Jimi Manuwa: The Poster Boy of British MMA

Jimi Manuwa is quickly emerging as one of the most exciting fighters on the UK scene.

The London-based light heavyweight has stepped into the cage on seven separate occasions and has emerged every time with a stoppage win.

Manuwa supposedly turned down the chance to fight at UFC 105 in Manchester last year because he felt he was not ready. The UFC appears determined to pursue the best British talent, signing Tom Blackledge, Kurt Warburton, and Rob Broughton in recent weeks.

If Manuwa can continue to finish fights so emphatically, it seems likely that sooner or later the call will come.

For the moment, however, he is content to continue to improve and showcase his talents on the London-based promotion Ultimate Challenge. He will be up against Reza Meldavian from Iran on May 8 and advises fight fans to expect another spectacular stoppage.

"There will be fireworks as usual, and I am confident the fight will go my way. I train MMA full-time now, and I train at least twice a day. The training is the hardest part of this fighting thing, but you grow to love it. You get to know your body so well and learn all the time. You can always learn more in all mixed martial arts."

Manuwa might never have taken up MMA had he not injured himself when weightlifting in December 2007. In attempting to lift 185 kilograms, he ruptured his chest muscle, an experience that, despite being a veteran of seven MMA fights, remains the most painful of his life.

While he was waiting for his shoulder to heal, he decided to try MMA at the urging of a friend and realized he had a real affinity for the sport. He took his first fight after less than two months' training and won in the very first round, although he admits it was a real eye-opener for him.

"My first fight was just a brawl with no skill at all, but I beat him in three minutes. I was blowing after the fight, but I was happy, and it made me very aware just how much training I needed to do to perfect my game."

Like all modern mixed martial artists, Manuwa is adept at every element of the sport. His ground game is improving rapidly, and he already holds one submission win in MMA. He recently won a blue belt grappling tournament at the Nova Forca camp where he trains with a Peruvian necktie.

It is testament to how far he progressed since winning that first "brawl" in 2008 that he now considers himself to be a genuinely well-rounded MMA fighter.

"I would describe my style as simply MMA because I'm ready to go anywhere the fight goes. I like standing and having a war, but also I also love BJJ [Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu] and wrestling. I am well-rounded although people haven't seen a lot of my ground game because my fights tend not to go there."

Manuwa is also known by the moniker "Poster Boy." His girlfriend originally gave him the nickname, but it is becoming increasingly apt, and he recently starred in the Hollywood movie London Boulevard alongside Colin Farrell.

"The part in London Boulevard came about when a friend was approached by an agent and said they needed a scene to be done in a movie and I did it. It was great working with Colin Farrell. I got to pin him down in a corridor in an estate in Peckham!"

While acting might provide a welcome distraction for Manuwa, who also runs a car rental and sales business, he remains serious about his MMA career. His favourite fighter is Anderson Silva, widely regarded as the best MMA practitioner on the planet, and Manuwa aspires to one day emulate his hero.

"My ambition in MMA is to be the greatest fighter ever and keep my unbeaten record. Then I want to pass on my knowledge to others and be proud of them like my trainers do for me."

Dave O'Donnell is the organizer of Ultimate Challenge and has been heavily involved in MMA in the UK both as a promoter and a TV presenter. He is extremely excited to see this rising star fighting on his show.

"Once in every decade a fighter comes along without any faults, a PR machine, a born entertainer, but most of all a fighting machine. Every time he steps into the cage, you know it's not going to be a normal fight, that there's going to be something super about it. Jimi has everything that the fans want that is why he is the Poster Boy of UK MMA."

Ultimate Challenge 12: Never Back Down will be taking place on May 8 at the Troxy in London. For more information, visit www.ultimatechallengeuk.com.