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When Jay Hieron retired from MMA, he by no means imagined returning to the UFC a decade later for a struggle towards Academy Award nominated actor Jake Gyllenhaal.
Nicely technically not an precise struggle however Hieron wished it to have a look at actual as doable when he and Gyllenhaal squared off as a part of the manufacturing for the upcoming Highway Home reboot, which filmed scenes round UFC 285 in Las Vegas. The movie, which is being produced for Amazon Studios, sees Gyllenhaal taking part in an ex-UFC fighter named Elwood Dalton and a key a part of his backstory was really exhibiting him getting ready for a showdown towards Hieron, who’s taking part in his opponent within the reboot of the basic 1989 film that starred Patrick Swayze.
The entire expertise was a bit of surreal for Hieron, who ended his profession with the UFC after preventing in quite a few main promotions reminiscent of Bellator, Strikeforce and IFL.
“When you would have advised me after I retired that I’d be again within the UFC in an performing scene with one of many high actors, I might have been like no, you’re s****** me,” Hieron advised MMA Combating. “It was nice. As soon as they advised me all this and I bought the position, I used to be like yo, that is superb. Introduced again all the emotions. I noticed all the fellows I haven’t seen shortly. Dana [White], Joe Rogan, Sean Shelby, it was nice simply being across the atmosphere as a result of I’m not round it as a lot anymore.
“In fact, I’m at all times filming so it was unimaginable. Simply to do a struggle scene within the UFC on a reside card, probably the greatest playing cards in the previous few years, Jon Jones returning. It was superb. Couldn’t ask for a greater alternative.”
Filming for Highway Home at UFC 285 really began on the ceremonial weigh-ins the place Hieron and Gyllenhaal have been introduced identical to another fighters earlier than stepping on the size after which dealing with off towards one another.
There have been quite a few takes filmed however one particularly had Gyllenhaal really slapping Hieron throughout the faceoff and it turns on the market wasn’t something pretend about it.
In line with Hieron, he labored with Gyllenhaal to provide you with the very best scene for the film and that’s when the 42-year-old veteran actor got here up with the concept that maybe stress ought to boil over between them on stage.
“He was the one who advised me ‘Jay, I’m pondering how about I smack you on the weigh-ins?’ and I mentioned ‘f*** yeah’ as a result of I knew that was going to make it extra actual and also you have been going to get that realness out of it,” Hieron mentioned. “I used to be like hell yeah, that’s an ideal thought, do it. So simply how he goes about it, he will get into character. That makes it extra actual and he didn’t need to disrespect the followers or the fighters so he wished it to look as actual as doable. He did the work.
“He went for it. Little question. That wasn’t no stunt slap. He went for it. That’s what was nice about it. We talked about it earlier than and he’s tremendous respectful and he’s like ‘what do you assume?’ and I’m like let’s go! Don’t even give it some thought. No matter you’re feeling on the market let’s go do it and that brings stuff out of me and it seemed nice. We bought a variety of nice suggestions. It’s simply superb for the UFC to even let this occur.”
The weigh-in was only one part of filming as a result of director Doug Liman additionally wished to get some footage of Gyllenhaal competing contained in the UFC octagon, which as soon as once more required Hieron to tug from his previous as a fighter to verify the whole lot seemed good within the cage.
With greater than 120 credit on his resume between performing and stunt work, Hieron has labored reverse Denzel Washington, Keanu Reeves, and Joaquin Phoenix over time however his historical past as a UFC fighter gave him loads of motivation to make sure his encounter with Gyllenhaal virtually blurred the road between filmmaking and actuality.
To ratchet up the strain much more, Hieron and Gyllenhaal solely had six to eight minutes to movie their scene collectively within the octagon as a result of they have been working on borrowed time as a result of precise occasion nonetheless happening. That meant all of it got here down to 1 take and any errors may probably sabotage manufacturing so as soon as once more Hieron made certain Gyllenhaal gave him the whole lot he may deal with.
“We had one take. Six minutes and also you’re out,” Hieron mentioned. “You both get it otherwise you don’t. In order that course of was nice, too. All people was dialed in from the wardrobe to each piece of the manufacturing. Shout out to the entire group that had the ball rolling. It was simply unimaginable to be part of.
“It was choreography however proper earlier than we did it, we did rehearsals and we’re strolling by way of the cage and he’s like ‘I simply don’t need it to look pretend’ I mentioned don’t fear about that. If one thing lands, it’s all good. I’ve been in there earlier than. We have been taking pictures to get them as shut as doable and a few bought in however it’s all good. He’s a really respectful man and I really like his ardour and he works laborious.”
The movie, which additionally options UFC celebrity Conor McGregor in his first starring position, was successfully wrapping manufacturing with the scenes shot by Hieron at Gyllenhaal after precept pictures primarily passed off within the Dominican Republic.
Hieron had a blast with the entire expertise however it was actually simply one other day on the workplace for him as his post-fight profession continues to flourish.
“I’m humble,” Hieron mentioned about his success within the movie business. “I work laborious. I hear greater than I discuss.
“I’m glad for all of the alternatives I get and I work laborious. I really feel like I’m prepared once they come and I’m going to do my job.”
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