“Some of My Best Friends Were Fighters”- Despite Being an MMA Icon, Hollywood Star Michael Jai White Opened Up on the Reason He Didn’t Compete in Combat Sports

Michael Jai White loves MMA fighters. Being an MMA practitioner since his early teens, Jai White has had great respect for fighters who put a lot of hard work into their profession. The Never Back Down actor is more famous for his on-screen presence than as an MMA practitioner. However, he is very well aware of all the happenings in the combat sports world. Notably, Jai White follows a lifestyle similar to MMA fighters, with strict training and diet.

In an old interview, the 55-year-old detailed how he used to be fascinated by great fighters. Due to his huge admiration for them, he used to travel long distances to spar with them. That was one of the methods the ‘Falcon Rising’ actor chose to polish his MMA skills. In the old interview, Jai White revealed why he didn’t compete in combat sports despite his strong passion.

Michael Jai White loves fighters

In a three-year-old interview with DJ Vlad, the actor mentioned why he never fought a professional match. It is simply because he loves fighters and also most of his close friends are fighters. He further added that he used to train with champions when he was a 17-year-old boy.

The ‘Blood and Bone’ actor said, “Some of my best friends were fighters and they’re such a part of my heart knows that. Like you know for me I loved it so that’s my whole philosophy was I could do what I’m doing for a living and working on my career and find out ‘Oh this guy won this championship. Go to his gym and train with him, spar with him’. That’s what I’ve been doing I thought since was 17. I went Bill ‘Super Foot’ Wallace, was the undisputed, the baddest fighter on the planet right I became a sparring partner with him.”

During the conversation, the Hollywood star added, “When I was 17, he was undefeated middleweight champion. Also, Joe Lewis… rock solid one of the baddest, most dangerous fighters there. I went to North Carolina to train with him in his crazy bunch and later became friends and did seminars with him. Maurice Smith was the UFC champion. I went to Seattle to train and spar with him.” Jai White is someone who loves to lead the life of an MMA fighter even though he is not into active participation. He makes sure that he follows in the footsteps of great fighters so that he can improve his skills.

The Hollywood star casts fighters in his films

A month ago, Michael Jai White spoke about giving chances to fighters in his movies, and he has a solid reason for this. The Hollywood star is someone who has closely observed the effort each fighter takes to make a name for themselves. The entire MMA world worships them when they are in their prime and doing their best. However, a fighter cannot always be at his best. After a certain time period, they may start losing bouts.

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Furthermore, fighting is a professional sport where the fighters may sustain serious injuries; hence, they won’t be able to actively fight after a certain age. When they retire from the profession, the public, who once admired them, most easily forgets them. Jai White feels that the public should not easily forget a fighter, and he makes sure that he gives fighters a new identity through his movies.

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