Actor Channing Tatum recently addressed comments made by former UFC competitor Cung Le, who claimed the Hollywood star could have made it as a legitimate mixed martial artist. During an appearance on Ariel Helwani’s show, Tatum reflected on his relationship with the veteran fighter and his genuine passion for combat sports.
“Cung’s hilarious. I love him,” Tatum said, recalling their friendship that developed after working together on the 2009 film ‘Fighting.’ The bond between the two extended beyond their professional collaboration, with Tatum frequently attending Le’s fights, including UFC 139 in San Jose.
When asked whether Le’s assessment was merely friendly support for a co-star or a legitimate evaluation, Tatum acknowledged his longtime fascination with fighting. “I’ve always loved fighting,” he explained, sharing how he was among the early fans circulating UFC tapes in high school. “I remember passing around tapes in high school of the early UFC days… the tape would literally just go around the entire school.”
Tatum praised Le’s unique combat style, describing him as “such an exciting fighter” who performed moves “that you only do in video games.” He specifically highlighted Le’s time in Strikeforce, noting how he executed techniques that seemed impossible outside of video games like Tekken.
While Tatum didn’t definitively confirm or deny Le’s assessment of his combat potential, he demonstrated a deep understanding of the sport’s demands. The conversation shifted to weight cutting, where Tatum revealed his own dramatic physical transformations for movie roles. He described losing significant weight, dropping from 245 pounds to 172 pounds for a recent project, giving him insight into what fighters endure.
“I can’t imagine what fighters… how many years they just shave off their life cutting that much,” Tatum said, expressing admiration for professional fighters’ dedication. He noted his ability to fluctuate 25 to 30 pounds in three weeks, though he emphasized that his transformations occur over longer periods compared to fighters’ rapid cuts before competition.
During the interview, Tatum also offered his perspective on the lukewarm box office reception of ‘The Smashing Machine,’ the biographical film starring Dwayne Johnson as legendary MMA fighter Mark Kerr. When asked about Johnson’s social media response to the film’s commercial disappointment, Tatum provided a thoughtful defense.
Johnson had posted on social media following the film’s poor box office performance, stating: “In our storytelling world, you can’t control box office results. But what I realized you can’t control is your performance and your commitment to completely disappear and go elsewhere. And I will always run to that opportunity. It was my honor to transform in this role for my director Benny Safy. The truth is this film has changed my life.”
When questioned whether this was merely “Hollywood nonsense,” Tatum was quick to defend his colleague’s sentiment. “No, there’s absolute truth there,” he stated . Drawing from his own extensive experience in the film industry, Tatum explained that the movie business is essentially “the highest stakes make believe game in the world,” and that actors must find fulfillment beyond box office numbers.
Tatum’s defense went deeper than simple industry solidarity. He acknowledged that both he and Johnson are “privileged and lucky enough to be able to pick our jobs,” recognizing this as “a real luxury and a privilege.” However, he emphasized that regardless of commercial success, the creative process itself must be rewarding because “it’s still work and it still takes time and it’s still hard at times.”
The actor also pointed to external factors that may have contributed to the film’s poor performance, specifically citing the coincidental release of Taylor Swift’s concert film during the same weekend. “I think it was unfortunate that Taylor Swift came out with her thing on that weekend,” Tatum observed. “I don’t care if you’re even The Rock, like, you know, Taylor’s Taylor and you’re just not going to be able to stop that thing.”
Perhaps most tellingly, Tatum refused to characterize “The Smashing Machine” as a failure at all. “I don’t even look at it as a failure,” he said, expressing genuine excitement about seeing the film.
The actor’s respect for combat was evident throughout the interview.
