Jimi Manuwa is the legend of the Ultra Fighting Championship(UFC). He is a retired mixed martial artist who has engraved his name in the fighting history and rings.
Not everyone becomes able to amass success in such a short period. But Jimi is an extraordinary fighter who achieved recognition and fame from the moment he debuted in the MMA.
The retired martial artist hailed from a financially poor background. But, now, he is regarded as one of the highest-paid fighters until now.
Who would have thought that the boy being imprisoned in his teenhood, be such an idol of idols in the UFC championship?
Yes, Jimi had a challenging and troublesome childhood and teenage. But, he also got to know his capabilities at the same time.
To date, he is renowned as the five-time UCMMA Light Heavyweight championship. And no one has shattered his record of winning the title until now.
So, why not go through the article below to know his life in detail? But first, you might want to check the quick facts:
Quick Facts:
Full Name | Babajimi Abiola Mnauwa |
Nick Name | Manti, Poster Boy |
Age | 42 Years Old |
Height | 6 feet (1.83m) |
Weight | 93 kg (205 lb) |
Horoscope | Aquarius |
Date Of Birth | 18th February 1980 |
Birth Place | Sacramento, California, United States |
Religion | Unknown |
Nationality | English |
Ethnicity | Black |
Hair Colour | Black |
Eye Colour | Black |
Skin Colour | Black |
Tattoos | Yes |
Marital Status | Married |
Wife | Nina Quaranta |
Kids | Three daughters; Haven, Isabella, and Marni, and a son, Jaydon |
Father’s Name | Not Available |
Mother’s Name | Not Available |
Siblings | Not Available |
High School | Not Available |
University | Not Available |
Profession | Martial Artist |
Active from | 2008-2019 |
Total Fights | 23 |
No of the Matches won | 17 |
Net Worth | $1-$5 million |
Salary | $130,000 per fight |
Social Media | Instagram, Facebook, and Twitter |
Last Update | July, 2022 |
Early Life, Family, and Education of Jimi Manuwa
Babajimi Abiola, better known as Jimi Manuwa, was born on February 18, 1980 in Sacramento, California, in the United States.
The mixed martial artist was born in the United States but is of English descent. Additionally, he is an Aquarius.
Jimi, a martial artist, split his early years between London, Nigeria, and California. Up until the age of three, he resided in California.
The legend then relocated to Nigeria with his family. Similarly, Jimi moved to London when he was ten years old. He found it difficult to discuss his upbringing. due to Jimi’s history of school fights. As a result, he was unable to complete his education. His parents once believed he suffered from a mental illness.
Jimi also endured a lot of hardship during his adolescence. Even he participated in illegal activities such as stealing computers and other burglaries.
In addition to this, the former mixed martial artist has served time in jail. He was detained by the police in 2002 on suspicion of robbery. In 2003, they released him after a year.
Education
Jimi appears to have attended the private schools in his hometown, though the specific school is not mentioned. Similar to Jimi, who never finished his education due to his infamous upbringing.
Family
Jimi was conceived by his unidentified British and Scottish parents. He has kept his parents’ identities a secret up to this point out of respect for his private life.
Learn About Another Fighter’s Early Years: Maycee Barber’s Bio: Mixed Martial Arts, UFC, Family, & Early Life.
Jimi Manuwa Wealth | Salary And Net Worth
The former martial artist made a sizeable income from his career as a fighter. As of 2022,
“Jimi’s estimated net worth ranges from $1 million to $5 million.”
Jimi used to receive a salary in the millions of dollars. For example, he received $130,000 for taking part in UFC Stockholm. He received $120,000 from the event organizer as a show fee and $10,000 as a fight week incentive payment. On June 1, 2019, the Swedish Athletic Commission released the pay scale.
Jimi was also thought to be the highest-paid fighter at the time.
Jimi Manuwa | Inspiration For A Professional Career In Fighting
The retired martial artist experienced many hardships as a child and adolescent, but he also developed his strength during that time.
After observing one of his friends earning enormous sums of money from fights, Jimi decided to pursue a career in fighting.
Jimi committed himself to working hard as a result of having the intuition that his career belongs in a particular field.
He began his training in 2007 by tearing up a lot and dropping his seat. By the time he started receiving coaching, the legend was already too committed to achieving his goal.
Arrival at UCMMA
Jimi sustained an injury while he was training. But the incident inspired him to pursue MMA as a career. Since then, he has been actively promoting UCMMA.
Having experience with fighting, Jimi made his MMA debut in 2008. He faced off against Tom King in the opening match, which he won.
In a similar vein, Sherdog claims that the retired martial artist became more well-known after defeating Ryan Robinson to win the UCMMA Light Heavyweight championship in February 2009. In the promotion ring, it was his fourth fight.
