5 Hollywood actors who have real MMA training outside of movies feat. Sydney Sweeney

Hollywood star Sydney Sweeney is no stranger to MMA. The American actor featured in several critically and commercially successful presentations over the years has lately made waves in the combat sports community, given her work on the biopic about legendary former boxer Christy Martin.

Sweeney is one of various prominent celebrities in the American entertainment industry (aka Hollywood) who've trained in the sport of mixed martial arts, apart from portraying a fighter on-screen.

Although they may not have crossed over to professional MMA competition, these stars earned widespread praise for daring to train in -- what many consider to be -- one of the world's toughest sports. Today, we look at five Hollywood stars, who boast legitimate MMA training outside of the movies.

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#5 Scott Adkins

Scott Adkins is beheld as an action movie icon, beloved for his portrayal of the iconic character 'Yuri Boyka' in the 'Undisputed' movie franchise. The 48-year-old has trained as a martial artist since his childhood. During an interview with Men's Health in 2023, the Englishman alluded to his connection with martial arts since his younger years:

"I've been a martial artist since I was 10 years old. Loads of different martial arts, but these days, it's all MMA. It's your mixed martial arts. So I train at an MMA gym. I like to go there twice a week, and we'll just do some striking for about an hour. Taekwondo was a big one for me."

Unlike some of his Hollywood colleagues like Ashton Kutcher, Demi Lovato, Margot Robbie, and Tom Hardy, who are known to be more connected with the grappling realm of MMA and the grappling-centric martial art of BJJ (Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu), Adkins is believed to be more of a striking specialist.

In fact, Adkins' striking techniques are regarded as so elegant and proficient that they've often earned him plaudits both in training as well as in his portrayal of characters on the screen. He's also revered for being an incredible athlete, who's consistent in regard to his cardio, strength and conditioning, and overall fitness regime.

Check out Adkins' comments below (1:56):

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#4 Kate Upton

Kate Upton has appeared in a number of Hollywood movies and TV shows over the years. A highly accomplished model, the 32-year-old is no stranger to martial arts either. During an appearance on The Tonight Show Starring Jimmy Fallon, in 2020, Upton discussed her love for Jiu-Jitsu and also made an allusion to her MMA training:

"I'm obsessed with Jiu-Jitsu. I just earned my first stripe."

Upton later jested that she got into BJJ, as she wanted to beat people up but immediately clarified that she simply wanted to acquire the knowledge of how to beat someone. Fallon then appeared to ask her whether it was MMA-related, to which Upton said:

"Yeah. There's parts -- boxing, Jiu-Jitsu. Yeah."

Moreover, the Elite MMA gym put forth a report regarding Upton's training at the facility. Expressing their respect for Upton, who'd been training in BJJ and other martial arts at the gym, they indicated that she'd been taking private lessons.

Many celebrities are known to undergo private training, as their training sessions with the general public might end up with a few fans interacting with them and disrupting the celebrity's as well as others' training. As for Upton, her commitment and athleticism in the grappling and striking realms were hailed.

Check out Upton's comments, and her demonstrating a rear-naked choke, below (2:22):

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#3 Halle Berry

Halle Berry has long been counted among the most beloved stars in Hollywood. The 58-year-old American has appeared in a wide variety of projects, earning both critical and commercial success. She's no stranger to MMA and has appeared at UFC events as well.

Berry notably made waves in the MMA community a few years ago, courtesy of her MMA-themed sports drama movie, 'Bruised' (2020). She played the protagonist in it, while MMA legend and reigning UFC women's flyweight champion Valentina Shevchenko portrayed the antagonist. The film was released at the Toronto International Film Festival in 2020. Its U.S. release transpired in 2021.

Speaking to MMA Junkie during a promotional interview in 2021, Berry and Shevchenko heaped praise on one another. An oft-discussed element about that movie is how Berry soldiered on with the filming despite having suffered broken ribs against 'Bullet.'

Shevchenko notably pointed out that Berry had trained for "two or three years" in "grappling, striking, everything" -- and craftily prepared herself for the role. The movie was special in multiple aspects, one of the notable ones being that it marked the legendary actress' directorial debut. Berry received significant praise for undergoing the grueling MMA training and filming the action scenes.

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#2 Michael Jai White

Michael Jai White has long been considered one of the most talented martial artists in Hollywood. The American actor and director often imparts training and technique tips to his fans.

White has appeared in various Hollywood action movies, even portraying the role of boxing great and ex-undisputed heavyweight champion Mike Tyson in the 1995 movie 'Tyson.' He's also worked in the MMA-themed 'Never Back Down' movie franchise.

'MJW' is also revered for his incredible athleticism. Many of his supporters often speculate about how he'd have fared in the sport of MMA if it had been as prominent as it is now back when White was in his athletic prime.

Regardless, the 57-year-old has tried his hand at training and sparring with various MMA greats, including former UFC light heavyweight champion and reigning UFC heavyweight champion Jon Jones. After a training session in 2022, White posted a video of himself and 'Bones' discussing the same.

Jones praised him for his athleticism and kicks. The MMA combatant even hailed White for his knowledge concerning martial arts and beyond. Furthermore, the UFC icon seemed to lightheartedly suggest that he was humbled by 'MJW' in training:

"I am truly just inspired to have him here ... I got my bu** whooped. I got humbled today."

Watch Jones and 'MJW' address their training session below:

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#1 Sydney Sweeney

The 27-year-old Sydney Sweeney, who's notably attended UFC events in the past, has often spoken about having trained in multiple martial arts. Her Taekwondo journey commenced at five. She started training MMA at 12, honing her grappling and kickboxing skills.

In an interview with Women's Health in 2023, the Spokane, Washington-born artist explained that she needed some sort of challenging physical activity after moving to L.A. for her Hollywood career. Eventually, she tried MMA training, developing a habit of visiting the dojo two or three times a week over a five/six-year timeframe.

"Some of my guy friends were MMA training, and they were doing grappling, and I was like, 'This is so cool.' ... It's a sisterhood and a brotherhood amongst the fighters and the trainers ... It's such a beautiful community of people who have each other's backs, and you learn discipline and you learn respect."

During an appearance on The Kelly Clarkson Show, Sweeney notably suggested that she trained with Judo great, MMA legend, and former UFC women's bantamweight champion 'Rowdy' Ronda Rousey's "senseis."

However, Sweeney implied that her acting career generally prevents her from partaking in combat sports contests. She's made to sign agreements that entail steering clear of such high-risk activities that might cause visible damage to her face and/or other injuries that might affect her shooting schedules.

Also, speaking to Marie Claire magazine back in 2018, Sweeney recounted that she's "trained in mixed martial arts." She recalled competing in her first amateur grappling competition at 18. The American spoke about being the only female in the tournament, going up against males in a weight division above hers and winning the tournament.