Felipe Pena finally defeats Nicholas Meregali in Spaten Fight Night 3 trilogy
The Brazilian jiu-jitsu stars met for the third time, with Pena earning his first victory over his longtime rival by unanimous decision.
Felipe Pena finally got the better of Nicholas Meregali. The two Brazilian jiu-jitsu stars met for the third time on Saturday at Spaten Fight Night 3 in São Paulo, Brazil, with "Preguiça" earning a 29-28 unanimous decision victory over his longtime rival. The result marked Pena's first win over Meregali after losing their two previous encounters.
Felipe Pena Gets First Win Over Nicholas Meregali
Pena and Meregali are widely regarded as two of the biggest names in modern Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu, with both fighters having won multiple world titles at the black belt level. Pena is a two-time ADCC champion and a three-time IBJJF World champion, while Meregali has also captured multiple IBJJF World titles, as well as major championships at the Pan and Brazilian Nationals.
Their rivalry dates back to 2018, when Meregali submitted Pena at the IBJJF World Championship. The two met again five years later at UFC Fight Pass Invitational 5, with Meregali once again coming out on top by submission. Their third meeting took place under No-Gi rules at Spaten Fight Night 3, with Pena finally changing the result of the rivalry.
Pena took control of the match early, using his takedowns to establish an advantage on the scorecards. The bout was contested over three rounds, a format that is not commonly used in jiu-jitsu competitions. Meregali improved as the bout progressed and won the third and final round, but it was not enough to overcome the deficit from the opening two rounds. Pena ultimately secured the 29-28 decision on all three judges' scorecards.
The victory gave Pena his first win over Meregali and added another important chapter to one of the most intense rivalries in modern jiu-jitsu.
