yst . ▁ ▁Other ▁vent ures ▁In ▁April ▁ 2 0 1 4 , ▁M err iman ▁appeared ▁on ▁the ▁pre - show ▁of ▁Wrest le Man ia ▁XXX . ▁Short ly ▁after , ▁it ▁was ▁reported ▁on ▁The ▁J BL ▁& ▁Cole ▁Show ▁that ▁M err iman ▁had ▁" jo ined ▁the ▁W WE ▁family " ▁and ▁would ▁report ▁to ▁the ▁W WE ▁Performance ▁Center ▁in ▁Or lando , ▁Florida . ▁On ▁August ▁ 2 7 , ▁reports ▁sur fac ed ▁indicating ▁M err iman ▁was ▁no ▁longer ▁contract ed ▁to ▁W WE . ▁ ▁In ▁January ▁ 2 0 1 5 , ▁Japanese ▁mart ial ▁arts ▁event ▁G AN RY U J IMA ▁announced ▁that ▁they ▁were ▁negoti ating ▁with ▁M err iman ▁for ▁him ▁to ▁be ▁a ▁f ighter , ▁but ▁they ▁were ▁unable ▁to ▁reach ▁an ▁agreement . ▁ ▁In ▁ 2 0 1 7 , ▁M err iman ▁partner ed ▁with ▁NAS C AR ▁K & N ▁Pro ▁Series ▁West ▁driver ▁and ▁Naval ▁officer ▁J esse ▁I w u ji , ▁serving ▁as ▁the ▁owner ▁of ▁I w u ji ' s ▁No . ▁ 3 6 ▁car . ▁The ▁two ▁met ▁during ▁a ▁fashion ▁show ▁in ▁Los ▁Angeles ▁prom oting ▁M err iman ' s ▁new ▁cl othing ▁line , ▁" L ights ▁Out "; ▁M err iman , ▁a ▁long time ▁mot ors ports ▁fan , ▁agreed ▁to ▁join ▁I w u ji ' s ▁Patri ot ▁Mot ors ports ▁Group ▁team . ▁ ▁In ▁August