Randy Couture, left, Ultimate Fighting Championship fighter, shares a laugh with Dave McAboy on September 28, 2016, before he was inducted into the Snohomish County Sports Hall of Fame. The Lynnwood High School alum had an incredible amateur wrestling career before entering and exceling at UFC. (Kevin Clark / The Herald)

Randy Couture, left, Ultimate Fighting Championship fighter, shares a laugh with Dave McAboy on September 28, 2016, before he was inducted into the Snohomish County Sports Hall of Fame. The Lynnwood High School alum had an incredible amateur wrestling career before entering and exceling at UFC. (Kevin Clark / The Herald)

Chris Pratt and Randy Couture faced off on the wrestling mat

The Lake Stevens and Lynnwood sons trained together, and Pratt reflected on Couture’s impact on him.

Two men enter, two men leave.

At least, that’s the result of a recent spar between retired Ultimate Fighting Championship (UFC) fighter Randy Couture, a Lynnwood High School alumnus, and actor Chris Pratt, a Lake Stevens High School alum. Pratt posted to his Facebook page about hitting the mat for a low-stakes grapple with Couture, a three-time UFC heavyweight title holder and two-time light-heavyweight champion.

“Randy first coached me when I was 17 at Oregon State University wrestling camp,” Pratt wrote, later recalling how he got Coach Couture on his back “Not once, not twice … but three times.”

Known for his goofy and lovable Andy Dwyer from “Parks & Recreation,” galaxy-defending Peter Quill/Star-Lord in “Guardians of the Galaxy” and the velociraptor-training Owen Grady in “Jurassic World,” Pratt grew up in Lake Stevens. There, he excelled as a wrestler during the mid- to late-1990s.

His hometown has remained an anchor for him as his celebrity status grew, as Herald reporter Kari Bray noted back in 2014, ahead of Pratt’s first “Saturday Night Live” appearance as a host.

In 2016, Pratt used his star power to generate $485,000 toward building a new Lake Stevens Boys & Girls Club. With Omaze, Pratt raffled off tickets at $10 each, spending a day with him on the set of “Guardians of the Galaxy, Vol. 2.” The money raised allowed the Boys & Girls Club to build a teen center almost twice the size of what was originally planned.

When the teen center opened in spring of 2017, it was named in the memory of his father, Dan Pratt. Ahead of the opening, Chris Pratt explained why the center was important for him and his hometown.

“There’s heroin in our school. I can’t believe it,” he said. “Which is a huge reason why I wanted to create a safe space where teens can spend time when their parents are working. Keep them away from temptation and trouble.”

Similarly, Pratt reflected in his Jan. 29 Facebook post about the role of sports in his life as a teenager.

“… Gotta love the wrestlers mentality and work ethic. It’s a great sport which helped keep me out of trouble when I was younger and taught me how to grind. I’ve always said it, wrestling made me who I am today …”

Couture was a prolific high school, collegiate and Olympic grappler. He won a state title at Lynnwood High School, qualified for two NCAA finals and served as a three-time Olympic alternate. Like Pratt, he ventured into Hollywood as an actor in a blockbuster action franchise (“The Expendables”).

So, how did this friendly battle royale between two Snohomish County sons-turned Hollywood mega-celebrities end? Watch Pratt’s video and decide for yourself.

Talk to us

> Give us your news tips.

> Send us a letter to the editor.

> More Herald contact information.

More in Life

What’s Up columnist Andrea Brown with a selection of black and white glossy promotional photos on Wednesday, June 18, 2025 in Everett, Washington. (Olivia Vanni / The Herald)
Free celeb photos! Dig into The Herald’s Hollywood time capsule

John Wayne, Travolta, Golden Girls and hundreds more B&W glossies are up for grabs at August pop-up.

Rodney Ho / Atlanta Journal-Constitution / Tribune News Service
The Barenaked Ladies play Chateau Ste. Michelle in Woodinville on Friday.
Coming events in Snohomish County

Send calendar submissions for print and online to features@heraldnet.com. To ensure your… Continue reading

Edmonds announces summer concert lineup

The Edmonds Arts Commission is hosting 20 shows from July 8 to Aug. 24, featuring a range of music styles from across the Puget Sound region.

Big Bend Photo Provided By Ford Media
2025 Ford Bronco Sport Big Bend Increases Off-Road Capability

Mountain Loop Highway Was No Match For Bronco

Cascadia College Earth and Environmental Sciences Professor Midori Sakura looks in the surrounding trees for wildlife at the North Creek Wetlands on Wednesday, June 4, 2025 in Bothell, Washington. (Olivia Vanni / The Herald)
Cascadia College ecology students teach about the importance of wetlands

To wrap up the term, students took family and friends on a guided tour of the North Creek wetlands.

Mustang Convertible Photo Provided By Ford Media Center
Ford’s 2024 Ford Mustang Convertible Revives The Past

Iconic Sports Car Re-Introduced To Wow Masses

Kim Crane talks about a handful of origami items on display inside her showroom on Monday, Feb. 17, 2025, in Snohomish, Washington. (Olivia Vanni / The Herald)
Crease is the word: Origami fans flock to online paper store

Kim’s Crane in Snohomish has been supplying paper crafters with paper, books and kits since 1995.

The 2025 Nissan Murano midsize SUV has two rows of seats and a five-passenger capacity. (Photo provided by Nissan)
2025 Nissan Murano is a whole new machine

A total redesign introduces the fourth generation of this elegant midsize SUV.

A woman flips through a book at the Good Cheer Thrift Store in Langley. (Olivia Vanni / The Herald)
Pop some tags at Good Cheer Thrift Store in Langley

$20 buys an outfit, a unicycle — or a little Macklemore magic. Sales support the food bank.

The Mukilteo Boulevard Homer on Monday, May 12, 2025 in Everett, Washington. (Olivia Vanni / The Herald)
‘Homer Hedge’: A Simpsons meme takes root in Everett — D’oh!

Homer has been lurking in the bushes on West Mukilteo Boulevard since 2023. Stop by for a selfie.

Sarah and Cole Rinehardt, owners of In The Shadow Brewing, on Wednesday, March 12, 2025 in Arlington, Washington. (Olivia Vanni / The Herald)
In The Shadow Brewing: From backyard brews to downtown cheers

Everything seems to have fallen into place at the new taproom location in downtown Arlington

Bar manager Faith Britton pours a beer for a customer at the Madison Avenue Pub in Everett. (Olivia Vanni / The Herald)
Burgers, brews and blues: Madison Avenue Pub has it all

Enjoy half-price burgers on Tuesday, prime rib specials and live music at the Everett mainstay.

Support local journalism

If you value local news, make a gift now to support the trusted journalism you get in The Daily Herald. Donations processed in this system are not tax deductible.