Retired mixed martial arts fighter Couture to focus energies on acting

“As much as I love the action genre, I would love to do a Western,” he says of his burgeoning acting career. “I think a romantic comedy would certainly be within the realm of possibility.”

For now, though, the Las Vegan is thrilled to be back in Friday’s “The Expendables 2,” reprising his role as introspective demolitions expert Toll Road in the spine-crunching, speaker-rattling franchise.

“I think all of us are really excited to be part of this ensemble cast,” Couture says, on the phone during a hike in L.A.’s Runyon Canyon. “And, obviously, for me personally, the whole thing’s a big step up in the right direction as I make the transition from athletics to acting.”

Despite his fame as one of the early mainstream faces of mixed martial arts, Couture didn’t have nearly the drawing power of his co-stars.

Sylvester Stallone, Arnold Schwarzenegger, Dolph Lundgren – it was like the ’90s never ended. Throw in newer action stars – Jet Li, Jason Statham – as well as Bruce Willis, whose career spans both eras, and “The Expendables” was like a Mount Rushmore of movie mayhem.

But that didn’t stop writer-director Stallone from seeking out Couture to join his band of not-so-merry mercenaries.

The two had met a few times over the years, he says, calling Stallone “a huge fight fan. Mostly boxing, but he’s well aware of mixed martial arts as well.”

Couture says he was being considered for the role of Hale Caesar, “which was written originally for Wesley Snipes, but he was having his issues at the time.” (The “Blade” star is serving a prison sentence for failing to file tax returns.)

Stallone eventually gave that role to Terry Crews, then wrote the Toll Road character specifically for Couture.

“To have him kind of fashion something that was right in my wheelhouse, with the whole ear monologue and all that” – Toll Road can’t stop explaining, much to the chagrin of his colleagues, how his cauliflower ear is a very common injury among collegiate wrestlers – “was pretty cool. It made it a lot of fun.”

Couture knew a few of his co-stars before reporting to work on “The Expendables.” He’d played charity golf with Crews. Statham’s a fight fan, and Couture’s first movie was Li’s “Cradle 2 the Grave.” But he formed a bond with ex-wrestler “Stone Cold” Steve Austin, who played henchman Dan Paine.

“He knew the sport (MMA) inside and out. Statistics, every single fighter. We had some long conversations.”

Toll Road’s big moment came during a brawl in which he set Paine on fire, then punched him silly.

“That was the icing on the cake, for sure,” Couture recalls. “Sly’s very smart. He knows his audience. He knows MMA fans and WWE fans are gonna want to see that.”

While he bested his co-star onscreen, Couture is diplomatic when asked which of his fellow actors would give him the toughest test in a real fight.

“I think they’re all amazing athletes and tremendously good at what they do,” he says. “Each guy kinda gets his opportunity to shine and show his stuff.”

But when pressed, he settles on Lundgren, “the only guy that really has any kind of combative sports background.” With his size and training in Kyokushin karate, the “Rocky IV” star “would be a challenge, for sure.”

But only up to a point.

“Well,” he adds, “I still don’t know that he could stop a double-leg (takedown) at the end of the day.”

Lundgren also factors into what he calls the craziest thing he’s gotten to do during either movie. In “The Expendables 2,” Couture drives two personal watercrafts that have been joined under a single hull, jumping them over wakes and into the back of a moving seaplane while being chased by gunboats – all with Lundgren in tow.

“He’s 230, I’m 220,” Couture marvels. “That’s a lot of big guys on a Jet Ski in 30-degree water.”

But, as is the nature with sequels, everything is bigger the second time around.

“The second one is 10 times bigger, which is amazing to me,” he reveals. “This movie in the first 10 minutes has, I think, more action than the whole first movie.”

The cast also has grown, bringing Jean-Claude Van Damme and Chuck Norris into the fold. But there’s still room to grow. Should there be a third installment, Couture hopes it includes Jackie Chan, Snipes and the franchise’s most glaring omission, Steven Seagal.

“He’s kind of made himself a little more difficult to work with, which I think is the hold back,” Couture says of the pony-tailed Aikido master. “I could see that happening if Sly could come to terms with him.”

But a potential “Expendables 3” is the only action movie in his sights as, having retired from fighting last year, he’s ready to fully commit to acting.

“I’m trying to stay away from the martial arts movies and the fight movies because I think everybody looks at me that way anyway,” he admits. “And if you wanna be considered a real bona fide actor, you need to kind of play some other characters, do things that are a little outside the box if possible.”

A romantic comedy, though, wouldn’t just be outside the box. Having the chiseled Couture argue with Jennifer Aniston or Katherine Heigl over throw pillows or whose family to visit for the holidays? That would destroy the box altogether, sending splinters flying into multiplexes – or at the very least Redboxes – the world over.

Something like that might never see the light of day. (Although a Kickstarter campaign certainly couldn’t hurt.) But credit Couture for thinking big, for avoiding the easy road and for not resting on his menacing laurels.

“I’m pretty open,” he confirms. “I love the movies, anyway. I always have, since I was a kid.”

Contact Christopher Lawrence at clawrence@review
journal.com or 702-380-4567.