Kevin James, the beloved actor and comedian known for his roles in The King of Queens and Paul Blart: Mall Cop, has a deep-rooted passion for mixed martial arts (MMA). James is a comedian and actor best known for his role as Doug on CBS sitcom ‘King of Queens’ which ran for nine seasons.
James, a Long Island native, has long been a fan of combat sports, but his love for mixed martial arts took center stage with his 2011 film Here Comes the Boom.
To prepare for his role in the comedy Here Comes the Boom, where he played an MMA fighter, James trained at the world-famous Kings MMA gym. Kings MMA is headed up by Rafael Cordeiro and trains some of the world’s best MMA fighters. Right now, perennial UFC middleweight contender Kelvin Gastulem trains at Kings, as does Marvin Vettori and Beneil Dariush. So James was in good hands!
Even before Here Comes The Boom, James was a diehard MMA fan and had been training occasionally. And while the film came out back in 2012, James still trains to this day - primarily in Muay Thai.
Here Comes the Boom tells the story of Scott Voss, a high-school biology teacher who goes to the mat - literally, by competing in mixed martial arts events - for his school’s music program when it is threatened by cutbacks.
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Kevin James in "Here Comes the Boom"
Intensive Training for "Here Comes the Boom"
For his 2012 comedy film ‘Here Comes the Boom’ Kevin James took his MMA training up a few notches in order to make his role more believable.
To prepare for the role, James trained extensively with UFC fighters and coaches, including Mark DellaGrotte and Joe Lauzon.
“I didn’t just want to fake it for the movie,” James said in an interview with MMA Weekly. “I wanted to understand the heart of MMA-the training, the sacrifice, the mental toughness.”
Here Comes The Boom Final Fight Scene Prep
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“I’ve always been a fan [of mixed martial arts],” says James. “The reason I wanted to do the movie is that I love the sport. I love the athletes; I think it’s great that they can fight and then, when it’s over, they can hug, be buddies, grab a beer.
To train for his role, James worked with a number of real MMA trainers who taught him each of the different disciplines he would need to show onscreen. “Ryan Parsons, the film’s fight consultant, organized all of my training,” James explains.
“We treated preparing for the movie as a fight camp,” says Parsons. “Kevin sparred with world champions in boxing and kickboxing. I mean heavy sparring - he had real experience.
Perhaps James’ proudest moment during training was when he knocked out trainer Menor. “We were working out in a hotel banquet room - we were on the road and that was the only place we could do it,” James says. “We were mixing it up and I went for a hip throw and I accidentally landed all my body weight on Mel. He’s a little smaller than me, and he went out for a second.
Recognition from the MMA Community
In addition, former UFC Heavyweight champion Bas Rutten sang James’ praises as well saying that “He’s got a lot of talent. He picks up things really fast.” Bas even goes on to say that Kevin James’ mitt work is better than 70-80 per cent of professional fighters.
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Beyond training, Kevin James has become a fixture at UFC events, often spotted cageside cheering for fighters like Sean O’Malley and Dustin Poirier. “Kevin’s the real deal,” said former UFC welterweight champion Belal Muhammad.
James has also used his platform to promote the sport of mixed martial arts, advocating for its growth and accessibility. “MMA teaches you about life,” James shared at a charity event.
Other Celebrities with Martial Arts Skills
Kevin James is not the only celebrity with a passion and talent for martial arts. Here are some other celebrities who are surprisingly good at martial arts:
- Guy Ritchie: Film Director (Karate, Judo, Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu)
- Demi Lovato: Singer and Actress (MMA, BJJ)
- Mickey Rourke: Actor (Boxing)
- Tom Hardy: Actor (MMA)
- Wiz Khalifa: Rapper, Singer and Actor (Muay Thai, Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu)
- Robert Downey Junior: Actor (Wing Chun)
- Henry Cavill: Actor (Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu, Boxing)
- Ed O’Neill: Actor (Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu)
- Katheryn Winnick: Actress (Taekwondo)
- Joe Rogan: Podcaster, Stand Up Comedian, Commentator (Taekwondo, BJJ)
Some Celebrities Who Train Martial Arts