6 ​​sports stars who appeared in action movies as UFC champ becomes Marvel star

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UFC welterweight champion Kamaru Usman has followed in the footsteps of many sports stars before him in diving into the world of action movies. Usman will appear in the soon to be released 'Black Panther: Wakanda Forever'.

The blockbuster – which is set to hit the big screen in November – is a sequel to the original ‘Black Panther’ movie which was released back in 2018. The second edition of the Marvel film is set to be released just two months after Usman’s rematch fight with Leon Edwards that headlines UFC 278.

Of course the UFC star’s feature in the film is not the first time a sporting star has ventured into the world of action film, so from Vinnie Jones to Dwayne Johnson here is a closer look at some of the athletes that have made the acting dive…

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Kamuru Usman

To kick things off we’ll start with Hollywood’s latest mover Usman. There is no denying the Nigerian fighter has enjoyed plenty of success in the octagon throughout his career, which peaked when he became Welterweight champion in 2019.

And there is no doubt the Nigerian will be hoping for similar successes in his acting career, which kicks off later this year with his appearance in the Black Panther sequel. The extent to which Usman features and what role he plays still remains unknown.

Ronda Rousey

Usman is not the only UFC star to perform in front of the cameras, after championship legend Ronda Rousey starred in Fast and Furious . Rousey – best known for defending her UFC bantamweight title six times – plays the role of ‘Kara’ in the 2015 movie.

In the film, Rousey is able to show off some of her fighting skills, with one of her most memorable scenes coming in a clash with ‘Letty Ortiz’ who is played by Michelle Rodriguez.

Dwayne Johnson

Who is your favourite sports star-turned actor? Let us know in the c omments section.

Next up is one of Rousey’s co-stars in the seventh edition of the Fast and Furious series, Dwayne ‘The Rock’ Johnson. Johnson is one of Hollywood’s most recognised actors, and as well as this the American also enjoyed a career as a professional wrestler.

As well as his performances across the Fast and Furious films, ‘The Rock’ has also appeared in action movies such as ‘Red Notice’, ‘Snitch’, ‘Faster’ and ‘Central Intelligence’ to name a few.

Vinnie Jones

Known for his hard-hitting playing style on the pitch, there was arguably no better footballer on the planet to make the move into action movies than former Wimbledon man Vinnie Jones. The 1988 FA Cup winner appeared in action comedy movies ‘Lock, Stock And Two Smoking Barrels’ in 1998 and ‘Snatch’ two years later in 2000.

Jones then also went on to make an appearance in ‘X-Men: The Last Stand in 2006, on a cast list alongside some of Hollywood’s biggest names, including Halle Berry, Hugh Jackman and Patrick Stewart.

Arnold Schwarzenegger

Next on the list is one of the most famous sporting-to-acting switches of all time in Arnold Schwarzenegger. The famed bodybuilder is best known for his lead role in the 1984 classic ‘Terminator’.

This is not the only time the sportsman-turned-actor-turned-politician has appeared in front of camera, after also starring in a number of other action movies including ‘Predator’, ‘The Expendables’ and ‘Collateral Damage’.

Shaquille O'Neal

The final name on the list is one the NBA all-time greats Shaquille O’Neal. As well as starring on the court for the LA Lakers and Miami Heat amongst others, O’Neal also appeared in action blockbuster ‘Steel’.

‘Shaq’ takes a leading role as ‘Steal’ in the 1997 movie, and the film itself is loosely best on the character from DC Comics who adopts the same name.

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  • UFC
  • MMA
  • Ronda Rousey
  • Dwayne Johnson
  • Arnold Schwarzenegger
  • Vinnie Jones

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