Mackenzie Dern, a strawweight standout in the UFC, reflects on her challenging journey that led her to a fresh start in 2023. She discusses her victory over Angela Hill and the high standards she carries into her upcoming clash with Jessica Andrade at UFC 295. Dern talks about the changes in her personal and professional life, including divorcing her husband and finding a new team. She also discusses her progress in adapting her game to MMA and the importance of blending different martial arts disciplines. Dern sees her fight with Andrade as a massive test and an opportunity to challenge for the championship. She expresses her excitement about fighting at Madison Square Garden and her determination to meet the high standards she set in her last fight.
Meanwhile, Faine Mesquita, a Brazilian-born Australian fighter, is set to take on Baktygul Kurmanbekova in a strawweight MMA battle. Mesquita grew up in Sao Paulo as a self-confessed 'geek' and spent her days playing video games and watching martial arts movies. She faced gender barriers in pursuing martial arts as a child but found more support for women in sports when she moved to Australia. Mesquita began her martial arts training in ninjutsu and later started training in Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu and Muay Thai. After three years of training, she decided to have her first fight, but it was postponed due to the COVID-19 pandemic. In 2022, she made her amateur MMA debut and won the gold medal at the IMMAF tournament in Serbia. Mesquita sees her ONE Championship debut as another milestone and hopes to inspire others to overcome obstacles and not doubt themselves. She believes martial arts has given her strength and problem-solving skills that reflect in every aspect of her life.
In other news, Lupita Nyong'o has been cast as the lead in the action film 'Strawweight', directed by James M. Johnston. The movie is set to begin screening in New Mexico at an undisclosed date. Nyong'o, known for her roles in 'Black Panther: Wakanda Forever' and Jordan Peele's films, will be fighting in a cage as part of her role in the film. James M. Johnston, who has directed several short films, including 'Mother's Day' and 'Well Spoken', is helming the project. 'Strawweight' was filmed in New Mexico, a popular location for various films. The movie explores the world of boxing and is expected to showcase Nyong'o's physical and acting skills. [092efeb6]
Additionally, Emily Blunt is in talks to join Benny Safdie’s solo directorial debut 'The Smashing Machine', an A24 feature movie starring Dwayne Johnson as MMA and UFC champion Mark Kerr. Blunt is in talks to play Dawn Staples, Kerr’s wife. The movie is based on the story of Mark Kerr, the legendary MMA fighter from the no-holds-barred era of the UFC at the peak of his career. Dwayne Johnson and Dany Garcia’s Seven Bucks Productions will produce alongside Safdie’s Out for the Count banner, Eli Bush and David Koplan. Blunt’s involvement in the project doesn’t come as a surprise. She is a key reason the movie is being made, Johnson said in January. Johnson and Safdie first connected on the pic in 2019, but fell out of touch and put the movie on hold due to the coronavirus pandemic. After watching the 2002 documentary 'The Smashing Machine: The Life and Times of Extreme Fighter Mark Kerr', Blunt encouraged Johnson to continue pursuing the project. When Blunt and Safdie spoke on the set of 'Oppenheimer', Johnson’s name came up, prompting Safdie to reconnect with Johnson and pursue the making of 'The Smashing Machine'. Johnson expressed his desire to push himself in his career and make films that explore humanity and struggle. Mark Kerr is a former wrestler and MMA icon, a two-time UFC Heavyweight Tournament Champion and World Vale Tudo Championship tournament winner. The movie is set to be a drama that explores Kerr's addiction, winning, love, and friendship in the year 2000. [9bb37c84]
Jennifer Lopez has been cast as a soldier named Atlas Shepherd in Netflix's upcoming action sci-fi film 'Atlas'. She is tasked with capturing a renegade AI robot on a distant alien planet to save humanity. The movie also features Sterling K. Brown, Simu Liu, and Mark Strong in additional roles. The first teaser trailer has been released, along with the official synopsis and poster. 'Atlas' will debut on Netflix on May 24, 2024. [6f8f34e2]
Jenna Ortega's controversial film 'Miller's Girl' is set to release on Netflix on April 25, 2024. The movie stars Ortega as student Cairo Sweet and Martin Freeman as Jonathan Miller, her creative writing teacher. It explores a forbidden relationship that develops after a creative writing assignment. The film has faced controversy due to its age-gap romance and a sex scene between Ortega, 21, and Freeman, 51. The movie has a 29% rating on Rotten Tomatoes. While some are excited about the wider availability of the film, others are concerned that the focus will be on the controversial scenes rather than Ortega's performance. The reactions on the internet are mixed, with some users expressing happiness about being able to watch the movie and others expressing concerns about straight men watching it. One user even plans to edit a version of the movie that only includes scenes with Ortega and Winnie. [a9890168]
[092efeb6]