A professional Mixed Martial Arts fighter who once described himself as Manchester’s answer to Rocky Balboa has been jailed for dealing drugs and selling guns.

Pietro Menga, who also called himself The Italian Stallion, was caught when the National Crime Agency (NCA) infiltrated a once-encrypted messaging service.

The NCA said Menga, 37, boasted in Encrochat conversations that he had Skorpion automatic machine guns that were “always good for a rainy day”.

Menga, of Salford, was sentenced to 15 years and five months when he appeared at Manchester Minshull Street Crown Court on Tuesday.

Menga, of Mount Street, Swinton, admitted conspiracy to sell or transfer banned weapons and cocaine dealing.

Specialist detectives trawled through thousands of anonymous Encrochat messages which detailed drug deals, firearms sales, and assassination attempts, the NCA said.

After identifying Menga through messages in which he openly spoke about his girlfriend, knee injuries from fighting, and his home gym, detectives knew Menga was the man behind the handle “wirelessshark”.

A drugs expert estimated Menga was involved in drugs with a street value of between £490,000 and £620,000.

He was arrested when his home was raided on 15 January 2024.

The NCA said: “Menga, like many criminals before him, thought he was hiding behind a secure communications system.

“Instead, he created his own evidence trail that has led them straight to jail.”

In December 2017 Menga told BBC Three of his ambitions to rise up the UFC (Ultimate Fight Club) rankings as a flyweight.

He had just received notice of his debut UFC fight.

“For me this is a Manchester Rocky story,” he said. “A lad from Manchester takes a fight on 12 days’ notice.”

The Rocky movie franchise features a rags-to-riches story of fictional boxer Rocky Balboa, played by Sylvester Stallone.