It was the year 2001 when Dwayne ‘The Rock’ Johnson broke into mainstream Hollywood with The Mummy Returns. It wasn’t the first time when a WWF/E superstar had made a crossover to Hollywood as The Rock joined the likes of Hollywood Hulk Hogan, Kevin Nash and The Undertaker, who had previously featured in films.
Owing to his superstardom and the ‘millions and millions’ of fans around the world, The Rock started getting more recognition as an actor than as a WWE superstar. Delivering hit after hit, The Rock is currently the highest paid actor in Hollywood, elbowing out Robert Downey Jr. and Brad Pitt in the process!
While on a parallel level, there has been a significant Hollywood-diaspora even in the UFC, with some major fighters crossing over from fighting in the octagon to fighting in front of the camera!
Here are 5 UFC fighters who could very well be Hollywood’s next Dwayne Johnson!
#5 Georges St-Pierre
Boasting of a stellar fighting record and universal fan following, Georges St-Pierre is the personification of ‘sport and beyond’. While, he may currently be taking time from the sport, the world is unsure about his future inside the Octagon.
This is so because of his burgeoning prospects as a movie-star, following in the footsteps of predecessors who’ve taken the plunge with Hollywood. St-Pierre’s first mainstream claim-to-fame was playing Batroc the Leaper in Captain America: The Winter Soldier, a character he convincingly portrayed not just because of his highfalutin’ mixed martial arts skills but also because Batroc required him to play a tough, yet cliched French-speaking villain.
Georges’ next big venture saw him bring gravitas to the role of a mixed martial artist, when he played Kavi in the highly-anticipated MMA blockbuster Kickboxer: Vengeance. With a filmography as impressive as his in-ring exploits, George St-Pierre, most commonly referred to as GSP, might foray further into the film business, given that he’s away from the sport and already 35-years-old.
#4 Randy Couture
Known as one of the most successful fighters inside the octagon, Randy Couture, during his UFC tenure, was a three-time Heavyweight Champion and had the honour of holding the Light Heavyweight belt on two occasions.
The Greco-Roman wrestling exponent was also an interim Light Heavyweight Champion and one of the only three fighters to hold two UFC titles in two different divisions. Even during his his stint with the UFC, Randy featured in several films under the Hollywood banner, mostly playing small roles.
However, he was one of the lynchpins in the success of the star-studded film The Expendables! Despite not known for his acting prowess as compared to his ground-and-pound style, his acting chops came as a surprise to many film enthusiasts, who were left spellbound by his highly entertaining performance.
Notable also, was setting Stone Cold Steve Austin on fire! Couture made quite a mark alongside big household names in the industry like Jason Statham, Terry Crews and Sylvester Stallone and his performance was well lauded!
A few action films more and he might establish himself as Hollywood’s perfect anti-hero!
#3 Ronda Rousey
The name Ronda Rousey is (or I’d say, was) synonymous with women’s mixed martial arts. Till November 2015, this dominant force wreaked havoc inside the cage, rattling opponents with her fierce judo takedowns and submission skills.
Post that was a difficult ride downhill, facing humiliation and criticism for back-to-back losses, where her entire reputation suffered a tumultuous plummet. Fans started turning on her after her brief WrestleMania appearance with Dwayne ‘The Rock’ Johnson and even expressed discontent at the fact that Rousey had now chosen ‘glamour’ over fighting (notably her Sports Illustrated Swimsuit Edition cover where she bared it all).
While, she’s still contemplating her career as a UFC fighter, Rousey knows that she has the Hollywood industry to fall back on. Gifted with Hollywood-worthy looks and a badass persona, Rousey has already played small roles in films like Expendables 3, Entourage and Furious 7!
A month prior to her fight with Holly Holm, she had been announced as a cast member in the remake of the 1989 cult classic Road House, where she’d be reprising the role that was previously made famous by Patrick Swayze.
Following in The Rock’s footsteps, Rousey has also hosted Saturday Night Live. Does it signal a permanent move to the glitz and glamour of Hollywood for Ronda? Only time shall tell..
#2 Quinton Jackson
Nicknamed ‘Rampage’, Quinton Jackson went on quite a rampage every time he fought inside the octagon. From fighting in the UFC as a Light Heavyweight to enthralling crowds in Japan owing to his eccentric personality and popularity, Jackson has been a force to reckon with in the mixed martial arts realm.
But to a legion of his loyal fans he is B.A. Baracus from the A-Team! This underrated action-adventure film exploited his comic timing and acumen for featuring in movies under the Hollywood banner.
Jackson’s performance was lauded by fans and critics from around the world, cementing his place as a ‘sportsman who has the skill to act’. Rampage’s transition from MMA fighter to action movie star has been fairly well-received and he is touted to feature in the film Brass Knuckles, which will also star several other notable MMA names such as Rashad Evans, Frank Mir and Lyoto Machida.
The stage is set for Rampage to cause a rampage, albeit, this time in Hollywood studios!
#1 Anderson Silva
Anderson Silva is a certified UFC legend and his grandiose record speaks volumes about it. Silva was revered for his style of fighting and most notably his reign as the longest UFC title streak holder.
Silva cites Muhammad Ali and Spider Man as his biggest inspirations, so ideally a film based around the two should set the course for his Hollywood endeavours. But, Silva has already been exposed to the camera before.
He played a small role in the DTV schlockfest Hell’s Chain and co-starred in MMA-centred films such as Tapped Out and Never Surrender. He was even the subject of the 2011 documentary Like Water, which reinforced Silva’s status as one of the best fighters in the world.
The man has the swagger, the personality and the cutting edge determination to be successful in whatever he does, so a career in Hollywood doesn’t seem like an idea too far-fetched considering the fact that he has a role in the drama Monday Nights at Seven!
