The dominant story of UFC 285 is maybe the return of Jon Jones but the Hollywood star Jake Gyllenhaal on Saturday stunned the UFC world for the second time in as many days with a brutal ‘knockout’ win on the UFC 285 undercard.
Jake Gyllenhaal, an Academy Award nominee who will play a former UFC fighter in his upcoming “Road House” adaptation, made an appearance at the T-Mobile Arena in Las Vegas between the early prelims and prelims.
Jake Gyllenhaal wins as he brutally knocks out the middleweight champion #UFC285 pic.twitter.com/lk1jRUg52Q
— Chisanga Malata (@Chisanga_Malata) March 5, 2023
The film, first made in 1989, starred Patrick Swayze as a bouncer at a roadside bar who goes to war with an evil businessman.
But the 2023 version is set to reimagine the story with a former UFC fighter, played by Gyllenhaal, taking the main role in the film. And the UFC wanted in on the action.
The movie will apparently see a glimpse of that UFC career, though, as Gyllenhaal faced off with a fellow actor in a fake bout that saw him let his opponent, former UFC fighter Jay Hieron, hit him in the face multiple times before responding with a flying knee and knockout. And then he kept hitting the clearly unconscious fighter, which will probably be how he becomes an ex-UFC fighter.
The proceedings weren’t televised, but fans and reporters got the full show.
Jake Gyllenhaal and former UFC fighter Jay Heiron film a scene for the Road House remake after #UFC285 ceremonial weigh-ins. 🎥 pic.twitter.com/jl48bOXIbv
— MMA Junkie (@MMAJunkie) March 4, 2023
It might also be worth noting the original “Road House” features a protagonist with a mysterious past that included killing a person, which could be what is supposed to be happening there.
That’s not the only way the “Road House” remake will have some MMA flavor, as former UFC champion Conor McGregor is also part of the cast in an unspecified role.