MMA is one of the most popular sports in today’s world, but the UFC has played the most important and biggest role in making it famous. Although MMA hasn’t always been mainstream, there are many fans out there who have an unconditional love for it. So, today in this article, we will present you with a list of some of the greatest MMA documentaries out there. Whether you are an MMA fan or not, these documentaries can definitely be a great watch.
List of 8 MMA Documentaries
Fightville
This documented film is one of the most underrated ones. Nevertheless, Fightville will grow in popularity as Dustin Poirier continues to develop as one of the best lightweights. The documentary features Dustin as well as other fighters like Tim Credeur. It is a perfect documentation of what he wants to be as a fighter and how he uses fighters to achieve that goal. It shows mindset, passion, and natural talent—everything it takes to become a top-level MMA fighter.
Such Great Heights
This documentary is about Jon Fitch’s training camp at the American Kickboxing Academy and his title bout against welterweight champion Georges St-Pierre. It features Fitch as a humble man who loves fighting and shows him to be enormously strong mentally, which is more than his talent for having such an amazing MMA career. This documentary showed the training that Fitch went through for his title fight. It also shows how staph infections, cauliflower ears, and getting punched are part of the daily life of an MMA fighter.
Jens Pulver: Driven
After becoming the UFC’s first Lightweight Champion in 2001 but losing the last four fights, this documentary shows Jens Pulver’s mental and physical preparation for his last fight. Driven also takes a dive into Pulver’s childhood, which tells the story of how growing up with an abusive alcoholic father led him to MMA. The verbal abuse and beatings he endured made Jens a strong man, but they also gave him psychological problems. He also shares how he can’t quit fighting and lives paycheck to paycheck because MMA doesn’t pay well and he has a family. This is definitely a must-watch documentary for everyone.
Fighting in the Age of Loneliness
This is a documentary that goes deeper into the history of MMA and the UFC than any other documentary. It begins with the birth of Judo and the insane journey it took around the world to progress into modern MMA. The narrator of the documentary is Felix Biedermann, who did a brilliant job of providing every deep detail. The documentary is just 2 hours long and covers everything. From USADA, drugs in sports, rivalries, and the women’s division, it has shown everything that happened in the MMA world.
Once I Was a Champion
This documentary shows the story of Evan Tanner’s life as a former UFC champion and fighter, including his precocious death while an active UFC fighter. It features many big names in MMA who share their views on Evan Tanner and the nature of his death. John McCarthy, Dana White, and Forrest Griffin are some of those who talk about it. “Once I was a Champion” also depicts the trials and hardships of combat, such as how Evan used to live in a trailer while training in Team Quest because he was broke and how he wasn’t a fan of the sport but viewed it as a job. It shows Tanner’s unique personality that even after becoming the undisputed UFC Champion, he was never truly happy. The documentary also explores Tanner’s addiction to alcohol and how it affected his marriage and UFC career.
Fighting for a Generation: 20 Years of the UFC
This is an amazing documentary for anyone who is interested in the history of the UFC from its 1993 inception to 2013. It showcases the reasons why the UFC was founded, the hard times it faced, and more. The documentary traces how the UFC evolved through trial and error without any rules, being seen as uncivilized and targeted by politicians to enforce the rules and make it the safest sport (at least safer than boxing). Fighting For a Generation also takes you through the success of the Ultimate Fighter and many inspirational fighters who drew crowds and took the UFC to a higher level.
Choke
This documentary is a behind-the-scenes look at the life of BJJ master Rickson Gracie as he prepares for the 1995 Vale Tudo Championship. “Choke” shows what goes into an MMA fighter’s success, especially in the early days of the combat sport. In this documentary, you will see how Rickson values family time, has great breathing techniques, takes meditation sessions, and prepares for his upcoming fight. If you want to see the power of BJJ in MMA and why this fighting style became so widespread in only one century compared to other MMAs like wrestling and boxing, this is a fantastic documentary.
Conor McGregor: Notorious
This documentary covers the 4 years leading up to the McGregor vs. Diaz 2 fight, from how McGregor went from living with his girlfriend at his Mother’s house in Ireland to receiving letters of debt, winning the UFC Championships, and earning the most shows. The documentary begins with McGregor’s MMA journey and him quitting his job to commit to full-time training. What’s most remarkable about McGregor’s journey in the documentary is the faith he had in himself and the belief of his girlfriend. You will see his passion, training, and everything else in this documentary. It is a must-watch for all MMA fans and everyone who is considering a career as an MMA fighter.
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