Konan
02-09-2013, 04:16 PM
When Mark DellaGrotte first met Kevin James, he had no idea he would be starring in a movie with him six years later. That the movie would be MMA-based would have been even more of a stretch.
But after his experience filming "Here Comes the Boom," the acclaimed MMA trainer knows one thing for certain: He'd do it all over again. Especially if there was interest in making a sequel.
DellaGrotte plays himself in the movie, which was in theaters this past fall and arrived on DVD and Blu-Ray earlier this week. The film stars James as a teacher who takes up MMA as a means of raising money to help save the school's music program and the job of its director, played by Henry Winkler. Along the way, he also trains with a former fighter named Niko, played by Bas Rutten, and woos the school nurse (Salma Hayek).
But it's DellaGrotte's help as a trainer that starts to put James' character Scott Voss over the top as a fighter. It's a role DellaGrotte had no trouble playing since he had been playing that role for James in real life, training him at his Sityodtong muay Thai and MMA gym in Boston.
James and DellaGrotte met in 2006 when the trainer went to one of James' standup shows in Las Vegas with Georges St-Pierre during taping of "The Ultimate Fighter" Season 4. James already had been training with Rutten. But a couple years later, with the germ of an idea for "Boom" already in James' head, and a trip to the Boston area looming to film "Grown Ups" with pals Adam Sandler, Chris Rock, David Spade, Rob Schneider and Hayek, he knew he'd want some gym time during the shoot.
"As soon as Kevin showed up in Boston, it was on," DellaGrotte told MMAjunkie.com (www.mmajunkie.com) earlier this week. "We were training probably five days a week, and he had plans to film 'Here Comes the Boom.' So he knew he was going to take about two years to get in shape. He really wanted to live the role. To his credit, he didn't want to have Hollywood stunts and have doubles come in. You see a lot of Kevin's roles, he does his own stunts – he's very agile and athletic. But he learns fast and he lived the role. He dieted for those two years. He became a fan of Mark DellaGrotte and Sityodtong. We hit it off, and before you know it, the movie was starting filming."
James' character in "Grown Ups" at one point is seen on screen wearing a Team Sityodtong t-shirt from DellaGrotte's gym – yet another indication to the MMA world that James was keen on this whole MMA thing.
Along with playing a crucial role helping James get ready for his part, in which James ultimately gets a short-notice fight in the UFC, DellaGrotte also as a sort of technical adviser on the film.
"The UFC's motto is 'As Real As It Gets,' and the last thing Kevin wanted to do was misrepresent the brand and the sport and have funny things in the movie that aren't real," DellaGrotte said. "We shot a locker room scene where I was taping Kevin's hands (for his UFC fight in Las Vegas) and there wasn't a commissioner. I stopped the director (Frank Coraci) and I said, 'Frank, this is wrong. There has to be a commissioner in here watching me wrap hands. There would never not be a person in a maroon jacket from the state of Nevada.' So little details like that, I played an important role in the development of the movie."
DellaGrotte said the fact that the movie filmed mostly in the Boston area for about four months was crucial for him. It allowed him to stay at home and continue running his gym without interruption. "I probably would've lost my gym and all my members if I would've had to get up and leave for four months," he said.
So it was just about a perfect storm for DellaGrotte, who had a small part in James' previous starring vehicle, "Zookeeper," before starting "Boom."
"I'm not shy in front of the camera – I'm a loudmouth from Boston and I like to talk, obviously," he said. "So I had a great time filming it. What I enjoyed the most was I got to represent me, my brand and the sport I love. I got to meet cool people and I got to act. If I can do that again, sign me up anytime."
And while there has been no official talk of a sequel to sign him up for, it might not be out of the question. After all, James character does get a shot in the UFC. And without spoiling the ending for those who haven't picked up the DVD or Blu-Ray yet, there would be reason to believe that a feel-good story like his character would be asked back for another shot in the promotion.
So DellaGrotte remains hopeful, even though the training and dieting James put himself though might not have him itching to dive right back in very quickly.
"I am all about a sequel. I'm ready for a sequel to start filming tomorrow," DellaGrotte said. "Kevin, on the other hand, I'm not sure. He put in a lot of time, effort, dedication – he lived that lifestyle for close to three years. He drank green shakes, he shed literally a human being (in weight). I'm not sure he wants to dive into the sequel right away.
