Misfits Boxing has established itself as a premier platform for celebrity and crossover combat sports, now expanding to include Misfits MMA. This weekend saw a series of high-profile debuts and returns, featuring reality TV star Joey Essex, former MMA champion Luke Rockhold, and jiu-jitsu expert Dillon Danis, all stepping into the Misfits arena in Manchester.

Joey Essex, a familiar face on British TV for 15 years since "The Only Way Is Essex," embarked on his "most daring challenge" yet: a Misfits Boxing debut against Portuguese influencer Numeiro. The 35-year-old trained rigorously, often twice a day, six days a week, under the guidance of his uncle and trainer, Tony Sims. Despite Sims initially deeming his nephew "too pretty" to fight, Essex dismissed concerns about damaging his looks, stating, "teeth can be fixed. Anything can be done, it's all good." He viewed this as a career change, aiming for bigger and better fights. His debut fight was an exhausting and emotional affair. Essex, also joined on the card by Tony's daughter Demi, started strong, landing jabs and right hands, even scoring a standing count in the third round. However, Numeiro rallied, and Essex himself faced a standing count in the fourth. The bout went to the scorecards, with Essex securing a split-decision victory. The gruelling contest left him so exhausted he required medical attention and was unable to do post-fight interviews.

Former UFC middleweight champion Luke Rockhold also made his Misfits Boxing debut, facing fellow ex-UFC star Darren Till in Manchester. Rockhold, known for a celebrated MMA career that included winning the Strikeforce middleweight title in 2011 and the UFC title in 2015, comes from a talented sporting family. His mainstream appeal led to celebrity romances, including a brief relationship with pop star Demi Lovato, and modelling gigs for Ralph Lauren. After a series of losses from 2018-2022 marked the end of his UFC run, Rockhold made a brief switch to bare-knuckle boxing in 2023, where he notoriously quit after losing a tooth against Mike Perry, dismissing it as a "dumb sport." He bounced back with a win in Karate Combat before joining Misfits, now eyeing "big money fights," explicitly mentioning YouTuber-turned-boxer Jake Paul as a potential future opponent, aiming to "show who the real fighters are."

Jiu-jitsu champion Dillon Danis marked his return to combat sports in a historic manner by featuring in the first-ever Misfits MMA bout. Danis, who had a promising 2-0 start in MMA after his 2018 debut but was sidelined by knee injuries, previously ventured into Misfits Boxing in 2023, where he was disqualified against Logan Paul for attempting an MMA move. His Misfits MMA fight against influencer Warren Spencer was remarkably swift. When Spencer inexplicably attempted to take the action to the ground, Danis, an expert grappler, swiftly secured a chokehold, forcing a tap in just 15 seconds, improving his MMA record to 3-0. Following his dominant win, Danis even faced off with strongman Eddie Hall, with both agreeing to a sensational future fight despite an 11-stone weight difference.