Tait Fletcher

A hero in the world of mixed martial arts long before the sport became a worldwide phenomenon, Tait Fletcher was born in Alpena, Michigan in 1971. After enrolling at the liberal arts school St. John's College in New Mexico, Fletcher began frequenting the nearby Jackson-Winkeljohn gym. As he trained in one form of grappling after another, from Judo to Brazilian Jujitsu, Fletcher soon discovered that mixed martial arts provided him with more excitement and fulfillment than anything else. He would spend the next several years successfully competing in tournaments such as the Mundials, the Pan-Am Games, and the Grapplers Quest. Then in 2006, Fletcher and some friends from the scene participated in the new reality series "The Ultimate Fighter" (Spike TV, 2005-). Fletcher did not make it far on the show, but the exposure was helpful. As MMA began to enjoy a surge in popularity, Fletcher expanded his own expertise to become a stuntman and even an actor, in addition to training new fighters at his own gym, Undisputed Fitness in Santa Fe, NM. By 2010, Fletcher was performing stunts for the Marvel movie "Thor" (2010), and by 2013, he was playing the recurring role of Lester on the critically acclaimed series "Breaking Bad" (AMC, 2008-2013). He would continue to act in the years to come, memorably playing Nicholai in the action thriller "John Wick" (2014). He also continued to perform stunts in top notch productions like "Jurassic World" (2015) and the long awaited new season of "Twin Peaks" (Showtime, 2017).