40 UFC Fighters Turned Actors (Their Best Roles)

Are you wondering about UFC fighters who turned to acting during or after their MMA/UFC career?

In this article, we list 40 UFC fighter-turned-actors and look at their most notable acting roles.

40 UFC Fighters Turned Actors

From the adrenaline-pumping world of the UFC to the dazzling lights of Hollywood, these fighters have taken their combat skills from the cage to the camera.

They’ve grappled with opponents and now they’re grappling with scripts, showing the world that their talents extend far beyond the octagon.

So, without further ado, let’s take a look at the best acting work of your favorite UFC fighters.

1. Randy Couture

Randy Couture is a former six-time UFC champion and UFC Hall of Famer who’s acted in:

• Big Stan (2007)
• Redbelt (2008)
• The Scorpion King 2: Rise of a Warrior (2008)
• The Expendables (2010)
• Set Up (2011)
• Hijacked (2012)
• The Expendables 2 (2012)
• Ambushed (2013)
• Stretch (2014)
• The Expendables 3 (2014)
• The Hard Way (2019)
• MVP (2022)

2. Chuck Liddell

A former UFC Light Heavyweight Champion and UFC Hall of Famer, Chuck Liddell has acted in:

• How High (2001)
• Bobby Z (2007)
• Kick-Ass 2 (2013)
• War Pigs (2015)
• Fight Life (Documentary, 2016)
• A Violent Man (2017)
• Cagefighter (2020)

3. Ronda Rousey

A former UFC Women’s Bantamweight Champion and Olympic bronze medalist in judo, Ronda Rousey has acted in:

• The Expendables 3 (2014)
• Furious 7 (2015)
• Entourage (2015)
• Mile 22 (2018)
• 9-1-1 (TV Series, 2018-2020)
• Charlie’s Angels (2019)

4. Quinton “Rampage” Jackson

A former UFC Light Heavyweight Champion, Quinton Jackson has acted in:

• Midnight Meat Train (2008)
• Never Surrender (2009)
• The A-Team (2010)
• Miss March (2009)
• Fire with Fire (2012)
• Vigilante Diaries (2016)
• Boss Level (2020)
• Lord of the Streets (2022)

5. Gina Carano

A pioneer in women’s MMA, Gina Carano has acted in:

• Haywire (2011)
• Fast & Furious 6 (2013)
• In the Blood (2014)
• Heist (2015)
• Extraction (2015)
• Deadpool (2016)
• The Mandalorian (TV Series, 2019-2020)

6. Georges St-Pierre

A former UFC Welterweight and Middleweight Champion, GSP has acted in:

• Captain America: The Winter Soldier (2014)
• Kickboxer: Vengeance (2016)
• Kickboxer: Retaliation (2018)
• Never Surrender (2009)
• Cartels (2017)
• Hitmen (2023)
• King of Killers (2023)

7. Keith Jardine

Known for his distinctive style in the UFC Light Heavyweight division, Keith Jardine has acted in:

• Crank: High Voltage (2009)
• Gamer (2009)
• Breaking Bad (TV Series, 2009-2010)
• Inherent Vice (2014)
• John Wick (2014)
• Shot Caller (2017)
• Logan (2017)
• Godless (TV Series, 2017)
• Bird Box (2018)
• The Kid (2019)
• Copshop (2021)
• Jade (2023)

8. Tito Ortiz

A former UFC Light Heavyweight Champion and UFC Hall of Famer who’s credited with helping keep the UFC alive during tough financial times, Tito Ortiz has acted in:

• Cradle 2 the Grave (2003)
• The Crow: Wicked Prayer (2005)
• Valley of the Wolves: Iraq (2006)
• Zombie Strippers (2008)
• Silencer (2018)
• Above the Shadows (2019)
• Trail Blazers (2022)
• Hunting Games (2023)

9. Don Frye

A pioneer in mixed martial arts and a UFC tournament champion, Don Frye has acted in:

• Godzilla: Final Wars (2004)
• Miami Vice (2006)
• Public Enemies (2009)
• Big Stan (2007)
• No Rules (2005)
• The Ant Bully (2006, Voice)
• Street Level (2015)
• The Broken Gear (2018)
• The Diggers (2019)

10. Oleg Taktarov

A UFC tournament champion (UFC 6) known for his Sambo and Judo skills, Oleg Taktarov has acted in:

• 15 Minutes (2001)
• Bad Boys II (2003)
• National Treasure (2004)
• Predators (2010)
• We Own the Night (2007)
• Righteous Kill (2008)
• The Man from Toronto (2022)
• The Machine (2023)

