Jimi Manuwa Ends 7-Year Retirement for Aug. 29 Heavyweight Boxing Debut

Q: What massive secret offer finally lured a retired UFC headliner back into the ring?

There is no evidence in the available reporting of any “massive secret offer.” What is publicly known is that Jimi Manuwa said the comeback had been “a long time coming” and that he “couldn’t say no” to the offer to fight Rashad Coulter in a heavyweight boxing match at Duel: Arena 1 on Aug. 29 in Orlando. The news story and related coverage identify the bout, the event and Manuwa’s own explanation, but they do not disclose financial terms, a signing bonus or any hidden inducement. So the most accurate answer is that the specific offer remains undisclosed. What is clear is the context: Duel is launching a debut hybrid combat-sports card built around recognizable names, including Mike Perry vs. Dillon Danis in the main event and former UFC fighter Phil Rowe on the undercard. Manuwa, a former UFC light heavyweight headliner who retired in 2019 after a knockout loss to Aleksandar Rakic, is returning in that setting for his boxing debut. If the question is asking what lured him back, the factual answer is simply the opportunity and offer from Duel for a high-profile heavyweight boxing match against another ex-UFC fighter, Rashad Coulter. No report provided so far reveals anything more specific than that.

2 articles · Updated · Bloody Elbow · Aug 7

Aug. 29 will mark Manuwa’s first fight since 2019, when the former UFC light heavyweight returns in a heavyweight boxing bout against ex-UFC fighter Rashad Coulter at Duel: Arena 1 in Orlando.
Duel Arena announced the matchup for its debut event after already adding former UFC fighter Phil Rowe to the undercard, deepening a card headlined by Mike Perry vs. Dillon Danis in MMA.
Manuwa retired after a 42-second knockout loss to Aleksandar Rakic and now says the comeback had been a long time coming, adding that he “couldn’t say no.”
The booking revives a recognizable UFC name for a new promotion staging its first show in a major venue — the KIA Center — as it leans on former Octagon talent to build interest.