HOLLYWOOD'S TOUGH AND TRAINED

MATV consider which actors…got some moves!

We are going to start this off by putting forward a hypothetical situation for you! Here it is…if you were to ever end up in a bad brawl, which Hollywood actor would you want fighting on your side. Are you going to chose some mainstream action hero? Are you going to play it less predictable and have someone who usually plays the bad guy but looks like a force to be reckoned with? Or maybe you know something about some actor; we don’t!

It’s not often that you see broken noses and cauliflower ears on the big screen. But we think that within the film world, if you do your homework, you will find that there are the tough and the trained. Anyway we’ll leave it for you to make your suggestions, but here are some people we would like to have joining us, next time we go for a night in the town on a wild Friday night!

Well to get things rolling, we’ll start by mentioning someone most fight fans have seen kick butt on the big screen. In major action films, this actor has faced off with vampires, terrorists and Sylvester Stallone. He can kick, punch or throw with convincing power. He is of course – Wesley Snipes. The man who played the hero in Passenger 57, looks pretty handy with his fists and it looks like he has done some cross training in different styles. Need more convincing about his skills? Then go watch Blade!

The next person we are hoping will be at our table, when some thug grabs a bottle and heads towards us; movie fans may be less familiar with, but if you watched early UFC’s you better know this man because he won UFC 6. He is Russia’s tough grappler Oleg Taktarov. He has appeared in films such as 15 minutes and Rollerball (2002 version). He also featured in the hit TV series Alias. We were disappointed that he did not get to show more of his fighting skills in Airforce One. Wouldn’t it have been fun to see Oleg against Harrison Ford in that movie? Ford may have had to resort to Indiana Jones tactics and grab a sidearm for this bout. The thing with Oleg is that not only has he got some great Ju Jitsu and Sambo skills, he also looks hard. We also reckon Oleg has got some good acting skills, so lets hope we see more of him on screen.

Okay so here is someone our senior fight fans may appreciate. He was one of the most successful actors of his era and although never connected with fight films, we still think he would have been pretty good in a scrap. We are talking about the late Richard Burton. The Welsh born actor conveys his tough guy qualities in classics such as The Wild Geese where he played a hardened mercenary. Maybe not someone with lots of formal fight training, but definitely an actor who had old school toughness.

Our next choice is an actress; we think she has got great looks and toughness. This actress has done quite a few action roles. Check out her films and you’ll see her use swords, guns and fists. Milla Jovovich must had gone through some pretty extensive training to prepare for her parts in films such as Resident Evil and Ultra Violet. Maybe if they make a third Kill Bill film they can cast her opposite Uma Thurman. Now that could lead to the mother of cinematic showdowns!

One actor some fight fans are hoping to see as the king of action heroes is Vin Diesel. Perhaps best known for playing Riddick in Pitch Black and the sequel Chronicles of Riddick, Vin has the physique and the intensity. He is not really associated with martial arts, but we reckon he could deliver the goods when under pressure. Vin is regarded as a serious and talented actor, but we still hope for the day, when he makes a more hands on fight film.

We just couldn’t leave Chuck out of this feature. Chuck Norris may be best known for his eighties action films and his roundhouse kicks but this tough actor also has some nice Jiu Jitsu grappling moves. So rest assured, the American martial arts legend can strike or grapple. Chuck is also a good ambassador for the martial arts and we think that if there ever was a potential fight brewing, Chuck would do his best to prevent unnecessary violence. Still, don’t be in a hurry to spill his pint!

Thailand is well known for its tough kickboxers and so when we mention our next choice, you can be sure that this screen fighter knows how to throw some mean knees and elbow strikes. He has also demonstrated some of the most amazing stunts ever to appear in a film. When Tony Jaa appeared on the scene, he showed the power and grace of the Thai martial arts in an outstanding, visually dynamic way. He also has the type of jumping agility that fans of Hong Kong films enjoy. He is perhaps the most agile screen fighter of this era.

Our final choice for today may be a surprise to some fight fans because he is an actor best known for his comedy role in the TV show King of Queens. But we think that Kevin James would be good to have on our side in a bar fight. His funny comedy lines might calm down a tense moment but if not; no worries. Kevin seems to be a big fan of MMA and maybe he gets some intense training from fighting legend Bas Rutten. Bas even appeared on an episode of King Of Queens. Hey, if Kevin is friends with Bas, then there is another useful person to have in your corner!

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