Chase Mann brings a 6-0 professional record into his ONE Championship debut against Isi Fitikefu at ONE Fight Night 39 on Friday, January 23, at Lumpinee Stadium in Bangkok, Thailand. The 29-year-old Arkansas native arrives after overcoming difficult circumstances that nearly derailed his path to professional fighting.
Mann grew up in the small Arkansas towns of Paragould and Lake City, splitting time between his parents' and grandparents' homes as his mother and father struggled with drug addiction throughout his childhood. By age 10, he faced his first arrest for vandalism, beginning a pattern of legal troubles that culminated in being sent to Lord's Ranch, a faith-based treatment facility, at his parents' direction.
What was intended as a nine-month program ended after 29 days when workers at the facility physically abused him. His parents removed him immediately after seeing bruises during their first family visit, but the trauma contributed to their relapse. The facility was eventually raided by the FBI, with workers imprisoned for assault and the owner arrested before the program shut down.
"My parents got me out of there, filed a lawsuit, and then they relapsed. That was kind of the big thing that made them really fall off the deep end because they blamed themselves," Mann explained. "It was just a lot of physical abuse there. The workers, a lot of them, went to prison and jail for all kinds of assault when the FBI eventually raided them."
His trajectory changed at 19 when his first daughter was born, providing the catalyst for leaving his troubled past behind. Mann focused initially on powerlifting, setting state and national records including a 700-pound squat, but the sport served mainly to fill time until he found courage to pursue his actual dream of fighting professionally.
"Once my daughter was born, it kind of just woke up something inside of me. God kept me grounded. God saved my life, and I can say that for sure," Mann stated.
At 21, he began training at The LC in Walnut Ridge, Arkansas, where getting submitted by a female training partner during his first session convinced him he had found the right place. Despite dreaming of MMA since writing it on a career sheet at age 13, fear of public failure had prevented him from starting earlier. His coach eventually scheduled his amateur debut in September 2021 after Mann admitted he would never commit without external pressure.
The amateur run produced four victories including a title before Mann turned professional in June 2023. His professional campaign features an 80 percent finishing rate across six victories, though he dismisses the undefeated record as secondary to continuous improvement and representing his community.
"People ask me a lot about the undefeated record, and I don't really care about that. I just want to keep getting better," Mann said. "I'm trying to show these kids who come from nothing, like I did, that you can do anything. If you believe in yourself with God on your side, just with the right mentality, anything's possible."
His interest in ONE Championship intensified after Demetrious Johnson joined the promotion in 2018. Following his most recent victory in May 2025, Mann reached out expressing interest in joining the roster. The opportunity to face Fitikefu arrived shortly after, providing the welterweight with an immediate test against experienced competition in his promotional debut.
