UFC legends Georges St-Pierre and Jon Jones are once again in front of the camera – and this time it is for real. Netflix’s ‘The Cage’ features the UFC stars front and center in a brief mentor-mentee dynamic with the protagonist. Directed by Franck Gastambide and starring Melvin Boomer, The Cage tells the story of a young MMA fighter. He rises through the ranks of the French MMA circuit to face a formidable rival.
Three UFC top crops are headed to Netflix this fall, by the way. When it’s French, it undoubtedly also has Ciryl Gane in it. The trailer shows Taylor (Boomer’s protagonist) fighting for KSW (a leading European MMA promotion). He dreams of making it big in the UFC, as is natural—two options as to who guides him to it: Jon ‘Bones’ Jones and Georges St-Pierre.
St-Pierre, the welterweight GOAT and middleweight titleholder, retired a few years ago. This wasn’t St-Pierre’s first acting role. He previously fought Chris Evans’ Captain America and Falcon in the Marvel Cinematic Universe as French leaper ‘Batroc.’ ‘Rush’ has joined the likes of Valentina Shevchenko and Kamaru Usman for other projects and roles as well.
As for ‘Bones,’ this is his first foray into acting. He and St-Pierre have had a sometimes-love, and sometimes-hate relationship. Jon Jones also took the fight to him for using failed PEDs to remove him from the GOAT debate. However, things were hopefully less awkward this time, with St-Pierre out of the fighting game. Jones returns atop the UFC 309 pay-per-view (PPV) card in November.
The Rush, the Bone, the Cage – streaming on November 8
The world of The Cage isn’t all that different from the everyday world. The IMDB cast list includes more French UFC stars, such as Ciryl Gane, Morgan Charrière, and Taylor Lapilus, with scenes set at last month’s UFC Paris event. The five-part MMA series streams exclusively on Netflix on November 8.
Combat sports and entertainment are two very intertwining paradigms. Canelo Alvarez has a very small stint in a popular franchise. John Cena, Cody Rhodes, and “Arrow” star Stephen Amell are locked in a lengthy feud and callbacks. His co-star Caity Lotz is doing yet another MMA movie with help from regional circuit fighters. Rose Namajunas enters the fold soon.
Now, two other names enter the equation. After his legendary title run, fan-fave Georges St-Pierre keeps busy in seminars, gymnastics, coaching, and ‘Pur Sang’ red vodka. In the middle of all that, he has found some success on the silver screen as well. GSP is also a pure natural when it comes to behind-the-reel. He has starred in many promos and infomercials.
For “Bones” Jones, acting is something new for the UFC heavyweight champion in a yet incumbent reign. Jon Jones channels his inner trials and tribulations for some sage advice in the series. “You have two choices: You give up all your dreams or you give everything you have…” Jones tells Taylor as the trailer ends. Subsequently, the production seems to hit him close with its realistic touch on the fight life.