The astounding thing is that Jimi kept winning and kept the championship belt for the following five fights. Additionally, no fighter had previously been able to surpass his record.
Travels in UFC
Every fighter’s dream is to compete in the ring of the Ultimate Fighting Championship. Jimi had similar intentions and wanted to join the UFC. But his goal was to have a huge UFC debut.
The former mixed martial artist turned down the UFC’s offer at least twice as a result. Jimi refused, claiming he wasn’t prepared for the significant fight.
Jimi, however, entered the UFC in July 2012. In his first fight, he defeated Kyle Kingsbury by knockout in just two rounds, demonstrating that he was no ordinary fighter.
The conflict took place on September 29, 2012. After a year, Jimi once more defeated Ryan Jimmo, his third opponent, in October 2013.
2014- 2017
In 2014, Jimi suffered his first setback. He lost to Alexander Gustafsson in a bloody fight that took place in March 2014. However, due to their fierce combat, they were both awarded the Fight of the Night bonus.
Similar to how the former martial artist had to rest to fully recover from the injury, he had to stay away from the ring for an entire year. Marlon Moraes, another UFC fighter, has a successful career and a wealthy personal life.
But on April 11, 2015, the match’s legend returned to the UFC ring. He faced off against Jan Blachowicz, and he prevailed via secret ballot.
Even though Jimi won his first fight following a lengthy layoff, he fell short against Anthony Johnson in September 2015 due to an injury that was not made public.
Jimi once more sat in a considerable void due to an injury concern. But he returned in October 2016 and engaged in combat with Ovince Preux.
He prevailed in the match that evening, earning his first Performance of the Night bonus. Between 2016 and 2017, Jimi was said to have left the ring permanently.
He was wrong, as demonstrated by his victory over Corey Anderson on March 18, 2017. Astonished everyone by winning the fight in the first round was the former martial artist.
Jimi has not been in the same amount of shape since 2017 due to an injury. The same year, he also suffered a defeat to Volka Oezdemir.
2018-Retirement
Due to his torn hamstring, the former martial artist endured excruciating pain, which caused him to lose nearly every fight from June 2018 to June 2019.
On June 3, 2019, Jimi announced his retirement due to his improved health.
Jimi Manuwa | MMA Record
Professional record | ||
23 matches | 17 wins | 6 losses |
By knockout | 15 | 5 |
By submission | 1 | 0 |
By decision | 1 | 1 |
Is Jimi Manuwa single? Personal Life, Wife, and Children
The martial artist, Jimi, is happily married to his wife, Nina Quaranta. The couple has been living their romantic life together for several years.
His wife, Nina, is an entrepreneur. She has her clothing line called StylesbyNinaq.
Children
Jimi and his better half-Nina, are blessed with four children; three daughters and a son. His daughters are Haven, Isabella, and Marni. And the son is named Jaydon.
However, he has not publicized his children’s date of birth until now.
Social Media Presence:
Instagram: @pb1_
Twitter: @POSTERBOYJM
Facebook: @Jimi Manuwa
You can find Jimi Manuwa’s fight highlights video on Youtube.
Exciting Facts About Jimi Manuwa:
- Jimi Manuwa has attended 23 fights in total. And he has lost only six fights.
- His fighting style is Boxing, Muay Thai, and Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu.
- Jimi Manuwa has a purple belt in Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu.
- Jimi was imprisoned in 2002 for being involved in the burglary. He was released after a year.
Some FAQs:
Where is Jimi Manuwa from?
Jimi Manuwa is from Sacramento, California, United States.
What is Jimi Manuwa UFC record?
Jimi Manuwa has a professional UFC record of 6 wins, 6 losses, and 0 draws.
What division does Jimi Manuwa fight in?
Jimi Manuwa competes in the light heavyweight division.
When is Jimi Manuwa’s next fight?
Sadly there are no details on Jimi Manuwa’s next fight.
How much is the net worth of Jimi Manuwa?
Jimi Manuwa has accumulated a net worth of $1 million to $5 million as of 2020.
How old is Jimi Mnauwa?
Jimi Manuwa is 42 years old as of 2022.
When did Jimi Manuwa start MMA?
Jimi Manuwa was only 28 years old when he began fighting in MMA. After training in martial arts for two weeks, he debuted on MMA in 2008.
How tall is Jimi Manuwa?
Jimi Manuwa stands tall at a measuring height of 6 feet (1.83m), and he weighs about 93 kg (205 lb).
Is Jimi Manuwa retired?
Will Jimi Manuwa return to the ring?/ Is Jimi Manuwa planning for a comeback?
By looking at Jimi Mnauwa and his tweets, it seems as if he is hinting at his comeback. As per the news circulated on different sites, Jimi Manuwa wants to return to the Octagon and fight against Luke Rockhold.
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