Ex-UFC champ Randy Couture plays the blues (Video)
Retired former two-division UFC champion Randy Couture is clearly the Most Interesting Man in the MMA World. Couture is a four-time Olympic alternate wrestler, MMA legend, Hollywood actor, television commentator, coach and business owner. He also gets more stylish with age (not every man can pull off the scarf and hat look indoors the way "The Natural" can.)
Evidently, Couture is also a budding blues harmonica player and singer. Cagewriter was just doing our typical Friday afternoon "Randy Couture AND blues harmonica live performance" Youtube search when we stumbled across the really cool video below of the Bellator Fight Master coach on stage with the Jason Young Band at a bar called Whiskey Chicks in Oklahoma City, playing the harmonica.
We're no blues experts but it sounds pretty darned good to us. So, that begged the question, "Cool! What the [expletive], Randy?"
Then, we refined that question and gave Couture a call to discuss the latest thing that he kicks ass at.
"That was last weekend at the NCAA Wrestling championships in Oklahoma City," Randy tells Cagewriter.
It turns out that Couture was in the same bar the night prior and had played with another band. When he returned the following night, word had gotten around and that night's band implored him to join them onstage.
"I was there for the championships hanging out at bar. The band was playing when I walked in and a little while later, they dragged me up onstage," Couture laughs.
Couture just played harmonica for one song that night but sang on a couple others. So, just how long has couture been playing harmonica?
"Six months," he chuckles.
"Somebody gave me a harmonica a year ago and I've been carrying it around in my bag forever. I hadn’t touched it and then I went onto the set of The Expendables 3 and found it in my bag. I thought, 'oh Christ, I forgot all about that.' Since then, I made a commitment to play it every single day. In three weeks, I'd worn it out and needed a new one. I've still been doing my best to play every single day."
You can take the focused practitioner out of the sport but it appears as if you can't take the focus out of the practitioner. Couture says that harmonica playing offers him some of the same things fighting did.
"It's one of those things that is relaxing for me," he explains.
"I have to focus on what I’m doing and your mind can't wander. It's kind of like fighting or riding my motorcycle, which I also enjoy doing for the same reason. It is very in-the-moment and relaxing."
So, fight fans, go ahead and add "blues performer" to the list of things Randy Couture is that you are not. Then, check out the video above and let us know your favorite multi-talented athlete in the comments section.
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