From Magic to MMA: Harry Potter Star Josh Herdman Is Unrecognizable as Cage Fighter

Muggles better watch their backs.

Josh Herdman, who played one of Draco Malfoy's cowardly cronies in the Harry Potter series, is trading his wand for his fists as he pursues a new career: amateur cage fighter.

The 28-year-old appeared in all eight Harry Potter films as Slytherin bully Gregory Goyle, but is now virtually unrecognizable as a ripped, tattooed martial artist.

And Herdman's new career is already off to a great start. The former actor beat Polish fighter Janusz Walachowski in Romford, east London over the weekend.



The fighting spirit runs in the family. Both of his two older brothers boxed and his dad was a boxer and professional rugby league player before Herdman pursued acting in his late 20s, according to the BBC.

"I chose MMA because I love the sport. It's raw, exciting and unpredictable," Herdman told Addicted MMA On the Road.

"I find it more interesting than boxing although I appreciate the beauty and art in boxing. It also made sense to move onto MMA because of my jiu jitsu training," he added.

As for whether he's ready to give up acting, Herdman, who's only appeared in two films outside the Harry Potter franchise, said he's still exploring his options.

"I haven't fallen out of love with it, I still have an agent and still go for auditions," he said of acting. "It's just a little bit like playing the lottery for a living."

But for now, he's just thinking about his next match. "I would like a few amateur fights first to get me started and where it goes from there, who knows?"