11. Cung Le

A former Strikeforce Middleweight Champion known for his Sanshou background, Cung Le has acted in:

• Pandorum (2009)
• Dragon Eyes (2012)
• The Man with the Iron Fists (2012)
• Tekken (2010)
• Bodyguards and Assassins (2009)
• The Grandmaster (2013)
• Savage Dog (2017)

12. Bas Rutten

A former UFC Heavyweight Champion and a three-time King of Pancrase world champion, Bas Rutten has acted in:

• Paul Blart: Mall Cop (2009)
• Zookeeper (2011)
• Here Comes the Boom (2012)
• The River Thief (2016)
• Shadow of the Monarch (2017)
• The Furry Fortune (2023)

13. Andrei Arlovski

A former UFC Heavyweight Champion known for his striking skills and strong beard game, Andrei Arlovski has acted in:

• 8 of Diamonds (2006)
• Universal Soldier: Regeneration (2009)
• Universal Soldier: Day of Reckoning (2012)
• The Equalizer 2 (2018, Uncredited)

14. Brendan Schaub

Known for his UFC career and later as a comedian and podcast host, Brendan Schaub has acted in:

• Range 15 (2016)
• The Fighter and the Kid 3D (TV Series, 2016)
• Bravo’s Play by Play (TV Series, 2018)
• The Tax Collector (2020)
• Film Fest (2020)

15. Michael Bisping

The former UFC Middleweight Champion and now popular YouTuber and UFC commentator, Michael Bisping has acted in:

• xXx: Return of Xander Cage (2017)
• My Name is Lenny (2017)
• Twin Peaks (TV Series, 2017)
• My Name is Lenny (2017)
• Den of Thieves (2018)
• Triple Threat (2019)
• Never Back Down: Revolt (2021)

16. Anderson Silva

Considered one of the greatest MMA fighters of all time with records such as the longest title reign in UFC history at 2,457 days, which included a UFC record of 16 consecutive wins, Anderson Silva has acted in:

• Never Surrender (2009)
• Hell’s Chain (2009)
• Tapped Out (2014)
• Monday Nights at Seven (2016)
• The Invincible Dragon (2019)
• Lord of the Streets (2022)
• Murder City (2023)

17. Bob Sapp

A popular early MMA fighter in Japan, known for his size and strength, Bobb Sapp has acted in:

• The Longest Yard (2005)
• Elektra (2005)
• Big Stan (2007)
• Player 5150 (2008)
• Frankenhood (2009)
• Blood and Bone (2009)
• Conan the Barbarian (2011)
• JourneyQuest (TV Series, 2012)

18. Ken Shamrock

A UFC Hall of Famer and a pioneer in mixed martial arts, Ken Shamrock has acted in:

• Virtuosity (1995)
• Champions (1997)
• Scarecrow Gone Wild (2004)
• The Bunker (2014)
• Grace Is Gone (2019)

19. Frank Mir

A former UFC Heavyweight Champion, Frank Mir has acted in:

• Hell’s Chain (2009)
• Force of Execution (2013)
• Gutshot Straight (2014)
• Sharknado 4: The 4th Awakens (2016)

20. Dan Severn

Another UFC Hall of Famer, known for his wrestling-based fighting style, Dan Severn has acted in: 

• Rudy (1993)
• Minor League: A Football Story (2010)
• Win by Fall (2012)
• The Fight Within (2016)
• Beyond the Game (2016)
• Swamp Zombies 2 (2018)

21. Kazushi Sakuraba

A legendary figure in Japanese MMA, known for his grappling skills, Kazushi Sakuraba has acted in:

• Nagurimono: Love & Kill (2005)
• Baton (Voice, 2009)

22. Royce Gracie

A UFC Hall of Famer, a pioneer in Brazilian jiu-jitsu and MMA, and winner of 3 UFC tournaments (UFC 1, 2, 4), Royce Gracie has acted in:

• Lethal Weapon (Stunts, 1987)
• The Homecoming of Jimmy Whitecloud (2001)
• The Scorpion King 4: Quest for Power (2015)
• Learning the Ropes (2020)

23. Roy Nelson

Known for his distinctive look (beard and belly), knockout power, and winning The Ultimate Fighter: Heavyweights, Roy Nelson has acted in:

• The Scorpion King 4: Quest for Power (2015)
• Sharknado 4: The 4th Awakens (2016)
• Kickboxer: Retaliation (2018)

24. Jorge Masvidal

A popular UFC fighter known for his striking skills, trash-talking, and street scuffles, Jorge Masvidal has acted in:

• Huracán (2019)
• Bezos (2023)

25. Urijah Faber

The California Kid is known for his becoming the featherweight WEC champion and his strong career in the UFC, where he was one of the early great featherweights.

