For undefeated lightweight Chase Mann, the road to ONE Championship wasn’t paved with ideal circumstances or early advantages. It was shaped by inconsistency, limited access, and a long stretch of believing in something before there was any proof it would work.
Raised in Jonesboro, Arkansas, Mann’s childhood lacked stability. Both of his parents struggled with addiction, and large portions of his early years are difficult for him to recall. What remains clear is that structure mattered—and when he found it, he held onto it.
Football became that structure first. Mann began playing in third grade and eventually settled in at quarterback, running a triple-option offense that emphasized movement and decision-making over size. At 5-foot-9, he wasn’t built for a traditional pocket role, but he was effective.
“It gave me something to focus on,” Mann said.
College opportunities followed, but mistakes off the field closed those doors. Wrestling programs were scarce in Arkansas, and while martial arts had briefly entered his life through his older brother’s exposure to jiu-jitsu, consistent training wasn’t realistic at the time. Money was tight. Gyms were far. Transportation was unreliable.
Still, the idea of fighting never left.
A Late Start, Taken Seriously
Mann didn’t begin training seriously until after high school, when jiu-jitsu became the most accessible entry point. The transition was immediate and consuming. Within weeks, he found his way to The LC, the gym where he continues to train today.
“I always knew I wanted to fight in a cage,” Mann said. “Even when I was younger.”
Under head coach Tommy Walker, Mann began developing a well-rounded MMA skill set. Walker oversees much of Mann’s grappling and MMA preparation, drawing from a background that includes boxing and over a decade as a jiu-jitsu black belt. His striking development has come under Daniel Cole, whose Muay Thai and kickboxing instruction helped close early gaps.
Mann made his amateur debut in 2021. The nerves were overwhelming.
Before his first fight, Mann watched each blue-corner fighter ahead of him lose—one injured, another emotional, another taken away in an ambulance. By the time he walked to the cage, his legs were cold and numb. Once the door closed, everything slowed.
The fight ended in roughly 90 seconds. Mann took the back and secured the choke without ever throwing the punches he’d visualized all week.
“I’m better when there’s no time to think,” he said.
Growth Through Setbacks
Mann went 4–1 as an amateur, with the lone loss coming against Jarious Gill—a fight that forced a recalibration.
“I got comfortable,” Mann admitted.
Gill broke his nose early and capitalized on a guillotine attempt that had worked repeatedly in the gym. Under pressure, it failed. That loss stayed with him.
When Mann turned professional, the response wasn’t dramatic. It was disciplined. He trained six or seven days a week and treated every session as non-negotiable. Wins followed, and so did maturity.
The rematch with Gill came later, this time under professional rules. It went the distance, and Mann earned the decision.
“That one meant a lot,” he said.
Now 6–0 as a professional, Mann’s finishing ability has expanded. His most recent win ended via knockout, his first, confirming growth beyond his grappling-heavy background.
Anchored by Family
Outside the cage, Mann’s life revolves around his family. He and his wife, Emily, are raising two children: a 10-year-old daughter, Addison, and a newborn son, Creed. Fatherhood changed him, particularly after Addison was born.
“She softened me,” Mann said.
Having a son added a different kind of pressure, but also clarity.
The ONE Championship Opportunity
Interest from ONE Championship began following Mann’s May bout. Initial conversations were informal. Then, a November fight fell through, and a short-notice ONE opportunity followed, but collapsed due to passport issues.
Eventually, the timing aligned.
On Friday, Jan. 23, at ONE Fight Night 39, Mann wil have his first fight outside the United States, and that will be only his second time on an airplane.
“I’m excited,” he said.
His opponent, Isi Fitikefu, presents a familiar challenge: physically strong, aggressive, and comfortable pushing pace. Stylistically, the matchup promises engagement. Both fighters prefer to initiate exchanges rather than wait.
“He’s strong,” Mann said. “You can tell when he gets his hands on people.”
Bigger Than a Result
Mann doesn’t frame the moment as validation. For him, this is continuation. He wants to represent Arkansas, a state without a deep MMA lineage, and show that high-level opportunities don’t require perfect beginnings. He views it through faith rather than expectation.
“I don’t think God cares if I win or lose,” Mann said. “But I think He cares that I do what I’m supposed to do.”
That belief carries him into his ONE Championship debut: undefeated, largely self-built, and shaped by persistence more than polish.
“I’m coming to compete,” Mann said.
Now, he finally gets to do it on the world stage.
ONE Fight Night 39 will air live from the Lumpinee Boxing Stadium in Bangkok, Thailand on Amazon Prime Video on Friday, Jan. 23, at 9 p.m. ET