Rigan Machado’s career took an unexpected turn when he ventured into filmmaking. Inspired by his father’s love of cinema, Machado had always harbored an interest in movies. His involvement with Hollywood actors, including Bradley Cooper and Ashton Kutcher, eventually led him to explore filmmaking, focusing on action scenes and stunt choreography. Machado’s journey culminated in his directorial debut, Blow for Blow, a film that explores bullying and father-son relationships, starring UFC middleweight Paulo Costa.
While initially concerned about the film’s title, Machado embraced the opportunity to expand his creative horizons. He is already planning his next project, a martial arts comedy titled Machado Brothers vs. Zombies, combining his expertise in BJJ with humor.
Bradley Cooper Wanted to Do BJJ in the Early Hours of the Morning
As a well-respected BJJ instructor to Hollywood’s elite, Machado has had numerous notable clients, including Bradley Cooper. Machado reminisced about Cooper’s dedication to training in Combat Base podcast appearance:
“All my students come super early. I remember Bradley Cooper came and asked, ‘Hey, can I train at 5:30 or 6 in the morning?’ I said, ‘Sure, no problem, come anytime.’ But it is what it is. That’s major because they want to train before they work.”
Ashton Kutcher Only Trains BJJ Before 8 AM
Among Machado’s celebrity clientele, Ashton Kutcher stands out for his unique training schedule. According to Machado, Kutcher’s time is limited due to his family commitments. Machado explained:
“But, for example, a lot of these guys wake up so early because of their families and businesses. After 8:00, they don’t have time anymore. Ashton Kutcher is one of them. His time is crazy because he has kids but doesn’t have babysitters. His wife decided not to have a babysitter to be more involved in the kids’ lives, and I have so much respect for that. The relationship you create with your kids is phenomenal, you know what I mean? Taking them to school, watching their practices—it’s unbelievable how important and healthy that is. Kids learn from that, putting their hands on a baby carrier and stuff like that. That’s the kind of way I like to raise kids.”
Kutcher’s decision to prioritize family over hiring a babysitter highlights his commitment to his children, which Machado greatly respects.
A Shift Toward Home Training
Over the years, Rigan Machado has shifted his teaching model to cater to the busy lives of his high-profile clients. He revealed that a significant portion of his current instruction occurs at his clients’ homes rather than at his academy. Machado explained:
“Brother, don’t come to the academy, just put some mats over here, I come here. I’m just going to charge a little bit extra for the travel time.”
This shift has been financially beneficial and allowed Machado to continue sharing his martial arts expertise while offering greater convenience and privacy to his clients. With a selective base of students at his Beverly Hills academy, Machado has expanded into home-based training, which better accommodates the schedules of his celebrity clientele.
Celebrity Clients and the Blending of Martial Arts with Hollywood
Throughout his career, Machado has worked with a variety of Hollywood stars, including Mickey Rourke. Machado shared a memorable story about Rourke’s notoriously late arrival for training:
“Mickey Rourke is amazing. He trained for me but he’s so funny – he got training at 10:00, he arrived 12:30. I said ‘Man, it’s two and a half hours late!’ He’s like ‘Okay, okay,'” Machado laughed. “Never on time, always an hour late. I learned to put extra time when he comes, but he’s an amazing guy, my favorite actor, great actor.”
In addition to Rourke, Machado has worked with several other prominent Hollywood figures.
