Rampage has the howl down pat but we’re all anxious to see how he does with “I pity the fool”.
Dana White was recently interviewed by Jim Rome on his show “Rome Is Burning”. In the interview White says that MMA continues to fight for respect. While that is true when he compares ESPN’s decision to air ping-pong over MMA, it does not necessarily ring true as far as mainstream acceptance overall.
MMA has made it. It is accepted by mainstream audiences. There are a few detractors but even they cannot downplay the recent strides achieved by the sport.
Go ahead and say it because it’s true. MMA stars are cashing in on their sport’s popularity. Many high profile fighters will be out of action for better paying gigs in Hollywood. From rap stars to reality stars, everybody wants to be in the movies.
Quinton “Rampage” Jackson is looking to channel his inner Mr. T as “B.A. Baracus” in the “A-Team” remake. The movie already has a built in audience and they could have gone another way, but they chose Jackson instead of going for a more established actor or an unknown. The studio realizes the added element he brings to the film and they cast him for it.
Not to worry Gina-holics. She’ll return to the cage in due time so she can pound the crap out of someone for our enjoyment.
Gina Carano was awarded most exceptional role ever offered to a mixed martial artist, male or female. She has the leading role in Steven Sodenberg’s next project, “Knockout”. Previously, films starring MMA fighters were straight-to-DVD quality, with the obvious exception of the forthcoming “A-Team” remake, but “Knockout” will be an honest-to-God Hollywood picture with the trademark Sodenberg thriller trimmings. A Sodenberg film is nothing to scoff at. It’s about as big as it gets in Hollywood. Carano continues to break barriers for the sport with her latest epic accomplishment.
“El Matador” Roger Huerta is latest on a growing list of MMA stars that would rather sip latte in a trailer on set than hit the heavy bag in a gym.
Roger Huerta decided to see their single films and raise them a career. Jackson and Carano will eventually return to the sport that made them famous, but Huerta on the other hand said “adios.”
Cung Le has made so many movie appearances he has failed to defend the middleweight title he won 2 years ago.
Chuck Liddell was a guest star on HBO’s Emmy Award winning “Entourage” and also had a recent stint on “Dancing With the Stars”. Then Elite XC airs on CBS, and in the near future so will Strikeforce. Hell, even Marge Simpson is scheduled to rain elbows on the Ultimate Punching Championship in an upcoming episode of “The Simpsons”!
With that being said, it’s apparent that MMA is now accepted by mainstream standards. Movies and television are the biggest proof of “making it” in the eyes of the public.
So the obstacle is now conquered and the quality of the projects being offered is respectable. Fighters love it. Promoters hate it, but breakthrough success is never easy and always at a high price. It’s a price well worth it though as MMA continues to push forward as a major sport.
Sanctioned Violence 