Amazon MGM Studios is doubling down on its fight game for Road House 2 — and it’s calling in some of the sport’s biggest names to do it.
Deadline reports that six professional fighters have joined the sequel’s cast: Rico Verhoeven, Michael Chandler, Michael “Venom” Page, Dustin Poirier, Stephen Thompson, and Tyron Woodley. Former world champion mixed martial artist Jay Hieron will also return, reprising his role as UFC fighter Jax “Jetway” Harris.
Jake Gyllenhaal is back as Elwood Dalton — the UFC fighter turned bouncer first introduced in 2024’s Road House, a Prime Video reboot of the Patrick Swayze classic that pulled in more than 80 million viewers in its first eight weeks. This time, the gloves are off for what the studio promises will be “an even bolder, more adrenaline-charged ride” that takes the franchise’s “signature fighting spirit to new heights.”
While Amazon MGM is keeping plot details under wraps, Road House 2 is set to shoot across the U.K., Malta, and Savannah, Georgia — suggesting a production with much greater scope and scale than its predecessor. Ilya Naishuller, known for Hardcore Henry and Nobody, takes the director’s chair, working from a script by Aquaman writer Will Beall. Producers include Atlas Entertainment’s Charles Roven and Alex Gartner, alongside Jake Gyllenhaal and Josh McLaughlin under their Nine Stories Productions banner.
Joining Gyllenhaal in the main cast are Leila George, Aldis Hodge, and Dave Bautista — with Bautista’s addition alone signaling the sequel’s intent to up the muscle factor.
But it’s the roster of fighters that really turns heads.
Leading the charge is 13-time and reigning Glory heavyweight world champion Rico Verhoeven, better known as “The King of Kickboxing.” He’s held his world title for over a decade, winning more than 26 straight fights under the Glory banner. Already no stranger to the screen, Verhoeven’s acting credits include Den of Thieves: Pantera, Black Lotus, and Kickboxer: Retaliation.
Verhoeven responded to the announcement by sharing a screenshot of the press release on Instagram, captioning the post: “What started as a dream, is here now…”
Joining him is Michael Chandler, an NCAA Division I All-American wrestler and three-time Bellator world champion who’s built a reputation for fight-of-the-night performances in the UFC.
Michael “Venom” Page, the British striking phenom who made his name in Bellator before signing with the UFC, brings his trademark showmanship to the lineup — a fitting match for the cinematic flair of Road House.
Dustin Poirier, a former UFC Interim Lightweight Champion, adds serious star power of his own. One of the sport’s most respected veterans, Poirier’s inclusion cements Road House 2 as a film deeply connected to real fighting culture.
Rounding out the UFC contingent are Stephen “Wonderboy” Thompson, the karate specialist and former kickboxing world champion currently competing in the welterweight division, and Tyron Woodley, a five-time UFC Welterweight Champion whose post-Octagon career has spanned boxing, music, film, and television.
Woodley’s crossover résumé alone is stacked — Straight Outta Compton, Sons of Anarchy, Cobra Kai, Agents of S.H.I.E.L.D., Escape Plan 2, and Cut Throat City are all on his list of credits, alongside his sports commentary work for Fox, ESPN, DAZN, and the PFL. He’s also taken on Jake Paul twice in the boxing ring, bringing a fighter’s legitimacy few can match in Hollywood.
Meanwhile, Jay Hieron, who fought in the UFC, Bellator, Strikeforce, and the IFL before transitioning to acting, continues his move from the cage to the camera. His previous credits include The Equalizer 2, Ray Donovan, Daredevil, and Lethal Weapon.
Together, the lineup positions Road House 2 as more than just another sequel — it’s shaping up to be a legitimate collision between MMA culture and blockbuster filmmaking.
Between Gyllenhaal’s gritty Dalton and an ensemble stacked with real-world fighters, Road House 2 looks ready to deliver exactly what fans of the first film loved: bruising realism, high-energy fights, and a few well-placed bar brawls that hit a little too close to home.
With cameras rolling soon and an expanded world stretching from the U.K. to the U.S. South, the sequel promises to punch even harder — and this time, the pros are bringing their own fight to the floor.
Featured image credit: Prime Video (screenshot)/Instagram/RicoVerhoeven
