Hollywood has quietly become the next big playground for MMA fighters, right after boxing. And it’s easy to see why: the spotlight, the money, and—best of all—no bruised bones or busted ribs. This trend is already well underway, with Jon Jones, Ronda Rousey, Conor McGregor, Georges St-Pierre, Randy Couture, and Michael Bisping all making the leap.

Now, the latest name to join the list is former UFC champion Alex Pereira, who just wrapped the A24 film Onslaught, starring opposite Adria Arjona and Dan Stevens. Pereira steps into the shoes of ‘The Butcher,’ an enhanced military experiment with a taste for chaos. Following in those footsteps, UFC veteran Maurice Greene is also stepping into Hollywood with the recently released psychological football horror film Him.

Jon Jones’ teammate breaks the silence on stepping away from MMA

Directed by Justin Tipping and produced under Jordan Peele’s banner—the Oscar-winning filmmaker behind Get Out—the film delves into a religious-like narrative. Meanwhile, its marketing positions a wannabe star quarterback as a Christ-on-the-cross figure, boldly tagged: “Greatness demands sacrifices.” In a recent interview with MMA Fighting, Maurice Greene opened up about what led him to transition from MMA to Hollywood.

Greene said: “I get a breakdown, you know, kind of gives me a little bit, I guess you don’t know the magnitude until maybe you go to your fitting, or, you know, maybe when you go to fitting, you can see the cast. I treat everything pretty much the same. I try to give my all every time I get to be on set. It’s a privilege to be selected to be on set. Who knows how many auditions they saw, but they liked mine? That means when you show up, you show up, do the job, and stay focused. I’m excited to see what it’s going to look like.”

Much like his MMA journey, Greene’s path to Hollywood was unexpected. Now 39, he trains with NCAA and MMA standout Gable Steveson, sharpening his skills and staying active while preparing for his role as the lead actor’s NFL star coach. He even trained with UFC legend Jon Jones back in the day and credits the UFC champion with helping to “reignite” his own MMA career. Greene spent three years in the UFC, but the promotion released him after he lost four of his last five bouts.

He then bounced to PFL, moved on to Gamebred Bareknuckle, and most recently joined forces with Mike Perry and Jon Jones’ DBX1 promotion. However, in his DBX1 debut, Greene faced a setback, which ultimately led him to Hollywood.

Maurice Greene gives a candid recap of his MMA journey

Maurice Greene’s MMA journey began in 2012, fueled by a desire to shed weight and overcome the scars of childhood bullying. In his early 20s, he stepped into the gym—and into a world that would transform him. Just months later, Greene had gone pro, quickly making a name for himself with his size, power, and determination. His breakthrough came on TUF 28, where a knockout over Przemyslaw Mysiala earned him a UFC contract. Greene made his official UFC debut on November 20, 2018, at The Ultimate Fighter 28 Finale, submitting Michel Batista in the first round.

Over a UFC run that produced a 4-4 record, he notched highlights like a first-round TKO over Júnior Albini, showcasing his striking prowess. After leaving the UFC, Greene tested himself in the PFL and Gamebred Bareknuckle MMA, finally taking his last fight in early 2025 at Mike Perry’s Dirty Boxing, where a 45-second knockout loss to Rakim Cleveland marked the end of his active fighting career.

Looking back, Greene has no regrets. In a candid take, he said, “I’m done fighting, that’s it. You know, I haven’t put anything out because it really doesn’t matter. It’s been a nice, long 15-year career. I was a fat kid who got picked on, never fought a day in my life, lost 100 pounds, took my first fight in 30 days, kept saying..was going to be in the UFC. People laughed at me in the gym. I made it on The Ultimate Fighter, went to the UFC, fought in the PFL, did some bare-knuckle fighting. It’s been a wild ride.”

Now, Greene joins a growing list of MMA veterans making the leap to Hollywood. As more fighters explore opportunities outside the cage, the trend raises a question for the sport: Will the influx of talent into entertainment make it harder to find fresh analysts and rising stars in MMA? Most recently, Dustin Poirier has also stepped into the entertainment world, signaling that the line between fighting and Hollywood is blurring faster than ever.