Sports stars and athletes have become big business for many other industries in recent times.
You may have noticed that you’ve engaged in sport betting activities on a certain individual in the past only to notice that they have made their way onto the big screen and apply what they have learned into an acting role.
Of course, there are some sports that perhaps lend themselves to an opportunity as actors, such as wrestling. The Rock, Davie Batista, and John Cena have all gone on to be big names in Hollywood over the last decade or so, with professional wrestling featuring an element of acting within the performances.
However, could those who compete in the UFC make a successful transition and go from the Octagon to the cinema screen in the same way?
UFC stars to have swapped the Octagon for Hollywood’s bright lights
There have been instances whereby we’ve seen names that are perhaps easier to associate with the UFC’s Octagon than they are with seeing their names as part of a film’s credits.
Chael Sonnen is one individual who has made a brief transition and became an actor, although it’s probably not a surprise given that he has tried his hand at a bit of everything. A successful combat fighter, he achieved a mixed martial arts record of 31-17-1 during his professional fighting career, although it was blighted with suspensions and controversy. He has also tried his hand at professional wrestling and boxing, both with some degree of success.
In terms of being an actor, he appeared in Here Comes the Boom (2012) and Grudge Match (2013) before appearing in The New Celebrity Apprentice in 2017, where he was fired because of illicit tactics.
Sonnen isn’t the only one to have made the trans star Hollywood’s movie industry, with “Cowboy” Donald Cerrone and Conor McGregor both starring in films. Cerrone has several film and TV credits to his name, while McGregor featured in documentaries on himself and in the 2024 release Roadhouse. Some would probably wish that the man nicknamed “Notorious” would concentrate on his fight career, especially as they know they can get good odds on him once they have read the insights offered about the sport on the UFC bettings platform available to newbies to the sport.
Could we see other UFC stars swap the Octagon for Hollywood?
It really wouldn’t be a surprise if we were to see many other UFC athletes decide to swap the Octagon for the bright lights of Hollywood and the big screen, should they be given the opportunity.
As highlighted, sports stars have become a way for directors to potentially increase audience numbers because of their global appeal and attraction. While they will need to be able to act to some level, some may just want them to star in a role doing what they do best: fighting.
We’ve seen some transition successfully from their sporting background, and what’s to say that there couldn’t be anyone else to do it in the future.