Michael Jai White On ‘Never Back Down: No Surrender,’ Working With Josh Barnett [Video Exclusive]

Michael Jai White both directed and stars in Never Back Down: No Surrender, the third film in the Never Back Down franchise.

Michael Jai White Video: ‘Never Back Down: No Surrender’

In Never Back Down: No Surrender, White has reprised his role of Case Walker. This time around, the former MMA champion wants to get back in the ring in his top fighting shape but is relegated to the local arenas. When he runs into his old pal Brody James (Josh Barnett), who is now a champion himself, he’s asked to help him train at his camp in Thailand.

The grueling physicality of the role, in addition to the logistics of directing the film, proved a difficult balance for White. One sparring scene between him and Barnett was particularly difficult to shoot, due in large part to the soaring temperatures. Unlike Barnett, after that scene wrapped, White couldn’t grab a shower or a rest.

“We were inside an abandoned factory that I turned into an MMA gym, and so as it stands for movies, you’re under big hot lights,” White told uInterview in an exclusive interview. “So, we’re in an arena with big hot lights and 120-degree weather, and so our body temperatures would get so high that the producer would wrap us in towels that were soaked in ice, just to get our body temperatures down between scenes. I felt like my brain was melting. That, by far, was one of the hardest scenes I’ve ever had to do in my life. Josh got to go back to the hotel afterward but I couldn’t.

White added, “Being the director of the movie, it’s a rare instance that the director is also doing the majority of fights in the movie. Usually, when you do a fight scene, you get to relax afterward, and they go on with the movie, but not in my case because I don’t even get to shower up. I have to direct the rest of the day after I finish the fight scene. So, that’s kind of unique, but it was cool. It’s definitely a challenge.”

Fatigue was one thing, but White also had to worry about the possibility of getting injured while filming Never Back Down: No Surrender. Not only did he have to face off against Barnett, but against Nathan Jones as well.

“We’re sparring and it’s not choreographed at all and so I’m fighting with arguably the most decorated heavyweight in MMA history and I’m the director if something happens to me…” White said. “Well, you know, that’s kind of a rough one, and also in being that I have to fight with Nathan Jones, who is like a monolith, this guy’s almost computer generated.”

In the end, the long days pulling double duty, and pushing himself both physically and mentally were well worth it, according to White. He believes that the end result will provide audiences with a uniquely realistic experience.

“To be able to kind of do choreography that’s based on real fighting – something we’ve both done our entire lives – that puts you in a position that you can’t really be in with even the best stunt guys, because the best stunt guys haven’t done Martial Arts for 25 years,” White revealed. “A jab, and a cross and kick from a professional guy is gonna have that professional look. So, dare I say, we get a chance to bring something to the screen that very few people will ever be able to see or duplicate.”

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