"But I think he's going to get bit by the bug like we all stay bitten and we'll all go back and hopefully we'll see him back in the octagon."
But after his experience filming "Here Comes the Boom," the acclaimed MMA trainer knows one thing for certain: He'd do it all over again. Especially if there was interest in making a sequel.
DellaGrotte plays himself in the movie, which was in theaters this past fall and arrived on DVD and Blu-Ray earlier this week. The film stars James as a teacher who takes up MMA as a means of raising money to help save the school's music program and the job of its director, played by Henry Winkler. Along the way, he also trains with a former fighter named Niko, played by Bas Rutten, and woos the school nurse (Salma Hayek).
But it's DellaGrotte's help as a trainer that starts to put James' character Scott Voss over the top as a fighter. It's a role DellaGrotte had no trouble playing since he had been playing that role for James in real life, training him at his Sityodtong muay Thai and MMA gym in Boston.
James and DellaGrotte met in 2006 when the trainer went to one of James' standup shows in Las Vegas with Georges St-Pierre during taping of "The Ultimate Fighter" Season 4. James already had been training with Rutten. But a couple years later, with the germ of an idea for "Boom" already in James' head, and a trip to the Boston area looming to film "Grown Ups" with pals Adam Sandler, Chris Rock, David Spade, Rob Schneider and Hayek, he knew he'd want some gym time during the shoot.
"As soon as Kevin showed up in Boston, it was on," DellaGrotte told MMAjunkie.com (www.mmajunkie.com) earlier this week. "We were training probably five days a week, and he had plans to film 'Here Comes the Boom.' So he knew he was going to take about two years to get in shape. He really wanted to live the role. To his credit, he didn't want to have Hollywood stunts and have doubles come in. You see a lot of Kevin's roles, he does his own stunts – he's very agile and athletic. But he learns fast and he lived the role. He dieted for those two years. He became a fan of Mark DellaGrotte and Sityodtong. We hit it off, and before you know it, the movie was starting filming."
James' character in "Grown Ups" at one point is seen on screen wearing a Team Sityodtong t-shirt from DellaGrotte's gym – yet another indication to the MMA world that James was keen on this whole MMA thing.
Along with playing a crucial role helping James get ready for his part, in which James ultimately gets a short-notice fight in the UFC, DellaGrotte also as a sort of technical adviser on the film.
"The UFC's motto is 'As Real As It Gets,' and the last thing Kevin wanted to do was misrepresent the brand and the sport and have funny things in the movie that aren't real," DellaGrotte said. "We shot a locker room scene where I was taping Kevin's hands (for his UFC fight in Las Vegas) and there wasn't a commissioner. I stopped the director (Frank Coraci) and I said, 'Frank, this is wrong. There has to be a commissioner in here watching me wrap hands. There would never not be a person in a maroon jacket from the state of Nevada.' So little details like that, I played an important role in the development of the movie."
DellaGrotte said the fact that the movie filmed mostly in the Boston area for about four months was crucial for him. It allowed him to stay at home and continue running his gym without interruption. "I probably would've lost my gym and all my members if I would've had to get up and leave for four months," he said.
So it was just about a perfect storm for DellaGrotte, who had a small part in James' previous starring vehicle, "Zookeeper," before starting "Boom."
"I'm not shy in front of the camera – I'm a loudmouth from Boston and I like to talk, obviously," he said. "So I had a great time filming it. What I enjoyed the most was I got to represent me, my brand and the sport I love. I got to meet cool people and I got to act. If I can do that again, sign me up anytime."
And while there has been no official talk of a sequel to sign him up for, it might not be out of the question. After all, James character does get a shot in the UFC. And without spoiling the ending for those who haven't picked up the DVD or Blu-Ray yet, there would be reason to believe that a feel-good story like his character would be asked back for another shot in the promotion.
So DellaGrotte remains hopeful, even though the training and dieting James put himself though might not have him itching to dive right back in very quickly.
"I am all about a sequel. I'm ready for a sequel to start filming tomorrow," DellaGrotte said. "Kevin, on the other hand, I'm not sure. He put in a lot of time, effort, dedication – he lived that lifestyle for close to three years. He drank green shakes, he shed literally a human being (in weight). I'm not sure he wants to dive into the sequel right away.
"But I think he's going to get bit by the bug like we all stay bitten and we'll all go back and hopefully we'll see him back in the octagon."