Issue 127
April 2015
The ‘Dean of Mean’ explains how he built a career after mixed martial arts
Q&A
Since retiring from MMA you’ve starred in a number of movies, like Crank, Gamer, Recoil and John Wick, and on TV in Breaking Bad. How have you made the transition to acting so effectively?
“The acting thing, that’s my passion. Now my fighting career is over, I still need an art. It doesn’t have to be so physical. I still train, of course – I rolled with Tim Kennedy and the guys this morning. I still need that outlet. But right now acting is my art, my focus.
“I take it very seriously. I work very hard and I think I can get better with a lot of hard work. I’m not that big of a star in MMA so I can’t just walk into a casting call or get roles given to me based on my MMA career. I walk into auditions just like everyone else with my headshots and my resume. There will be a whole line of people there looking to pay rent and make some money that I’ll compete with and they couldn’t care less that I am a fighter.”
You also tried your hand at bounty hunting too. Any fun stories?
“My first job, I was going with my friend John, it was his company. We went to the door and they weren’t letting us in. As a bondsman we have the right to search if there is reasonable suspicion the person is in there. John had me go around back and I see the door open up and this big old pitbull running through the back yard. I think, ‘Oh s**t!’ and the girl goes running for the fence.
“So I jumped into the neighbor’s back yard and climbed up the neighbor’s back fence. I climbed on top of their shed and I looked down as she was climbing up right underneath me. The dog was jumping up trying to get me, but I picked her up with one arm, put her on the shed and cuffed her and took her away.”
Who are the people that inspire you most, personally and professionally?
“This may sound clichéd, actually it’s really clichéd, but my dad. He is the epitome of a hard working guy. He worked as a miner most of his life. He was a hard-core underground gold and silver miner.
“He wakes up hours before work and puts his eight hours in, works harder than the next guy, goes home and gets ready to do it again. As far as work ethic, when you’re down getting pummeled in a fight, how can you let yourself quit when you think about your dad who gets up and puts his boots on and goes to work every day, year after year?”
Who were your favorite fighters to watch and why?
“I was always a huge Georges St Pierre fan. I’ve been in training camp with him. He was always one of the smartest, hardest working guys in MMA. Some of his fights got boring toward the end but I think it’s because he was too good and it became routine for him. He had the best jab, best takedowns and best wrestling in MMA. I have always looked up to him, the way he carries himself leading up to a fight and the way he carries himself day to day.”
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