# MMA Movies



## LoneRider (Mar 4, 2009)

Does anyone know of any other films, other than Never Back Down, where MMA is featured in film.

 I thought Never Back Down was an OK film. What I liked was the Rocky-esque no-frills gym that Djimon Honsou's character ran in the film, exactly the sort of training facility I'd prefer to train in. I also liked that the movie was set in my home town, Orlando. The subplot with the romantic rivalry and everything was OK, but not really something I was overly interested in, but understood it as a catalyst to the fight.

 I wasn't a fan of the fight competition at the night-club or whatever bit. I'd have liked that better if the fight had been at even a locally sanctioned MMA promotion as opposed to an 'underground fight club'. If you ask me that last bit is what gives MMA somewhat of an image problem. 

 Any other good MMA movies out there or coming soon?


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## LordOfWu (Mar 4, 2009)

LoneRider said:


> Does anyone know of any other films, other than Never Back Down, where MMA is featured in film.
> 
> I thought Never Back Down was an OK film. What I liked was the Rocky-esque no-frills gym that Djimon Honsou's character ran in the film, exactly the sort of training facility I'd prefer to train in. I also liked that the movie was set in my home town, Orlando. The subplot with the romantic rivalry and everything was OK, but not really something I was overly interested in, but understood it as a catalyst to the fight.
> 
> ...



There is a movie called 'Red Belt' that is probably more BJJ but makes a bit of a statement about the potential for fixes in MMA.  It's a good movie written and directed by David Mamet, and one I would highly recommend.


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## LoneRider (Mar 4, 2009)

Sounds good. I'd love to check it out.


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## BrandonLucas (Mar 5, 2009)

LoneRider said:


> Does anyone know of any other films, other than Never Back Down, where MMA is featured in film.
> 
> I thought Never Back Down was an OK film. What I liked was the Rocky-esque no-frills gym that Djimon Honsou's character ran in the film, exactly the sort of training facility I'd prefer to train in. I also liked that the movie was set in my home town, Orlando. The subplot with the romantic rivalry and everything was OK, but not really something I was overly interested in, but understood it as a catalyst to the fight.
> 
> ...


 
Red Belt, like LordOfWu said, is awesome.  It takes a while to get into the movie...the plot seems to drag for a while before picking up, but overall it was pretty good, I thought.

Never Back Down, however...yuck.  Karate Kid meets Twilight.  What you're talking about with the gym and everything, I agree with...but the plot was terrible.  I know MMA is a big thing now, but how is it more popular than football in highschool?  I'm sorry, but I just don't see highschool kids getting together after school to "rumble"...more likely they get together to "rumble" in a different way, but that would have been a different movie entirely...

As for other MMA movies, I haven't heard of any, but I'd be interested to know if any others existed as well.  I think as long as they don't get too Hollywooded up and glammed up, there would be some pretty decent movies to be made from it.


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## terryl965 (Mar 5, 2009)

Just the two that has been mention and Red Belt by far was better, never backed down was a movie for kiddies and that type of mindset.


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## Tez3 (Mar 5, 2009)

"Sucker Punch"
Not exactly MMA more illegal fights but does have Ian Freeman UFC vet in a lead role and my instrucutor is in the nightclub scene!
http://www.suckerpunchthemovie.com/index2.htm

Not sure if the video will play on American players but if it does or you can put it on the computer you can get copies from Ian himself. PM if you need the email address.


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## BrandonLucas (Mar 5, 2009)

Tez3 said:


> "Sucker Punch"
> Not exactly MMA more illegal fights but does have Ian Freeman UFC vet in a lead role and my instrucutor is in the nightclub scene!
> http://www.suckerpunchthemovie.com/index2.htm
> 
> Not sure if the video will play on American players but if it does or you can put it on the computer you can get copies from Ian himself. PM if you need the email address.


 
Sweet!!  I'm at work, but I'll have to check this out when I get home!


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## Tez3 (Mar 5, 2009)

It also has "Cat" from Red Dwarf in it, completely different type of character though lol!


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## Steve (Mar 5, 2009)

There are several that are more documentary in nature.  Choke is AWESOME... old school Rickson Gracie.

The Smashing Machine is a good story... a documentary and a very real cautionary tale about one of the scariest dudes around at one time: Mark Kerr.

Renzo Gracie Legacy is also very good.


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## Nolerama (Mar 5, 2009)

terryl965 said:


> Just the two that has been mention and Red Belt by far was better, never backed down was a movie for kiddies and that type of mindset.



