Jimi Manuwa set to face Chase Sherman in boxing match

More than seven years after retiring from MMA, Jimi Manuwa is set to compete again. The former UFC light heavyweight top contender will face Chase Sherman, another UFC veteran, in a boxing match at Duel: Arena on Aug. 29 in Orlando, Florida. The event will also feature Mike Perry vs. Dillon Danis in an MMA bout, as well as several other boxing, kickboxing and MMA matchups. 

Manuwa was previously expected to face Rashad Coulter, but the American heavyweight pulled out of the match for unspecified reasons, with Sherman stepping in on short notice.

Jimi Manuwa Returns After Long Layoff

Manuwa joined the UFC in 2012 with an undefeated record and was quickly regarded as a dangerous and exciting prospect in the promotion's light heavyweight division. The "Poster Boy" reached his peak in the promotion when he faced Volkan Oezdemir in a title eliminator following knockout wins over Ovince Saint Preux and Corey Anderson, which took him to the No. 2 spot in the division.

Ultimately, Manuwa lost to Oezdemir, and his career went downhill from there. After that defeat, the Poster Boy stepped into the Octagon three more times, losing all three bouts before calling it a career following a knockout loss to Aleksandar Rakic in June 2019. Now, more than seven years later, the 46-year-old veteran is expected to make his boxing debut.

Chase Sherman Steps in on Short Notice

Unlike Manuwa, Sherman has remained active since leaving the UFC in 2023. The American has competed in bare-knuckle MMA, compiling a 2-2 record under the Gamebred BareKnuckle MMA banner, while also competing in bare-knuckle boxing, where he holds a 1-1 record in BKFC. Sherman has accepted the fight with less than 10 days remaining before his matchup against Manuwa.

With Sherman stepping in to replace Coulter, Manuwa's long-awaited return to competition will now come against another former UFC fighter. After more than seven years away from combat sports competition, the former light heavyweight contender will look to begin a new chapter of his career inside the boxing ring.