5 ONE Championship MMA athletes who have appeared on TV and in movies

MMA and acting have more in common than you might think.

Part of the allure of professional sports is experiencing real-life drama. You would be hard-pressed to mirror the feelings that come with a game-deciding drive down the gridiron in a football game, the tension of a make-or-break free throw, or the end-to-end relentless action provided by overtime hockey.

Similarly, few scenarios can compare to the aura of a high-level MMA bout.

After months of MMA training, countless media encounters and a bevy of emotions circulating in the arena, it all comes to a head when the referee signals the start of a bout. Additionally, the element of danger always raises the stakes, an ambiance that’s hard not to notice.

But how would these athletes fare when manufacturing artificial drama on television or in a movie? Some ONE Championship athletes aren’t just skilled in the MMA cage, they are also talented enough to appear on TV and in movies.

That being said, here are five ONE Championship athletes who have appeared on TV and in movies.

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#5. ‘Super’ Sage Northcutt (MMA: 11-3)

For those familiar with Hannah Montana, the name Rico Suave may ring a bell. Suave was a teenage boy who managed Rico’s Surf Shop, a location frequented by the show’s protagonists.

In 2009, Moises Arias — the actor who played Rico Suave on Hannah Montana — received his own show titled Moises Rules! The concept circled around fun, mostly athletic competitions between like-aged young actors.

One of those aspiring stars was the current ONE Championship star ‘Super’ Sage Northcutt.

Donning washboard abs, the face of a model, and hair perpetually mixed with high-shine styling gel, Northcutt looks the part. Add this to his extensive martial arts background, and “Moises Rules!” has a perfect contestant.

Northcutt participated in two episodes, both in 2010. Surprisingly, neither episode focused on martial arts. His two appearances came in air hockey and tree planting competitions. In each, Northcutt played the role of “Friend,” due to his TV friendship with Arias.

It may not have been Saturday Night Live, but television is television.

#4. Thomas ‘The Last Viking’ Narmo (MMA: 4-0)

A quick Google search of MMA fighter Thomas Narmo will tell you all you need to know about why he was chosen to act in a show called “Ragnarok” centered around Vikings. Surprisingly, however, the man whose nickname has been ‘The Last Viking’ from the jump was not cast as a Viking.

Instead, his role is cast as “bodybuilder,” which also is not the least bit surprising. Narmo’s beyond-jacked 6-foot-7 inch frame, epic beard and athletic background make him the perfect fit for a bodybuilder.

Luckily for Narmo’s fans, despite him not technically being cast as a Viking, his character still looked the part. Draped in animal pelts and general Viking-like attire, Narmo looked to be very much at home while playing his given role.

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#3. Banma ‘The Prince’ Duoji (MMA: 12-3)

Similar to Sage Northcutt, China’s Banma ‘The Prince’ Duoji has a face made for the big screen.

The 22-year-old Chinese MMA fighter is considered to be one of his nation’s most critically acclaimed rising combat sports stars. With a record of 12-3 and a 100 percent finishing rate (11 KOs, 1 submission), it’s easy to see why.

In addition to his athletic prowess, Duoji has also dipped his toes into the world of screen acting.

Back in 2018, as a 19-year-old, he secured a role in a Chinese production titled Golden Belt. Although information on the film is limited outside of its country of origin, the show is described as a “boxing thriller,” with Duoji playing the role of Bear, one of the boxers in the short, 90-minute film.

At such a young age, it remains to be seen where the acting career of the strawweight MMA fighter will go.

#2. Paul ‘Typhoon’ Cheng (MMA: 5-3)

Former professional footballer-turned-MMA fighter Paul Cheng is easily the most experienced actor on this list by quite a significant margin. Though he may not be a TV or movie superstar just yet, he has appeared in 22 different movies and television shows, with another one in the post-production phase. Cheng has spent his fair share of time in front of the camera.

He is most well known for his cameo in Night At The Museum, in which he plays the role of a Mongolian Hun who comes to life, dead-set on attacking Ben Stiller’s character Larry Daley. That is until they become allies towards the end of the film.

Additionally, Cheng has worked on stunts on eight different projects, including the box office hit Deadpool 2.

The Taiwanese-Canadian MMA athlete was last seen in ONE Championship back in 2015, taking on Brandon ‘The Truth’ Vera for the inaugural ONE heavyweight world title. Since then, he has pursued a career in film.

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#1. Brandon ‘The Truth’ Vera (MMA: 16-9)

Filipino-American MMA giant Brandon ‘The Truth’ Vera played the role of agent Rico Yatco in the 2018 film "BuyBust" alongside Filipino megastar Anne Curtis.

Vera sticks out like a sore thumb in the movie, towering over the rest of the cast with his 6-foot-4 inch frame. He is featured prominently playing the role of a lead Anti-Drug Enforcement agent in Manila, Philippines.

Vera, who is of Filipino descent, is one of the film’s three protagonists. He can be seen doing battle with drug peddlers, using not only his weaponry, but also his hands, namely a mean uppercut with which he brutally takes out an antagonist in the film’s trailer.

While Vera may not be the most experienced actor on this list, his role is undoubtedly the largest of them all. The former ONE heavyweight world champion has undoubtedly found success in artificial drama on screen.