10 Punchy MMA Movies To Watch Before Dwayne Johnson’s ‘The Smashing Machine’

Will Dwayne “The Rock” Johnson finally get an Oscar? Hopefully, he does. After years of being called a one-dimensional actor, he has finally proven that he can do more than just play himself in a movie. The actor’s transformation and general performance in The Smashing Machine have been widely praised, with the movie itself also receiving great early reviews from fans and critics. Following its premiere at the 82nd Venice International Film Festival, it won the Silver Lion.

The Smashing Machine is the story of the legendary wrestler and mixed martial artist, Mark Kerr. During his MMA career, he won two UFC Heavyweight Tournament Championships and several other accolades. However, he often struggled with substance abuse and relationship issues, things the motion picture also covers. MMA fans will thus enjoy every bit of it. Thankfully, there are a few other movies of its kind.

Here are 10 other great MMA movies to check out before (or after) The Smashing Machine.

‘The Hammer’ (2010)

The Hammer tells the true story of Matt Hamill (portrayed by Russell Harvard), a deaf fighter who overcame great challenges to succeed in the world of mixed martial arts. In the movie, we see him persevering in a world that doubts his abilities. Under the tutelage of his grandfather, he punches through discrimination and communication barriers to become a star.

Shattering All Barriers

Agony and delight are dramatized at a fever pitch in director Oren Kaplan’s inspiring, adrenaline-charged The Hammer, inspired by reports from the media and accounts from friends and family members. Few filmmakers have Kaplan’s gift for emotion and flair, but the psychedelic drama would be nothing without the great performance of Russell Havard, who deserved a few awards but didn’t get any.

‘Fight Valley’ (2016)

When her beloved sister is found dead in a neighborhood known for underground MMA fighting, Tori Coro (Chelsea Durkalec) seeks answers. She thus infiltrates the deadly circuit where women who haven’t gotten their big break fight for money and respect. Mentored by seasoned fighter Jabs (Miesha Tate), Tori achieves everything she set out to do in Fight Valley.

Serving Vengeance Cold and Sour

Featuring real MMA fighters like Holly Holm and Cris Cyborg, Fight Valley thrives on the themes of revenge, grief, perseverance, and women’s empowerment. We pity the stark choices faced by fighters during the early stages of their careers: whether to settle for anything they can get (to put food on the table) or to keep working hard and wait for success. With an unsentimental eye and an artistic visual touch, the movie stands tall and is a sizzling look at honor, duty, and sibling love.

‘Redbelt’ (2008)

Redbelt tells the fascinating story of Mike Terry (Chiwetel Ejiofor), a jiu-jitsu instructor who believes martial arts should be about discipline and honor, not competition. But after several months of his wife shouting, “How are we gonna pay these bills?” he decides to join a mixed martial arts circuit. How will that go?

Money Makes the World Go Round

This high-octane film is a fabulous showcase for Chiwetel Ejiofor’s enormous talent: in the central role of Mike, he is neither fully whiny nor completely boastful. He is just cool. According to director David Mamet, the lead actor’s preparation for the film included intense 12-hour days of physical training. Talk of extreme dedication. Also, watch out for MMA legend Randy Couture in a supporting role.

‘Bruised’ (2020)

Who imagined that Halle Berry would choose an MMA story for her directorial debut? Bruised also stars Berry as Jackie Justice, a former MMA fighter who quit the sport after being humiliated in a match. Plagued by regret, she works dead-end jobs while dreaming of a comeback. When the son she abandoned as a child reappears, Jackie decides to redeem herself as a parent and a fighter.

Cheers to Motherhood

As a director, Berry does everything right to make this moving tale entertaining, brilliantly conveying the oppressive anxiety that terrorizes people who’ve struggled to achieve their dreams, and the quiet desperation of mothers willing to risk everything for a measure of parental comfort in a world that keeps going mad. Consequently, we get to see one of her best movies. For her efforts, she was nominated for Outstanding Director at the Black Reel Awards and Best First Feature at the Saturn Awards.

‘Sixty Minutes’ (2024)

Talented German fighter Octavio (Emilio Sakraya) is about to enter the ring for a career-defining bout when he gets a call. He must attend his daughter’s birthday party immediately or risk losing custody forever. Without thinking twice, Octavio leaves and embarks on a race through the city. While at it, he is hunted by promoters and betting gangsters, furious over his choice. Will he be able to get back into the ring in Sixty Minutes?

