Issue 107
November 2013
Mixed martial artist, actor or coach? Which is Cung Le? According to the former Strikeforce champion he’s all three,
Where have you been? That’s the question on everyone’s lips when they see former Strikeforce middleweight champion Cung Le. It’s been 10 months since we saw the Vietnamese-American’s trademark creative kicks in the Octagon, but it’s not like he didn’t leave us with a lasting image.
Facing off against former middleweight champion Rich Franklin, Le only needed one round to unleash a brutal knockout punch so vicious it span Franklin 180 degrees, making him face-plant on the canvas in Macau, China. Then, like a thief in the night, Le was gone.
So when Cung reappeared this summer at the Wild Card Gym in California, looking as if he hadn’t skipped a beat, he knew he had a lot of explaining to do.
“I’ve been really busy with movies as of late,” he says, taking a sip of water after an intense mitt session. “I finished a movie at the end of May. I’ve also been training constantly; I’m always in the gym. Otherwise I’ve just been preparing myself to find out what happens next.”
Walking past a group of young boxers drilling overhand rights and lefts, the conversation soon turns to his fight with Franklin. Le admits the knockout was impressive, but feels the fact he was even able to compete was even more challenging.
He explains: “Six weeks before the fight I had surgery on my left elbow because of all the wear and tear I’ve accumulated over the years. It really started to affect me on the UFC media tour before the fight, so I had to have surgery in order to compete against Rich.
“After that surgery I had to have another operation on the other elbow because two weeks before the fight, that one started acting up too; so I got that one scoped as well. I’ve been on the sidelines for a while just rehabbing my elbows. Instead of rushing back in I listened to the doctors and decided to recover and rehab. Now my elbow is better I’m back readying myself for that hardcore training you need for a fight.”
Since he’s been away, the UFC’s middleweight division has changed significantly. The likes of Ronaldo ‘Jacare’ Souza and Vitor Belfort have been causing a stir near the top, while the likes of Michael Bisping and Tim Boetsch have faltered during their biggest opportunities. However, there’s been no bigger change to the division’s rankings than former 185lb king Anderson Silva finally being toppled by current champion Chris Weidman.
As impressive as Weidman’s victory was, and even after the many plaudits he received after the fight from fighters and fans alike, Le isn’t quite ready to believe the king is dead and that the UFC title is staying in New York.
“I think it’s incredible Chris Weidman ended the reign of Anderson Silva, but I think the true story will unfold in the rematch. Then we’ll really see what happens when Anderson fights with his hands up and brings it to Weidman like we expected him to,” says Le. “The 185lb division is becoming more stacked and there are a lot of good up-and-coming fighters, which is good for the sport, good for the UFC and good for the fans.”
As much as he wants to get back into the Octagon as soon as possible, Cung has been incredibly busy with his movie career. After starring in Dragon Eyes and The Man With The Iron Fists in 2012, Le has even more screen projects on the horizon, including a film with Dolph Lundgren. Even though his movie career is steadily gaining speed, he still believes it’s difficult for an Asian actor in Hollywood to prosper.
“Every role is stereotyped and there aren’t many roles for an Asian actor to really sink his teeth into and be a lead in a big action movie. I’m slowly building myself up with films like Dragon Eyes, Kwoon and now A Certain Justice with Dolph Lundgren and Vinny Jones. I just need to be patient with whatever I’m doing, whether it’s fighting, movies or putting my own projects together.”
As exciting as his burgeoning career as an actor is, it leaves fans wondering where he stands with MMA. Some feel he may have lost his passion for the sport, but when asked whether he’ll return soon, he clearly feels it’s inevitable; it’s just a matter of who he faces.
“Honestly, I feel I’ve got a few fights left and I want to make them count. I want the super, big fights; or coach and be part of something big. We had a fight lined up with Michael Bisping and obviously that didn’t work out as planned.
“Something else came up in the meantime, that I can’t mention right now, but I’m sure once the UFC announces it everyone will understand what I’m doing next.” So, it appears his rumored coaching gig on the very first Asian-centric season of reality series The Ultimate Fighter is a reality then?
“It’s something that I haven’t done, something that I’ve always wanted to do and that’s pretty much all I can say,” he adds, with a grin and a laugh.
Is he just putting those acting skills to use? We’ll all just have to wait for the next scene to unfold.
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