional MMA debut on May 21, 2021, at LFA 108: Fremd vs. The match started with Meredith pushing forward and being aggressive where he would back up his opponent to the cage. However Bryce Meredith was caught with a punch that dropped him to his hands. Bryce Meredith’s best fight, at least at this point in time, is his MMA debut at LFA 108.
Meredith's second professional fight came on April 8, 2022, at LFA 128: McKenzie vs. He extended his undefeated streak to 3-0 on September 9, 2022, at LFA 141: Talundžić vs. He made his promotional debut at Bellator 293 on March 31, 2023, in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, facing fellow prospect Brandon Carrillo in a bantamweight bout.
Meredith's next appearance came at Bellator 300 on October 7, 2023, in San Diego, California, against Miguel Peimbert. Meredith returned to Bellator to face John MaCalolooy on September 7, 2024 at Bellator Champions Series 4. Meredith faced Lazaro Dayron at PFL 10, on August 21, 2025.
His MMA record as of September 8, 2024, is:
| Date | Opponent | Event | Result | Method | Round | Time |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| May 21, 2021 | Steven Merrill | LFA 108 - Fremd vs. Rodrigues | Win | TKO (Punches) | 1 | 3:35 |
| Apr 08, 2022 | Jay Viola | LFA 128 - McKenzie vs. Clay | Win | TKO (Punches) | 3 | 1:04 |
| Sep 09, 2022 | Nathan Fought | LFA 141 - Talundzic vs. Brown | Win | Submission (Rear-Naked Choke) | 1 | 4:36 |
| Mar 31, 2023 | Brandon Carrillo | Bellator 293 - Golm vs. James | Win | Submission (Rear-Naked Choke) | 2 | 3:11 |
| Oct 07, 2023 | Miguel Peimbert | Bellator 300 - Nurmagomedov vs. | Loss | Decision (Unanimous) | 3 | 5:00 |
| Sep 07, 2024 | John MaCalolooy | Bellator Champions Series 4 | Win | Technical Submission | 1 | 4:21 |
| Aug 21, 2025 | Lazaro Dayron | PFL 10 | Loss | KO (Punch) | 2 | 4:29 |