Out of Time

With a Hitchcockian sense of immediacy and tension, director Oliver Kienle slowly transforms this seemingly urbane tableau into one of endless dread, uncertainty, and risk. Eschewing any form of proper musical score, the noises of cars and people become the immersive soundtrack. And the fights, never limited to one particular surrounding, fully draw audiences in, making us all implicit in Octavio’s anxiety and panic. Not just a great MMA movie but one of the best action flicks of 2024.

‘Embattled’ (2020)

MMA champion Cash Boykins (Stephen Dorff) considers himself the ultimate masculine man. An unfortunate side effect? He is violent towards everyone, including his own family. His teenage son Jett (Darren Mann), a promising fighter, hates all of his father’s attributes, so he vows to become more disciplined. Ultimately, father and son meet in the ring. How will that mega fight turn out in Embattled?

Who Is the True Man of the House?

Exploring abuse, toxic masculinity, and trauma, Embattled is an unforgettable study of family conflict and career ambition. Darren Mann ought to have walked away with some acting statuettes for his turn as a son consumed with disgust and longing, and director Nick Sarkisov ought to have been recognized, too, for this action-packed yet unnerving exploration of discipline. We appreciate that the film transcends the confines of MMA cinema and ventures into the realm of family drama. Such an approach makes it relatable to all audiences.

‘Perfect Addiction’ (2023)

Women can take revenge, alright… in the worst way. Take Sienna Lane (Kiana Madeira) from Perfect Addiction. The skilled MMA trainer isn’t thrilled after learning that her longtime boyfriend, the rising fighter Jax (Matthew Noszka), is sleeping with her younger sister. She thus decides to train Jax’s rival. Soon, she also falls for the man. Tears!

He Gonna Pay!

This romance-themed MMA feature is a triumph of minimalist style and straight-out shockers. We bet that the super low budget dictated longer takes and more fade to black moments, but none of these distract us from the drama. There is an overall sense of an unhurried realism, a film style that reflects the economic nature of the characters. The locations never vary much, but they are all seedy, disheartening markers of melancholy. Watch Perfect Addiction for a proper story about betrayal, anger, and healing.

‘Undisputed II: Last Man Standing’ (2006)

Scott Adkins has so many great movies that you can’t help but wonder why he is still underrated. In Undisputed II: Last Man Standing, former boxing champion George “Iceman” Chambers (Michael Jai White) is wrongfully imprisoned while visiting Russia. Inside the penitentiary, he is forced to participate in a brutal underground MMA circuit, dominated by the undefeated Yuri Boyka (Scott Adkins). Wait till the two men clash.

The Perfect Cast

Like other installments in the Undisputed film series, Last Man Standing stands out for its fight scenes, but the technical aspects deserve praise, too. Cinematographer Ross W. Clarkson never keeps the camera static whenever the inmates enter or leave the frame. Such an approach works beautifully when it’s time for action. Adkins and Jai White also play off one another beautifully. Tense and precise, this remains one of the best fight movies ever made.

‘Born a Champion’ (2020)

Mickey Kelley (Sean Patrick Flanery) from Born a Champion is an ex-marine and Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu expert living a quiet life after being discharged. He now teaches martial arts, but his world soon gets turned upside down when he is forced to participate in an unsanctioned MMA tournament.

Disturbing His Peace

Born a Champion is a wickedly smart spin on the old theme of fate’s unpredictable nature: one moment there is peace, the other moment there isn’t. Thinking he had already dealt with all kinds of tough situations as a Marine, Mickey faces even bigger problems as a civilian. There is also a level of authenticity since lead actor Sean Patrick Flanery is a real-life Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu black belt. Most importantly, there are no over-the-top moments. Just realistic fights.

‘Warrior’ (2011)

In Warrior, Tommy Conlon (Tom Hardy) chases glory in a high-stakes MMA tournament called Sparta. His brother, Brendan Conlon (Joel Edgerton), is also a participant. For Tommy, an ex-Marine, the fight is all about honoring a fallen comrade. For Brendan, it’s all about money as his teaching job doesn’t pay as well as he’d like. So, who is the toughest sibling?

Bro Vs. Bro

As always, Tom Hardy gives an electrifying performance, letting us feel his character’s fierceness and anticipation. But the best actor is Nick Nolte, playing the father of the two fighters. So good is he that the Academy nominated him for Best Supporting Actor. Expect to meet real-life MMA and combat sports legends like Roan Carneiro and Kurt Angle. Beyond that, the director’s use of “double” images to highlight the contrasts between the two brothers is dead-on brilliant, but it’s the denouement that makes this gripping film a true genre classic.