Jimi Manuwa
Active 2013–present · rated in 3 editions · peak overall 80.0
Scouting report
Single-shot left-hook knockouts of Ovince Saint Preux and Corey Anderson established Jimi "Poster Boy" Manuwa as one of Britain's hardest-hitting light heavyweights. Born in Sacramento, California and fighting out of London, England, Manuwa's finishing power is captured by an 89 Boxing rating and 87 Strength.
Peak ratings
By edition
Manuwa lost to Alexander Gustafsson by second-round TKO in London in 2014 and to Anthony Johnson by knockout in Las Vegas in 2015, while out-pointing Jan Blachowicz in Krakow, Poland. His knockout power, hooks, and striking danger are reflected in an 88 Boxing and 86 Strength.
Manuwa scored two highlight knockouts in 2016 and early 2017, knocking out Ovince Saint Preux in round two at UFC 204 in Manchester and flattening Corey Anderson in the first round of a London main event at UFC Fight Night 107, before dropping a shootout against Volkan Oezdemir at UFC 214 in Anaheim. His left-hook power and hand speed justify his 89 Boxing and 79 Durability.
In 2018 and 2019, Manuwa lost to Jan Blachowicz by decision in London and to Thiago Santos by second-round knockout in Toronto, before suffering a head-kick knockout against Aleksandar Rakic in Stockholm. His hooks, Muay Thai knees, and offensive striking power remain reflected in his 88 Boxing and 86 Strength.
Jimi Manuwa, heavy hands from South London
Jimi Manuwa was born in Nigeria and grew up in London, and he became one of the best-known British light heavyweights of his era. He fought with a kickboxing base and a short, hard punching style. He lost to Alexander Gustafsson in London in 2014 and kept returning to the division's top ten. In a draft he is a big-punch pick who wants to finish early.
Manuwa attribute notes
Boxing. His best skill. He throws a short, heavy left hook and a right behind it, and the shots land with force.
Kickboxing. Strong, with heavy leg kicks and knees that work well with his boxing.
Wrestling. A weak area. He would rather stay on his feet and wait for an opening than fight for takedowns.
BJJ. The lowest number. Once he is on his back he is more likely to survive than to threaten.
Strength. He is large and powerful, and he hits with real weight.
Durability. Solid but not flawless. He can take a punch, though later in his career he became easier to hurt.
Cardio. He puts the most into early rounds. After that the pace drops.
Fight IQ. Reasonable. He fights with patience against opponents he can hit and is less certain against wrestlers.
Boxing is why he is on the board
At his peak card his hands are the best thing about him, and they are backed by real strength. A single clean exchange can end a fight, which is a rare thing in this weight class. Draft him if your team needs a knockout threat for the first rounds.
The mat is where he loses ground: BJJ
Jiu-jitsu is the weakest number on the card. A patient grappler who can survive the first few exchanges and get him to the floor takes away his best weapons. He needs a teammate who can absorb takedowns and buy him time.
Keep exploring
Closest light heavyweight profiles to Jimi Manuwa, measured by how near their peak attribute ratings sit across all eight categories.
- Volkan Oezdemirbest boxing 89 · weakest bjj 70
- Johnny Walkerbest strength 88 · weakest wrestling 74
- Ion Cutelababest strength 86 · weakest bjj 70
- Chuck Liddellbest boxing 90 · weakest bjj 68
- Light Heavyweight division guide: how the whole division rates and who to draft from it.
- Grappling vs striking in the draft: a guide that fits Jimi Manuwa's strongest attribute, Boxing.
Draft Jimi Manuwa into your build
Jimi Manuwa enters the pool on any spin landing on light heavyweight between 2014 and 2019. Spin, draft eight attributes, then simulate 25 fights.
Ratings shown are my own estimates, made with AI assistance and informed by how Jimi Manuwa is regarded by the MMA community. They are unofficial and do not constitute an assessment of Jimi Manuwa's real-world abilities. How the ratings are made. See the disclaimer below. Ratings and write-ups by Haaris A. Last reviewed 2026-09-30; spot an error? Tell us. Read our editorial standards.