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On the face of it, the worlds of the UFC and Hollywood don't appear to go hand in hand. However, that hasn't stopped some top fighters from transitioning into acting.
Over the years, we've seen a number of UFC stars head onto the silver screen, and while they didn't always succeed, it was still entertaining to see them try.
Whether other stars attempt the same move in the future remains to be seen. Given the acting success of pro-wrestlers like Dave Bautista and Dwayne Johnson, though, you never know who might catch on.
Here are five UFC fighters who transitioned into acting.
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#5 Conor McGregor - former UFC lightweight champion
The biggest star in UFC history, it's almost surprising that it took so long for Conor McGregor to transition into the world of acting. After all, he's a recognizable face across the entire planet.
Earlier this year, though, 'The Notorious' finally made the jump into Hollywood, starring alongside Jake Gyllenhaal in the remake of the 80's classic 'Road House'.
Playing the role of hired thug Knox, a crazed villain intent on taking down Gyllenhaal's former UFC fighter Dalton, McGregor essentially turned his own fighting persona up to eleven.
Essentially chewing the scenery, perhaps inadvertently, 'The Notorious' stole the show in the movie, just as he stole the show when he arrived in the octagon in 2013.
Whether any more roles lie in the future for the Irishman is a question mark. After all, his ability to perform a more nuanced character is still up for debate.
However, it's fair to say that his first foray into acting was a successful and highly memorable one.
#4 Quinton 'Rampage' Jackson - former UFC light-heavyweight champion
A hugely charismatic fighter who was widely beloved by the fans, Quinton 'Rampage' Jackson was always destined for stardom when he arrived in the UFC in 2007.
Sure enough, just five months into his tenure with the promotion, Jackson had won the light-heavyweight title from Chuck Liddell and found himself positioned as one of their poster boys.
Given his natural star quality, intimidating look, and ability on the microphone, 'Rampage' was always likely to transcend the sport of MMA.
As early as 2006, he was making cameo appearances in movies and also appeared on the popular TV show 'The King of Queens'.
2009, though, saw him really make his mark in Hollywood. He was cast as B.A. Baracus - the character once played by Mr T - in the remake of 'The A-Team' alongside Liam Neeson and Bradley Cooper.
The role turned 'Rampage' into an even bigger star, but it also dented his fighting career, as his focus was turned away from the octagon. After returning to action in 2010, he only won two of his next six fights before departing for Bellator MMA three years later.
As for his acting career? Jackson has continued to make appearances in movies, but has not appeared in a blockbuster like 'The A Team' since, despite his performance receiving largely positive reviews.
#3 Oleg Taktarov - UFC 6 tournament winner
A pioneer of the early days of MMA, Oleg Taktarov was renowned for his ground skills and toughness, and earned the nickname 'The Russian Bear'.
Taktarov saw his biggest success in the octagon in 1995, when he defeated three fighters to win the UFC 6 tournament, last choking out Tank Abbott. He later fought Ken Shamrock to a draw for the 'Superfight' title.
Despite his skills inside the octagon, though, Taktarov's real goal was to make a career out of acting. Nearly three decades after his most famous UFC wins, it's fair to say he's reached that goal.
As early as 1997, 'The Russian Bear' made a cameo appearance in the major Hollywood movie 'Air Force One' alongside Harrison Ford and Gary Oldman.
After moving away from MMA entirely in 2003, though, he's appeared in numerous blockbusters, including 'Bad Boys II', 'National Treasure', 'Miami Vice', and 'Righteous Kill', appearing with the likes of Will Smith, Nicolas Cage, Jamie Foxx and Robert de Niro.
Perhaps Taktarov's most memorable appearance came in 2010's 'Predators', as he starred as ex-Spetsnaz soldier Nikolai.
'The Russian Bear' continues to make appearances on the silver screen to this day, appearing in both Hollywood movies and films in his native Russia.
While his roles are usually limited to tough-guy ones, it's hard not to label his acting career a success.
#2 Georges St-Pierre - former UFC welterweight champion
Given that he was often compared to kickboxer-turned-Hollywood icon Jean-Claude Van Damme thanks to his French-Canadian accent and karate background, it was no surprise to see Georges St-Pierre eventually turn to acting.
'GSP' competed in the UFC from 2004 to 2013 before returning briefly in 2017, and made his mark as arguably the greatest fighter of all time.
He won the welterweight title on two occasions, defeated the likes of Matt Hughes, BJ Penn, Nick Diaz and Carlos Condit, and made a UFC record nine successful title defenses during his second reign.
Upon his 2017 return, meanwhile, he was able to dethrone middleweight champion Michael Bisping, becoming one of the few fighters to become a UFC titleholder in two different weight classes.
Thus far at least, though, 'GSP' has not quite found the same success in the acting world as he did in the octagon.
His biggest role to date came during his four-year hiatus from the promotion, as he starred in 'Captain America: The Winter Soldier' as Algerian mercenary, pirate and criminal Georges Batroc. He even got to perform his trademark superman punch in a fight scene with Chris Evans' titular character.
'GSP' has since reprised the role in the 2021 Disney+ series 'The Falcon and the Winter Soldier', but has only appeared in two more movies.
At the age of 43, though, he still has time on his side, and while it's unlikely that he'll rule over Hollywood as he did the octagon, he could still find proper acting success.
#1 Randy Couture - former UFC light-heavyweight champion
One of the most decorated UFC fighters of all time, Randy Couture became a true legend of the octagon during his lengthy tenure with the promotion.
'The Natural' won the heavyweight title on three occasions, the light-heavyweight title twice, and defeated fellow greats like Tito Ortiz, Vitor Belfort, Chuck Liddell and Mark Coleman.
Given his largely stoic personality, though, it came as a slight surprise to see him make the transition into acting once his fighting career had begun to wind down. It was even more surprising to see him largely make a success of it.
2010 saw Couture star in the action blockbuster 'The Expendables' alongside the likes of Sylvester Stallone, Jason Statham and Jet Li.
'The Natural' played Toll Road, the titular group's demolition expert, and reprised the role in all three sequels, becoming one of the few 'Expendables' to appear in all four movies.
Couture has also had roles in numerous other movies and starred in the popular series 'Hawaii Five-O' from 2015 to 2017.
While his acting work will likely never eclipse his legendary career inside the octagon, it's safe to say that 'The Natural' has done well for himself in Hollywood.