After watching another movie, I noticed a ton of suburbanite fan boys fighting "MMA' in the the theater parking lot after the initial release of Never Back Down.

Worst. Fighting. Ever.


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## BrandonLucas (Mar 5, 2009)

Nolerama said:


> After watching another movie, I noticed a ton of suburbanite fan boys fighting "MMA' in the the theater parking lot after the initial release of Never Back Down.
> 
> Worst. Fighting. Ever.


 
Please tell me you are joking...fan boys...that actually fight in the movie parking lot...after watching Never Back Down....

I did a similar thing when Voltron got really popular back in the early 80's...of course, I was about 4 years old or so, and I was also trying to shoot other kids in my kindergarten class with my power lasers from my hands.....


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## Steve (Mar 5, 2009)

Oh, I should add that RedBelt was good, if a little hokey.  I got a kick out of how the Brazilians were the bad guys.  Pretty much every Brazilian character in the story was a scumbag.


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## Nolerama (Mar 5, 2009)

BrandonLucas said:


> Please tell me you are joking...fan boys...that actually fight in the movie parking lot...after watching Never Back Down....
> 
> I did a similar thing when Voltron got really popular back in the early 80's...of course, I was about 4 years old or so, and I was also trying to shoot other kids in my kindergarten class with my power lasers from my hands.....



Not joking at all. I saw a few with old MMA gloves. The kind that covers half of your thumb for no reason, but does tend to cut your opponent's eye.

It was the same thing when The Fast and the Furious came out. Tons of burnouts and clutch-mangling.

I think theater parking lots are the litmus paper to US consumer marketing in a certain age range.


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## BrandonLucas (Mar 5, 2009)

> I think theater parking lots are the litmus paper to US consumer marketing in a certain age range.


 
That as well as being the breeding ground for a good portion of the US population....


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## Nolerama (Mar 5, 2009)

lol... you had to go there...


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## LoneRider (Mar 5, 2009)

That's scary that idiot kids fight out in the street, thinking that's MMA. They failed to grasp the dedication and discipline being a martial artist of ANY variety entails. I do think Djimon Honsou's character really captured that, however, and the scenes about the gym were definitely spot on with that aspect of the MA.


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## Kwan Jang (Mar 6, 2009)

This spring a MMA movie called RED CANVAS will be coming out. At least the fight scenes will be good. They are trying to get a theatrical release for it rather than have it go straight to video, but after the financial loss that similar films like RED BELT cost the studios, this has made it harder for films of this genre.


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## LoneRider (Mar 6, 2009)

Seems like such a shame that good MMA movies can't make it to the theaters and show the general public what MMA really is...


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## BrandonLucas (Mar 6, 2009)

LoneRider said:


> Seems like such a shame that good MMA movies can't make it to the theaters and show the general public what MMA really is...


 
It's just as much a shame that movies that come to the theaters continue to be remakes of older movies...it's like the new trend all of the sudden...that and comic book movies...

So, maybe Hollywood can remake the movie Captain America that came out in the what, 80's(??) and have him train in an MMA gym...who knows?


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## Steve (Mar 6, 2009)

Captain America is coming. I love the comic book movies, but I read these comics as a kid and remember seeing the first Superman move (the first Reeves movie, that is) and being amazed at the special effects.

Regarding no original ideas, I just don't get it. Sure, the idea of a franchise is a proven moneymaker. You've got your Star Wars, Batman, Indiana Jones, Rambo thing going on. But there are PLENTY of new movies out there.

Gran Torino, Benjamin Button, Slumdog Millionaire, Tropic Thunder, Bolt, Wall-E, The Reader...  there were tons.  These are just a few off the top of my head.


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## phlaw (Mar 6, 2009)

Red Canvas is good.

http://www.imdb.com/title/tt1121986/


Also I seem to remember a movie called Confessions of a Pit Fighter

http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0463947/


Also an older Ernie Reyes Jr. movie called The Process

http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0181776/


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## Kwan Jang (Mar 6, 2009)

Shame on you for mentioning the Process. Some things are best forgotten.


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## K831 (Mar 8, 2009)

You all might enjoy films like "Flash Point" with Donnie Yen. It's a Hong Kong actioner. Donnie is pretty talented. He is coming from a traditional Kung Fu background of course (SanShou/Wushu etc) but he is highly interested in MMA and studies multiple martial arts. As a result, he likes to mix TMA with boxing/MT and grappling in his films - you'll see that in Flash Point.

"Sucker Punch" hasn't been released yet, right?


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