Former UFC fighter Jay Hieron discusses being KO’d by Jake Gyllenhaal during UFC 285 ‘Road House’ filming: “He went for it”

Former UFC welterweight Jay Hieron enjoyed his time back in the octagon.

‘The Thoroughbred’ had a lengthy MMA career, competing from 2003 to 2013. A few years of that time was spent in the UFC octagon, as Hieron made his debut for the promotion in 2004. That year, he lost to Georges St-Pierre at UFC 48 by first-round knockout.

He left the promotion after that defeat and later spent time in Bellator and Strikeforce. In 2013, Hieron ultimately returned to the UFC. He wound up losing to Jake Ellenberger, and Tyron Woodley before announcing his retirement the following year.

Nearly a decade after announcing his retirement, Jay Hieron made his return at UFC 285 earlier this month. Granted, he wasn’t in an actual fight. Instead, he was doing his new job, working as an actor and stuntman in the upcoming film ‘Road House’.

The film stars Conor McGregor and Jake Gyllenhaal, with both in attendance at the event. While there, the latter filmed a couple of scenes with Hieron, including a full-blown fight in the cage. The former UFC welterweight wound up being knocked out in the fight scene, but he still had fun, as he revealed in an interview with MMA Fighting.

“If you would have told me when I retired that I’d be back in the UFC in an acting scene with one of the top actors, I would have been like no, you’re s****** me,” Jay Hieron said. “It was great. Once they told me all this and I got the role, I was like yo, this is amazing. Brought back all the feelings. I saw all the guys I haven’t seen in a while. Dana [White], Joe Rogan, Sean Shelby, it was great just being around the environment because I’m not around it as much anymore. Of course, I’m always filming so it was incredible. Just to do a fight scene in the UFC on a live card, one of the best cards in the last few years, Jon Jones returning. It was amazing. Couldn’t ask for a better opportunity.” (h/t MMA Fighting)

“He did the work. He went for it. No doubt. That wasn’t no stunt slap. He went for it. That’s what was great about it. We talked about it before and he’s super respectful and he’s like ‘what do you think?’ and I’m like let’s go! Don’t even think about it. Whatever you feel out there let’s go do it and that brings stuff out of me and it looked great. We got a lot of great feedback. It’s just amazing for the UFC to even let this happen.”

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