A new mixed-martial-arts drama starring UFC heavyweight champion Randy Couture and former Home Improvement star Tim Allen begins production next month in Los Angeles, according to a report from Variety.com.

The movie, titled Redbelt, also stars Shooto and PRIDE Fighting Championships veteran Enson Inoue, as well as fighters Danny Inosanto, John Machado and Ray Mancini.

Veteran British actor Chiwetel Ejiofor has the lead role.

According to Variety.com:

Ejiofor, who was the first actor [writer/director David] Mamet set, stars as a Jiu-jitsu master whose purity is compromised when he is drawn into the movie business and manipulated into brawling in ultimate fighting matches.

Allen plays a troubled action star with marital problems who meets the master when he is getting pummeled in a street fight.

Ejiofor has been training in London with members of the Gracie family, the renowned Brazilian fighting clan.

Couture, who won the UFC’s heavyweight championship by scoring a unanimous-decision victory over former champ Tim Sylvia at UFC 68, recently announced that his supporting role would be his first full-fledged speaking gig in a feature film.

The Sony Pictures movie is expected to be released in theaters next year.