There are few people in the mixed martial arts community along the West Coast who don’t know the name Lance Gibson.

Not only has Lance appeared in the UFC, Super Brawl and Shooto, but he has become one of the most highly regarded trainers in North America. But those outside of MMA circles are also getting to know Lance, though they may not realize it. Lance is becoming a familiar face to moviegoers with appearances in Romeo Must Die and Rumble in the Bronx. Lance can now be found – albeit under heavy makeup – in this summer’s major blockbuster X-Men 3.

Lance recently talked to the Z-Files about fighting, training and acting:

Z-Files: You must be very excited for the opening weekend of X-Men 3. Tell me about your role?

LG: It was filming in all through Vancouver in 2005. There’s more action than talking for me. I have a huge fight scene with Hugh Jackman (Wolverine). I actually started out playing a guy with all these prosthetics and I ended up playing a whole bunch of roles over 35 days. I was a SWAT guy, different mutants and then one day on the set I was picked to play Spike. It’s very cool.

Z-Files: Are you becoming well-known among the Hollywood stars who work in Vancouver?

LG: Actually I’ve known Hugh Jackman for a while because I trained him a few years ago in Pankration. When he was filming X-Men 2, he was looking for a trainer and called the gym and I started working with him. I trained Jessica Alba during the two seasons of Dark Angel and every time she sees me in Vancouver she always stops to talk. I just finished another movie called Rogue. I was working with Jet Li and Jason Statham and they both knew who I am. I play a cage fighter in that movie.

Z-Files: When did you get bit by the acting bug?

LG: I got started acting in 1988 in Grade 12 drama. Then I worked in Seattle doing some theatre and I had some leads in Fringe fest shows. And then things really blew up in Vancouver (the sudden surge of movie/TV filming in the area). From that day on I’ve always had work. I did MacGyver and The Sentinel. I was in 21 Jump Street and some NBC movies of the week. I was in a movie with Brian Dennehy and Charles Dutton where I was the personal trainer to a mafia boss and I ended up shooting and killing him. I like the more dramatic roles over just action and doing stunts because I like to act.

Z-Files: Has acting ever interfered with your own training and training your fighters?

LG: I never wanted to stand around and wait by the phone which is why I opened my own gym. If no more acting jobs came it never mattered because I had the gym and I was able to turn down silly one-line roles. The gym became successful and I was still the No. 1-ranked fighter in Shooto. I’m the father of four kids and I still train three times a day every day, I spar with all my private students and with all my fighters. If something good came along I’d step back in the ring. If I got the right chance again, why not? But it would have to be a big fight. The third fight of my career was against Dan Severn when he was one of the biggest guys in the world.

Z-Files: After two excellent fights in the UFC – a stunning KO win over Jermaine Andre in UFC 24 and then a hard-fought loss to Evan Tanner in UFC 29 - you left the company. What happened with you and UFC?

LG: It’s something a lot of people don’t realize. They offered me a fight against Phil Baroni but I chose to go to Shooto instead because the UFC’s offer wasn’t good. I had just had a great fight with Tanner – which I thought was stopped too early by referee Mario Yamasaki. After that, I had I great chance to be No. 1 in Japan and they wanted to have a world champion. I beat their No. 6 guy Akihiro Gono in Hawaii and then I beat Masanori Suda who was No. 1. I went back to Japan but Shooto didn’t like me because they thought I fought dirty even though the fans loved me. I fought Suda again for the title and they gave him the decision. I was promised a rematch and they never gave it to me.

Z-Files: Did that result sour you on continuing to fight?

LG: It kind of did. But it was a learning experience. I tell all my fighters now that it’s great fighting in Japan but if they ever do they basically have to annihilate their opponent because if it goes to a decision you won’t get it.

Z-Files: As one of the best trainers in North America, who are you looking forward to watching from your own stable of fighters?

LG: Ryan Diaz is going to win a world title. His mindset is just like what mine was – he loves being in big fights. He’s peaking right now. Wilf Betz and Blake Fredrickson – who have both fought in the MFC – were just on a card at the Tacoma Dome and they both won. Blake won the XFC title and I know he wants the MFC (lightweight) title.

Z-Files: You must also be very excited about Adam Braidwood, the Edmonton Eskimos draft pick who is training with you?

LG: Absolutely. Adam is a very quick learner, an awesome athlete and he has a great attitude. If he was training full-time, he would be in the UFC in a year.

Z-Files: Well, we can’t wait to see him in the MFC ring.

LG: I think it will be great.