10 UFC fighters who starred in the movies
Here are a few notable UFC fighters who had a presence in various movies and TV series.
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Conor McGregor and Valentina Shevchenko acted opposite A-list actors in their film debut (via Instagram/Women's Health)
MMA and UFC fighters are not known for their acting skills. With the popularity of the UFC over the past decade, the fighters have started to act in movies. They have pursued music, acting, or even producing movies.
UFC fighters stepping foot in the acting realm have had success in acting. Fighters like Ronda Rousey had transitioned well into Hollywood. MMA fighters like Gina Carano have found more success in acting than in their fighting career. In the past, UFC champions were approached to act in movies.
Find out the UFC stars who acted in movies.
Chuck Liddell
Retired UFC fighter Chuck Liddell was one of the most intimidating fighters in the 2000s. The former UFC light heavyweight champion exposed MMA to the mainstream audience before Brock Lesnar and George St-Pierre came along. Popular UFC fighters like Conor McGregor have cited Liddell as their inspiration to become fighters. Liddell is among the most legendary UFC fighters to act in movies.
The fighter appeared in movies such as The Riot and Cagefighter. Chuck Liddell has starred in more than ten movies and made multiple appearances on TV series as well. Most of his films did not find a mainstream audience. His most notable scene came opposite the late great Paul Walker in The Death and Life of Bobby Z. In the film, Liddell plays a bully in prison trying to intimidate Walker’s character. However, Walker’s character beats Liddell badly in the film.
Francis Ngannou
Cameroonian fighter Francis Ngannou etched his name in history as one of the best heavyweight fighters ever. ‘The Predator’ has his brutal punching power. Ngannou’s physique alone makes him a fantastic option to play one of the bad guys in films.
Another thing the fighter is known for is his appearance in movies. ‘The Predator’ starred in the successful movie franchise Fast & Furious. He was offered a role in the 9th edition of the series ‘F9.’ The fighter made an unexpected shift and starred in Steve-O’s 2022 comedy Jackass Forever. Now that Ngannou has become a big name in boxing as well, fight fans can expect him to act in more films.
Michael Bisping
English fighter and former UFC middleweight champion Michael Bisping has a strong presence in the MMA community. His pacing and striking ability are considered to be noteworthy in the octagon. ‘The Count’ has impressive wins over fighters like Anderson Silva and Luke Rockhold. He retired from the UFC in 2018 with 30 wins and nine losses. Among the British UFC fighters, Bisping remains the only one to act in movies.
Bisping was an elite trash talker with one of the most quotable one-liners in history. It makes him a perfect candidate to act in films. ‘The Count’ has starred in movies alongside famous actors such as Samuel L Jackson and Vin Diesel. Bisping’s most famous work is the 2017 movie XXX: Return of Xander Cage. The fighter has also appeared in movies like Never Back Down: Revolt and Triple Threat alongside Tony Jaa.
Kamaru Usman
Kamaru Usman is one of the greatest welterweight fighters ever. He deployed his dominant wrestling to wreak havoc on the welterweight division. After amassing five title defenses in the division, he rose to global fame.
This made Ryan Coogler cast him in Black Panther: Wakanda Forever. He played a naval officer in the film. Now that his career has approached its twilight, Usman might get more opportunity to act in Hollywood.
Donald “Cowboy” Cerrone
Donald “Cowboy” Cerrone is a UFC Hall of Famer and former title challenger. Cerrone loves to ride horses, go on adventures, and do daredevil stunts from time to time. This makes him the perfect one to star in action films. He could even do his stunts.
Cerrone started to make small appearances in various films and TV series from 2017. He acted opposite Mark Wahlberg in Spenser Confidential. He acted opposite Gina Carano in Terror on the Praire. His latest starring role came in Mojave Diamonds. Cerrone will act in more films since his retirement from MMA.
Tyron Woodley
Tyron “The Chosen One” Woodley is a decorated MMA fighter. He came from a college wrestling background, where he won the gold medal in the Big 12 Championship in the 165 pounds category. He won the UFC gold and defended it four times. Once he found fame, he slowly started acting and rapping to expand his area of expertise.
Woodley acted in the iconic Straight Outta Compton in 2015. He acted opposite Bollywood star and Indian superstar Salman Khan in Sultan (2016). Woodley shared the screen alongside Sylvester Stallone and Dave Bautista in Escape Plan 2: Hades. His most recent acting appearance came in the Cobra Kai series.
Valentina Shevchenko
Valentina “Bullet” Shevchenko is the most skilled women’s MMA fighter ever. She comes from a kickboxing and Muay Thai background. Shevchenko is also one of the most skilled strikers in the UFC.
Her martial arts background remains so impressive that Hollywood star Halle Berry wanted her to co-star in a sports film. The duo collaborated in Bruised (2020). Considering her martial arts background, she will likely receive offers to star in more action films in the future.
Chael Sonnen
Chael Sonnen is among the greatest fighters ever to not win the UFC gold. He came from a college wrestling background. He was the first fighter in MMA to utilize trash-talks to promote fights. Fighters like Conor McGregor and Colby Covington followed in his footsteps.
Sonnen made his film debut in Here Comes the Boom opposite Kevin James. In the 2013 film The Grudge Match, he had a notable role opposite Robert De Niro and Sylvester Stallone. Recently, he starred alongside Donald Cerrone in Mojave Diamonds. Sonnen, with his trash-talks, could one day star as a bad guy in a film.
Tito Ortiz
Tito Ortiz was the light heavyweight champion in the UFC. His rivalry with Chuck Liddell and Ken Shamrock helped the UFC gain traction during the early days of Dana White. Tito has starred in plenty of films.
It started with a cameo appearance in Cradle 2 the Grave. His most mainstream role came in Boo 2! A Madea Halloween, where he co-starred opposite Tyler Perry. He has continued to make minor appearances in films and TV series.
Conor McGregor
Last but not least, this list remains invalid without the presence of ‘The Notorious’ Conor McGregor. Coming from a humble beginning, McGregor became a global icon with his fantastic performances inside the octagon. His elite-level trash-talking makes him the perfect fighter to act in films. He is one of the most iconic UFC fighters to act in movies.
In 2023, Jake Gyllenhaal, Doug Liman, and the Hollywood came calling. Conor McGregor starred in Road House. The movie will be released on March 21, 2024. From the trailer, it looks like McGregor has done a phenomenal job in his Hollywood debut. More exciting roles will likely come for the Irishman in the future.
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Ritvik Malhotra
(1085 Articles Published)