Mortal Kombat 1’s Noah Fleder: Hollywood Egos, Fighting Realism & The Future of Action

Why are real martial arts movies disappearing from Hollywood? In this episode of the Be Great Podcast, host Bruce Colero sits down with martial artist, stunt coordinator, and motion capture performer Noah Fleder (Mortal Kombat 1).Noah pulled double duty inside the NetherRealm Studios volume, performing motion capture for 8 iconic characters—including Kenshi, Sub-Zero, and Scorpion. From training under Master Simon Rhee (Best of the Best) and the Dan Inosanto lineage to choreographing fight scenes with Michael Jai White, Noah shares an unfiltered look into the collapse of genuine martial arts cinema, Hollywood egos, and what it takes to bring authentic combat back to the big screen.They also break down the creation of Noah’s viral striking system “Muay Tyson” (merging Cus D'Amato's Peek-a-boo boxing mechanics with Muay Thai), overcoming a devastating ACL tear using peptides and isometric conditioning, and rapid-fire debates on Bruce Lee, Mike Tyson, Scott Adkins, and the greatest fight scenes ever filmed.In This Episode:The Death of Action Cinema: Why traditional martial arts films collapsed in modern Hollywood.Inside Mortal Kombat 1: Performing mocap for 8 fighters, working with Carlos Pesina, and how Sub-Zero got swapped for Kenshi.Working with Michael Jai White: Why true legends put story above ego on set.The "Muay Tyson" System: How slipping offline and level-changing creates devastating counter-striking angles.Injury & Longevity: Overcoming a torn ACL/meniscus with plyometrics, isometrics, and peptide therapy (BPC-157, TB-500, GHK-Cu).The Ultimate Debates: Bruce Lee vs. Mike Tyson in a street fight, BJJ vs. Wrestling, and the most overrated martial arts styles.Timestamps:00:00 Intro01:15 Starting Martial Arts at Age 402:16 Resisting Discipline & Early Mindset05:15 Mentorship Under Master Simon Rhee06:18 Military Boot Camp & Choosing Martial Arts08:08 Simon Rhee’s Question: What Makes Your Kick Special?09:10 Black Belt Inflation vs. Traditional Standards10:50 Performance Kicking vs. Practical Combat14:00 Getting the Call for Mortal Kombat 114:50 Motion Capture for 8 Mortal Kombat Characters17:40 Blending Fighting Styles for Game Characters19:28 Working with Carlos Pesina (Original Raiden)20:46 Creative Freedom vs. Classic Iconic Moves22:08 The Face Scan Switch: Sub-Zero to Kenshi23:08 Mo-Cap Reality: Tracking Suits & Technical Challenges24:12 A 3.5-Year Development Cycle24:40 Seeing Yourself in a Game & Fan Tattoos26:12 Inspiring the Next Generation of Martial Artists29:36 Teaching Philosophy: The Power of Intention30:20 Combat Reality vs. Soft Modern Culture31:44 Training & Choreographing with Michael Jai White32:52 Michael Jai White Throwing 720 Kicks in His 50s34:12 Story First: Why Michael Jai White Chose to Lose35:00 Hollywood Egos vs. True Martial Artists37:28 Gillian White & Working Dynamics on Set38:40 Navigating Hollywood: Fame and Money as Amplifiers41:28 Cross-Training: Taekwondo, Kyokushin, & Shotokan43:12 Street Fight Reality Check & Transitioning to Boxing44:28 JKD, Kali, & Dan Inosanto Lineage44:42 Pencak Silat with Cecep Arif Rahman in Indonesia46:00 Flow Drills vs. Real-Life Reaction Time48:00 Overcoming Fear Under Combat Pressure49:56 Childhood Tournament: The Defining Sidekick52:10 Simon Rhee’s Lesson: Training the 1% vs. the 99%54:40 Peptides, Recovery, & Stem Cells57:48 The Genesis of "Muay Tyson"58:12 Bulking to 207 lbs & Severe Knee Injury (ACL/Meniscus)59:36 Knee Surgery, Plyometrics, & Isometric Rehab1:02:16 The Science of Peek-a-boo Boxing Movement1:04:30 Biomechanics of Muay Tyson: Level Changes & Rotation1:06:30 Upcoming Action Feature Film in Indonesia1:10:50 Set Discipline & Culture in Indonesia1:13:20 Script Concept: "Karate Guards"1:15:20 Rapid Fire: Bruce Lee vs. Chuck Norris1:16:00 Rapid Fire: Jackie Chan vs. Jet Li / Donnie Yen vs. Scott Adkins1:16:36 Rapid Fire: Boxing vs. Muay Thai / Wrestling vs. BJJ1:17:20 Rapid Fire: Traditional Martial Arts vs. MMA1:19:10