Two former UFC heavyweights are trading the cage for the boxing ring.

Alistair Overeem and Jimi Manuwa will fight each other on Dec. 24 in Dubai. The bout was announced on Thursday at a press conference in the city.

It will be the co-main event on Jake Paul's Christmas Eve card at Coca-Cola Arena. Both men are 46 and both will be making their pro boxing debuts.

Six rounds at heavyweight

The fight is a sanctioned six-round heavyweight bout. Overeem and Manuwa were both known for their striking in MMA, so this matchup leans into what they do best.

Overeem is one of the most decorated heavyweights of his era. The Dutch fighter won titles in Strikeforce, DREAM and K-1. He fought Stipe Miocic for the UFC heavyweight title in 2016 and holds wins over Brock Lesnar, Frank Mir, Junior dos Santos and Fabricio Werdum.

Overeem said he is starting "a new chapter in boxing" and is "not here to make up the numbers." "Jimi Manuwa is a dangerous man with serious knockout power."

Manuwa, from England, went 6-6 in the UFC with five knockout wins before leaving in 2019.

"I know exactly what he's capable of," Manuwa said of Overeem. "That's why I wanted this fight."

Paul's return in the main event

The night belongs to Paul. He will face French kickboxing star Cédric Doumbé in an eight-round cruiserweight fight at 200 pounds.

It is Paul's first fight since he suffered a broken jaw in a knockout loss to Anthony Joshua in December 2025. Paul is 12-2 as a pro boxer.

Doumbé is a two-time GLORY kickboxing world champion with a 75-7-1 kickboxing record. He is 6-1 in MMA and 1-0 in boxing.

"Bringing these two legends together in a professional boxing match adds another compelling matchup to an already massive Christmas Eve event," Most Valuable Promotions CEO Nakisa Bidarian said of Overeem and Manuwa.

Tickets go on sale Sunday.