Urijah Faber has acted in:

• The MMAX (TV Series, 2010)
• Reach Me (2014)
• FightMike MMA (TV Series, 2014)
• Rampage (2018)

26. Rich Franklin

A former UFC Middleweight Champion known for his well-rounded skills, Rich Franklin has acted in:

• Cyborg Soldier (2008)
• The Hammer (2010)
• The Genesis Code (2010)
• Mantervention (2014)

27. Forrest Griffin

A former UFC Light Heavyweight Champion and UFC Hall of Famer, Forrest Griffin has acted in:

• I Hope They Serve Beer in Hell (2009)
• 13 (2010)
• Unrivaled (2010)
• Locked Down (2010)
• M4M: Measure for Measure (2015)

28. Joe Son

An early UFC fighter who appeared in UFC 4 and who’s now a convicted felon, Joe Son has acted in:

• Austin Powers: International Man of Mystery (1997)
• Shootfighter II (1996)
• Fight Zone (1995)
• Fight Zone
• Bad Blood (1994)
• Bloodfist V: Human Target (1994)
• Bloodfist V: Human Target
• Shootfighter: Fight to the Death

29. Josh Barnett

A former UFC Heavyweight Champion known for his grappling and striking skills, Josh Barnett has acted in:

• Absolution (2015)
• Sharknado 3: Oh Hell No! (2015)
• Never Back Down: No Surrender (2016)
• Outlaw Johnny Black (2023)

30. Rashad Evans

A former UFC Light Heavyweight Champion and UFC Hall of Famer, Rashad Evans has acted in:

• Locked Down (2010)
• Unrivaled (2010)
• Warrior (2011)
• Boss Level (2020)
• Combat Club (2022)
• Phoenix (2023)

31. Anthony Johnson

Known for his explosive power in the UFC Light Heavyweight division and for performing several insane weight cuts, Anthony Rumble Johnson has acted in:

• Warrior (2011)
• Combat Club (2022)

32. Lyoto Machida

A former UFC Light Heavyweight Champion known for his unique karate-based style, Lyoto Machida has acted in: 

• Unrivaled (2010)
• Never Backdown 2: The Beatdown (2011)
• The Roots of Fight (TV Series, 2012)
• Tapped Out (2014)

33. Kimbo Slice

Kimbo Slice, Born Kevin Ferguson, gained fame through street fighting videos before joining the UFC, and has acted in:

• Merry Christmas, Drake and Josh (2008)
• Blood and Bone (2009)
• Locked Down (2010)
• The Scorpion King 3: Battle for Redemption (2012)

34. Frank Shamrock

A former UFC Middleweight Champion and a pioneer in mixed martial arts, Frank Shamrock has acted in:

• No Rules (2005)
• Money Fight (2012)
• Jaya (2015)
• Bad Dad (2020)

35. Yoshihiro Akiyama

Yoshihiro Akiyama, a judoka and mixed martial artist known for his time in the UFC, has acted in: 

• Athena: Goddess of War (TV Series, 2010)
• Thrilling na nichijô (2016)
• Battle for Incheon: Operation Chromite (2016)

36. Donald Cerrone

Known for his fearless fighting style and being one of the longest-tenured UFC fighters with many wins and total fights, Donald Cerrone has acted in:

• Godless (TV Series, 2017)
• The Equalizer 2 (2018)
• Puppy Love (2020)
• Spenser Confidential (2020)
• Terror on the Prairie (2022)
• Outlaw Johnny Black (2023)
• Americana (2023)

37. Kamaru Usman

The “Nigerian Nightmare”, a dominant UFC Welterweight Champion, Kamaru Usman has acted in:

• Black Panther: Wakanda Forever (2022)

38. Francis Ngannou

The formidable UFC Heavyweight Champion known for his knockout power, Francis Ngannou has appeared in:

• F9: The Fast Saga (2021)
• Jackass Forever (2022)

39. Miesha Tate

A former UFC Women’s Bantamweight Champion, Miesha Tate has acted in:

• Fight Valley (2016)

40. Holly Holm

Famous for her stunning victory over Ronda Rousey, Holly Holm has acted in:

• Fight Valley (2016)
• The Cleaning Lady (TV Series, 2022)