Last Friday I had an opportunity to speak to Randy Couture, a mixed martial arts star and now actor who has a small but important role in the new David Mamet film, "Redbelt."
I always try to keep an eye on MMA stuff for all you crazy kids out there, including my boss.
(If you missed it here is my MMA conversation with Ray Mancini from the other day.)
Click below for a transcript of my chat with Couture.
The subject is whether a major release with an MMA/Jiu-Jitsu theme is another indication the sport has become mainstream.
Couture: "I think it’s kind of ironic that a sport that for a long, long time was banned in some states, that’s largely misunderstood and looked at that we’re somehow criminal, and here one of the most well renowned moviemakers and writers writes a whole plot with this as the backdrop and it’s on Sony Classic.
"I think that’s a good indicator of what’s really going on in our sport and how far we’ve come. I think it’s definitely the combative sport for this generation. I think in previous generations boxing was the thing.
"This has so many dimensions to it, the style matchups, the athletes themselves are interesting, and I think people get that. It's a natural. No pun there. [His nickname is The Natural, by the way.]
"[Acting in it] works for me on a lot of levels. David Mamet did a movie about MMA and the integrity of the sport. I get a chance as I’m transitioning out of athletics and fighting into hopefully doing more acting to work with David. It certainly gives me some credibility as well."