A rom-com manga (not much com but just at the light hearted moments) with an MC (high school still) training to become a professional MMA fighter. Lots of heavy focus on the MMA side. Like legitimately showcasing actual MMA "moves".
As being someone who is often bruised up he is avoided at school etc loner type etc bla bla
FMC being a girl in his class (preferably a gyaru-ish as I have a bias for gyarus but you could also have the extreme "innocent" type to further insinuate the gap between a rough looking MC and opposite FMC). He doesn't really know who she is as he doesnt pay attention in school at all.
He saves FMC while she was getting harassed by multiple dudes somewhere outside while she was out in the city. Maybe night convenience store visit. As the avg person barely knows how to fight he wrecks em but one of had a knife which kind of cut him a bit on his arm or hand. Which she saw. Let's say he was also wearing a hoodie so she didn't know who was saving her exactly.
Obviously scared by what happened to her but also impressed by the dude's fighting ability she decides to join a self defense class at a gym. Taught by... guess who?..... MCs childhood friend. While I hate a "losing heroine" and prefer 1:1 romance stories. I guess having one in a story does get people interested.
So she actually started to kinda figure out who saved her by connecting the dots due to bits and pieces from conversation in her self defense class and as she overheard MCs coach scolding MC for getting himself hurt and them having to postpone his fight due to that.
MC is shy af. But not in the simpy cucky sense that is normal in manga. Just shy with girls mostly specially if there's romance involved. Yada yada stuff happens. They get closer together. Very close. FMC wanted to be a doctor in the future (insert some reason due to some sad thing in the past). So somehow she's good with stitches for now lets say.. She patches up his cuts for him after some of his "non mma fight" fights. She is sad af seeing him so hurt yada yada.. Shit happens. She basically becomes his "cutman". Just good cute romance. Lots of hugs and some kisses as well. And good technical fight scenes.
You know how some manga have Muhammad Ali or Tyson called out to showcase tough boxers... Maybe you can call out Mcgreger here for a funny moment which could make the manga get some attention lol. Mcgregor aint really the best influence though lol.
You could say end of manga could be when MC reaches the "UFC".
That is an oddly specific one
You're writing that story? keep it up, man
There are very few manga that could really balance between romcom and action-packed combat sports/martial arts on the long run.
I mean, I feel like they're both on the opposite ends of the spectrum, so most of the time, the story doesn't usually switch back and forth so often.
So it's usually a series of high action arcs, and then one soft funny romcom every now and then like HSDK and Ippo
or a romcom focused, with a few fights just to put it on the theme like Katsu
Though I'd love to as I love the romance genre and love MMA. 