Charlie Cox ‘surprised’ MMA coach in training for 'Daredevil: Born Again'

Daredevil star Charlie Cox went 'all in' on MMA ahead of his long-awaited return as the blind superhero.

Daredevil: Born Again premieres on Disney+ this week nearly seven years after the original Netflix show was cancelled. Cox's acting future as Matt Murdock, lawyer by day and costumed crimefighter by night, was put in a chokehold, one he eventually got of...

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To the request of many fans, Cox finally reprised his role as Daredevil in She-Hulk (and a cameo in Spider-Man: No Way Home). For Born Again, the British actor decided to start training in MMA. Cox was coached by former fighter Chris Fields at his gym Team KF Martial Arts in Dublin, Ireland.

Charlie Cox's MMA Training

Coach Fields says he was taken aback by Cox's work ethic in the gym, the Daredevil star a sponge for learning.

"I think he really got the bug," Fields told MMA Island of Cox's training. "He was like all in, he was making way more sessions, hanging around after to chat with the guys, watching their sessions if he could, trying to pick up some stuff."

"I dunno how much training you've done yourself, but it does have that effect on you. I think for him probably once he started to get a flow in the training... you start like kind of enjoying it a lot more. He started doing hour-long sessions and they turn into two hours. He had a few like kind of move-arounds with very high-level amateurs in the gym, Roman David, he had to move around with him in the cage. We were kind of doing some light sparring and stuff like that. He enjoyed that, too."

Fields: Cox Had Smile On Face After Going Through 'Hell'

Cox started training with Fields in 2022, finding Team KF Martial Arts while he was filming Kin in Ireland. Fields says Cox spent a lot of time getting to know the team, even showing his support by attending one of his teammates' MMA fights.

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"Maybe this is my own fault, but I probably thought he was gonna be like a little bit soft," Fields said of Cox. "But, he came in, he got stuck into everything that was asked of him. He kind of surprised me. He'd do the sessions and I'd put him through a little bit of hell and then he'd be there the next day with a smile on his face."

"I chatted to him a lot on a personal level about being an actor...Well, he's a method actor, so I think he just fell into the role of wanting to be a fighter for a while. He kind of voiced that it's something he would've liked to have got into a good few years ago."

Daredevil Star Charlie Cox (L) and MMA coach Chris Fields (R) | Team KF Martial Arts

"I was like, 'Look man, you're getting paid a hell of a lot more to not get punched in the face. You're better off...'" Fields, the 21-fight veteran said.

Coach Impressed By Cox's Work Ethic

Charlie Cox has filmed countless fight scenes for Daredevil and the new Daredevil: Born Again, the original series praised for its fight choreography and one-shots that follow Cox fighting off hordes of attackers.

Fields says they worked on making Cox's technique 'cleaner' for his titular return in Daredevil: Born Again.

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"I really like working with Charlie. I think he's a cool guy. I think most of the reason we get on is because when he comes in, he is just acting like one of the other guys. There is no kind of Hollywood or any of that kind of stuff about him. He just wants to do the work and puts the graft in."

"I was impressed by his work ethic," Fields added.

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