Alistair Overeem To Face Jimi Manuwa On Jake Paul Undercard
Alistair Overeem will return to combat sports on Thursday, December 24 when he faces Jimi Manuwa in a boxing contest.
The fight will take place on the undercard of Jake Paul vs. Cedric Doumbe.
Former Strikeforce heavyweight champion and K-1 World Grand Prix winner Alistair Overeem to face UFC knockout artist Jimi Manuwa in six-round heavyweight boxing showdown on Thursday, December 24, at Coca-Cola Arena
DUBAI, UAE, November 12, 2026. Most Valuable Promotions (MVP) today announced the addition of two of Europe’s most recognizable combat sports knockout artists to its blockbuster Christmas Eve event in Dubai, as Dutch powerhouse and former Strikeforce heavyweight champion and K-1 World Grand Prix winner Alistair “The Demolition Man” Overeem (47-19, 25 KOs, 17 submissions in MMA) will make his professional boxing debut against British knockout artist and former UFC light heavyweight contender Jimi “Poster Boy” Manuwa (1-0, 1 KO in boxing; 17-6, 15 KOs, 1 submission in MMA) in a six-round professional heavyweight boxing bout on Thursday, December 24, at Coca-Cola Arena. The matchup was unveiled during today’s Dubai press conference and adds another high-profile international showdown to the card headlined by global superstar Jake Paul against French combat sports icon and multi-time kickboxing world champion Cédric Doumbé. The event marks Paul’s first professional boxing appearance in Dubai as MVP continues its global expansion, bringing together some of the biggest names in combat sports for a Christmas Eve spectacle in one of the world’s premier entertainment destinations.
“Netherland’s Alistair Overeem and the United Kingdom’s Jimi Manuwa are two of the most recognizable names in combat sports, with decades of experience competing against the best in the world and a combined 40 knockouts in MMA. Alistair is one of the most decorated heavyweights in history, and Jimi has built his career on delivering spectacular knockouts. Bringing these two legends together in a professional boxing match adds another compelling matchup to an already massive Christmas Eve event. With Jake Paul facing Cédric Doumbé in the main event, we’re assembling a card that brings together some of the biggest personalities and most dangerous strikers in combat sports for fans in Dubai and around the world.
Nakisa Bidarian, CEO of Most Valuable Promotions
This will be Overeem’s first combat sports fight since October 2022. He is a former K-1 World Grand Prix Champion, DREAM Heavyweight Champion, and Strikeforce Heavyweight Champion.
