# Martial Arts Movies and the MMA



## RebelliousFan (Dec 17, 2012)

So.... 80’s martial arts movies, like Bloodsport and Enter the Dragon were big influences on some MMA fighters like Kenny Florian!






What's YOUR favorite martial arts movie?


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## OU (Sep 26, 2012)

Warrior was actually pretty good IMO. Not saying it was the best but most of the MMA movie attempts are very cheesy. That one wasn't half bad.


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## TuNguyen (Dec 15, 2012)

Warriors for sure. 

The others have been too cheesy, badly acted, badly scripted and horribly directed. Basically all bad except the fight scenes... which weren't always great either...



RebelliousFan said:


> So.... 80’s martial arts movies, like Bloodsport and Enter the Dragon were big influences on some MMA fighters like Kenny Florian!
> 
> http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mC9n2wEz2F0
> 
> What's YOUR favorite martial arts movie?


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## kantowrestler (Jun 6, 2009)

Would Never Back Down fall into that category?


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## No_Mercy (Oct 17, 2006)

Alright Ima rattle out some flicks in no particular order.
Whatever comes off the top my head...

Best Of The Best
Wax On Wax Off
Enter The Dragon (most watched this in the 80's so we'll categorize it as such)
They Call Me Bruce
Shogun and Bruce Leeroy (can't remember the name of the film at the moment, but you know what I'm talking about)
The Big Brawl with Jackie Chan
Kung Fu
Big Trouble In Little China
Drunken Monkey

Finally "I'm Gonna Get You Sucka!" Who can forget about Kung Fu Joe!


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## kantowrestler (Jun 6, 2009)

If the Karate Kid were about an actual form of Karate it would be interesting. As it is it's an in universe style of Karate only. I agree though that Big Trouble in Little China's a fun movie.


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## lcbrown12 (Nov 25, 2012)

Never back down is terrible the acting of martial arts is ridic. Enter the dragon and warrior were a lot more better


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## kantowrestler (Jun 6, 2009)

I definatly agree with you on Warrior. There's a reason it earned an academy award nomination. Though you have to admit there's some underground elements to the story.


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## TuNguyen (Dec 15, 2012)

I watched Kickboxer 4 last night... it was awful :/

Some films really do not age well.


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## kantowrestler (Jun 6, 2009)

They had that many kick boxer movies?


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## TuNguyen (Dec 15, 2012)

Yup...

They've killed off the original characters though (couldn't afford to use the original actors ie. Van Damme I guess).



kantowrestler said:


> They had that many kick boxer movies?


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## kantowrestler (Jun 6, 2009)

That happens with a lot of movies. I bet that's what's going to happen in the new Star Wars trilogy!


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## RangerClydeTheBlue (Jul 11, 2012)

One film that nobody seems to have seen is Best of the Best. All sequels were awful but it was an amazing story. I watched it the night before my karate tournament and these dudes were bust opened and everything. I get points off for hitting too hard to the face. Bullshit 

Bloodsport and Kickboxer need to be in there. I grew up watching them, both insane movies and probably a lot of why I'm an MMA fan today.

I think in just all round greatness, IP Man tops it. I'm into nostalgia and old school shit as much as the next guy, but Ip Man to me just had everything a martial arts film is supposed to. Forbidden Kingdom had potential before it's rewrite, Jet Li and Jackie Chan should have smashed it without gimpy white kid.


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## kantowrestler (Jun 6, 2009)

I agree Bloodsport was a pretty good story. Had kind of an early UFC feel to it when it was still style versus style. Too bad it was based on a story that is probably false.


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## TuNguyen (Dec 15, 2012)

Jet Li's - First of Legend has got to be my favourite martial arts film of all time though. The fighting in that is insane!


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## kantowrestler (Jun 6, 2009)

Which Jet Li movie is the one where he is part of a military experiment and becomes a librarian when he is tracked down?


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## No_Mercy (Oct 17, 2006)

No_Mercy said:


> Alright Ima rattle out some flicks in no particular order.
> Whatever comes off the top my head...
> *
> Best Of The Best*
> ...


I trained a bit in a hybrid of kickboxing and Tae Kwon do and it's pretty useless in street fights, but those kicks are hella dope if you can land em. 



ClydebankBlitz said:


> One film that nobody seems to have seen is Best of the Best. All sequels were awful but it was an amazing story. I watched it the night before my karate tournament and these dudes were bust opened and everything. I get points off for hitting too hard to the face. Bullshit


Yah definitely an underrated film. Sad to see Chris Penn (brother of Sean Penn) pass away. He was actually a black belt in karate.

Dae Han Park was a bad ass. He was like a Asian version of Johnny from Karate Kid.

Try Drunken Master, Rumble In The Bronx, Once Upon A Time In China, The 36th Chamber of Shaolin, and Ong Bak.


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## TuNguyen (Dec 15, 2012)

Redbelt was surprisingly good. Forgot about that one.


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## kantowrestler (Jun 6, 2009)

Oh yeah I'd like to give that one a look. I should look for it on Netflix.


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## RangerClydeTheBlue (Jul 11, 2012)

Shit how could I forget Ong Bak? I still haven't seen the two sequels.


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## kantowrestler (Jun 6, 2009)

What is that movie about?


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## Terror Kovenant (Nov 16, 2008)

Donnie Yen's recent movies have incorporated some aspects of MMA. This is one of his scenes from Flash Point:


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## kantowrestler (Jun 6, 2009)

Did I mention Haywire is a good one?


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