Todd Jorgenson

David Mamet making a film about mixed martial arts seems almost antithetical on the surface.

But in reality, the award-winning playwright and filmmaker has been intrigued with the world of martial arts for years, specifically jiu-jitsu, in which Mamet has become a fascinated student.

So it became a natural marriage of interests for the versatile Mamet to explore the world of mixed martial arts on film. The result is Redbelt , which looks at the sport in Mamet’s typically edgy, idiosyncratic style.

It follows the story of Mike Terry (Chiwetel Ejiofor), a jiu-jitsu instructor who teaches both the physical and philosophical techniques of his craft at a fledgling Los Angeles studio. Facing financial struggles, however, he is lured into a mix of sleazy promoters, loan sharks and movie stars that forces him to rethink his nonviolent ways in order to repay his debts and regain his honor.

The script captured the interest of some of the major names in mixed martial arts, both for its authenticity and for its philosophical approach toward jiu-jitsu.

“I liked that it was very authentic, using some good fighters and real practitioners in some of the key roles,” said Randy Couture, a legend in mixed martial arts circles and one of the sport’s top professional fighters. “I think it’s a pretty accurate representation of our sport.”

Couture, who has dabbled in acting as a second career with roles in action films such as Cradle 2 the Grave, wasn’t familiar with Mamet’s work when he originally auditioned for the lead role in Redbelt.

Eventually, he signed on for a supporting role not as a fighter, but as a television commentator. He said he has since become a Mamet fan.

“I liked that it’s not just a fight movie. If you’re going just to watch a fight movie, you’re not going to like this movie,” Couture said. “It’s got a very good story about deception and subversion, and it’s very well done.”

Couture, 44, is a three-time heavyweight champion in the Ultimate Fighting Championship, where he has earned nicknames such as “The Natural” and “Captain America.” His fights against rivals Chuck Liddell and Tito Ortiz have helped give notoriety to the young but fast-growing sport.

Couture hopes Redbelt can help with the sport’s sometimes muddled perception with the general public while helping its exposure in a different medium.

“The subtleties that are unique to mixed martial arts are sort of lost on American fans sometimes,” Couture said. “They’re getting more and more interested in what we do and the intricacies of it as we go, but so many times it’s about two guys scrapping and bloodletting and that sort of thing. This movie highlights the martial arts part of what we do. It’s a more traditional view.”

The movie was inspired in part by Mamet’s five years of training with famed jiu-jitsu instructor Renato Magno at his Los Angeles studio. Magno was the fight choreographer during the film, which also features appearances by real-life fighters Jean Jacques Mach-ado, Ray “Boom Boom” Mancini and Enson Inoue.

“The fight scenes were very grounded in real jiu-jitsu technique,” Couture said.

After leaving the UFC in October 2007 amid a legal dispute, Couture said he hopes to fight again before retiring, while continuing to explore acting roles as a post-retirement alternative.

Couture was impressed with Ejiofor (Talk to Me), who spent weeks in training to prepare for his role as the film’s mild-mannered instructor pressed into combat.

“I thought that Chiwetel did a marvelous job of getting up to speed with the physicality and the athletic part of his character,” Couture said. “He pulled that off very well.”

Although the sport of MMA has attracted a large fan base through television and live events, Couture said a serious treatment like the one in Redbelt might lead to more exposure on screen.

“I think this has opened the floodgates in Hollywood for filmmaking to see the growth of the sport and take it seriously,” he said. “As a fighter, part of our job is an education process. People don’t understand who we are and what we do. We’re representing the sport with integrity and in a positive way, and making people understand that we’re not criminals and we’re not dangerous. We’re simply involved in a combative sport that takes a lot of discipline and sacrifice.”

Redbelt is currently playing at area theaters.

TODD JORGENSON can be reached at 940-566-6871. His e-mail address is tjorgenson@dentonrc.com .