Chase Mann’s background in powerlifting isn’t the typical origin story of a successful MMA fighter, but when it comes to the ‘Mannimal’, exceeding expectations has been a lifelong journey. In an exclusive interview with M&F, the undefeated fighter explains how he transitioned from bench barbells to bodies, and why he’s excited to fight Isi Fitikefu in his ONE Championship debut on January 23.
Proving that your start in life doesn’t have to determine your outcome, Chase Mann is undoubtedly an inspiration. Mann’s parents, from Paragould, Arkansas, wanted their three children to play sports, but unfortunately were less able to care for them. They fell into the grip of substance abuse, and this resulted in a rebellious childhood that saw Mann arrested at just ten years old. While he was later sent to a faith-based treatment facility called Lord’s Ranch, this turned out to be an abusive environment, and he was beaten so severely that on one occasion a handprint was left around Mann’s throat.
Fortunately, his parents found out what was going on and managed to get him out of there, but the family would subsequently be rocked by guilt and trauma. Arrests were eventually made at the ranchbut the damage had already been done, leaving Mann to come to terms with understandable anger. Fortunately, the love this family had for each other kept them together, and despite the challenges, positivity was on the horizon.
With Mann’s parents working hard to overcome their addictions, and his own growing family proving to be a saving grace, Mann says his entire perception changed once his daughter was born. Today, he is a rising talent in MMA, with an undefeated pro streak of 6-0-0. He’s also just days away from his biggest fight yet, against Isi Fitikefu for ONE Championshipbut he will never abandon his powerlifting roots.
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Chase Mann became a champion powerlifter before moving to MMA
“I was about 19 years old when I walked into a local gym,” Mann tells M&F. “The first day I signed up at this new gym, they had a powerlifting competition there. It was like a garage gym, old fashioned, the garage doors were all open. Everyone is in there lifting crazy weights and I thought, ‘wow!’, I’ve never seen anything like that.”
As Mann practiced lifting, an observer named Logan proved to be an important friend and mentor, teaching him about form and technique and encouraging the young athlete to compete in powerlifting competitions. Logan’s instincts and Mann’s ability to listen and learn would prove to be a great combination. He won several tournaments, including the Junior’s Southern States championship and the Little Rock Classic.
About MMA, Mann says he always wanted to get into the sport, but knew his mentality wasn’t right during his turbulent teenage years. “To be honest, I had to grow up a bit mentally,” he says. His first amateur fight took place in 2021 where he defeated his opponent in 90 seconds using a rear naked choke. By 2023, the fighter had turned pro and now has an undefeated record of 6-0-0. “Getting in the cage and fighting someone, it’s one of the scariest things I’ve ever done,” he reflects, comparing the differences between fighting against barbells and the bodies of his MMA opponents.
Chase Mann is using his powerlifting background for MMA success
Mann played football as a kid and knows the physicality that comes when two bodies collide, but while powerlifting is a completely different discipline to compete in, there are benefits to being a comfortable weightlifter who can take the Mannimal to the cage. “The way I fight, powerlifting has helped me 100 percent in MMA,” he explains. “I like to use my strength and my aggression. I come forward. I like to get my hands on people.”
After his victories, the welterweight is often told by opponents that they were shocked by how strong he is. “I like that they feel that power,” Mann explains, noting that there are moments when he literally pushes a body away, just as he would with a barbell. Of course, there is a huge difference between lifting a static barbell with a somewhat predictable path, compared to the randomness of his opponents’ movements. “I’ve had to make changes to my training, and it’s been trial and error, but I’ve tried to integrate and maintain as much of that strength as possible into everything I do,” Mann explains. “I want to have a strong foundation, and I think a lot of fighters neglect that area. I think a lot of fighters just run too much and don’t build a strong foundation and core enough.”
Powerlifting has given Mann a solid foundation and has also honed other attributes such as balance and coordination, helping him deliver explosive power during MMA fights, but there are elements of the powerlifting lifestyle that he has had to dial back. “In the beginning, when I started MMA, right when I started doing it, I tried to keep training the same way, keep doing all the power lifting,” he says. “And I just found out you get injured. Powerlifting is all about training to lift something once, the heaviest weight possible. But for MMA I have to lift for 15 minutes and lift the guy’s body weight. I could do that 30 times.”
Mann tells M&F that he’s still climbing percentages of his rep max. “I still do a compound movement every day,” he explains, but notes that unlike during his powerlifting career, Mann now performs full-body workouts regularly. There’s also a specific exercise that’s now part of this fighter’s routine that checks the boxes for building explosive power while helping to prevent injury.
Chase Mann includes Smith Machine barbell throws
Using a relatively light weight, Mann loads up the Smith machine for his barbell throws, lying on the bench and launching the bar skyward, letting go and then grabbing the bar to control the descent. “I do it for time, so it’s an explosive moment mixed with power,” he explains. This is a wise move because the smith machine forces the barbell to follow a set path and is less likely to cause strain.
In terms of the scariness of MMA, Mann tells M&F he’s learned that fear can be used as fuel. “You know, I perform better under pressure,” he reflects. That’s a good thing, because on January 23, 2026, the Mannimal will make his debut for ONE Championship at Fight Night 39 in Bangkok, Thailand, against former rugby player Isi Fitikefu. “It’s still surreal to me,” says Mann. “The first time I saw my face on that fight poster, when they announced our fight, I’m not going to lie, it brought tears to my eyes.”
Yet this inspiring figure is purely businesslike. “I would say we have similar styles when it comes to the way we fight,” notes Fitikefu’s Mann. “He likes to get forward and wrestle and he’s obviously a very big physical guy. He played rugby, I grew up playing football. I think it’s going to be two strong guys meeting in the middle and yeah, we’ll see who can come out on top!”
ONE Fight Night 39 takes place on January 23rd with a start time of 6:00 PM PST / 9:00 PM EST. Due to the time difference, the show will air in the UK on January 24 at 2am. In addition to Mann vs Fitikefu, a packed card features a great main event with Thailand’s own Rambolek Chor Ajalaboon finally battling Russian knockout artist Abdulla “Smash Boy” Dayakaev.
The event will be broadcast via the official ONE Championship YouTube channel.
The event will also be available to Amazon Prime Video customers in the US and Canada. For more information, click here.
