5 MMA Movies That Are Great (& 5 That Suck)

The movie world has touched on every possible genre imaginable, and that includes the world of MMA. As the sport continues to grow and become more popular, there will no doubt be even more stories told on the big screen, but already there have been plenty of MMA-related movies.

Some of these films have been gritty and emotional, while others have lent themselves to comedic values. As is the case with any genre of movie, there have been some great MMA stories, but there have also been some terrible ones, with a real mixed bag having taken place over the years.

10 Great: Blood And Bone (2009)

A lot of MMA movies end up being based around underground fight scenes, and sometimes that doesn't connect, and other times it is gritty and enjoyable. The latter was the case with Blood And Bone, which is a fantastic movie for people who enjoy the sport.

The plot follows Bone as he begins to work into the underground fighting world because the person in charge orchestrated the murder of his friend. He tries to take them down one by one, and that leads to some really good fight scenes that look very realistic.

9 Sucks: Here Comes The Boom (2012)

Kevin James in Here Comes The Boom Cropped

This movie is all about comedy and Kevin James is certainly great at playing over-the-top characters as he does in this one. James plays the role of Scott, who is a biology teacher and he decides to try and raise funds for the school by becoming an MMA fighter.

The story then follows his journey learning how to fight, which brings with it plenty of fails and funny moments. It's not a particularly great movie, with a lack of real emotional investment or character development outside of the lead role.

8 Great: The Philly Kid (2012)

This is another movie where somebody is in trouble with criminals as Dillon, who is The Philly Kid, has to try and help his friend who has made a deal with a Loan Shark who is more than happy to take things into his own hands if needed.

The Philly Kid just so happens to be an MMA fighter, which leads to him trying to make some money via the sport. He has several great fights and those scenes are amongst some of the best when it comes to a movie adaptation of MMA.

7 Sucks: Green Street 3: Never Back Down (2006)

TheGreen Street franchise is an enjoyable one overall, but the quality seriously dips as each movie is released. The third installment saw the addition of some MMA fights, and Scott Adkins is the man to play Danny Harvey, which is good to see.

However, because this franchise is really about soccer hooligans, the addition of MMA doesn't really work and actually feels a little bit out of place overall when it comes to this movie, as it should have been more focused on the world of soccer.

6 Great: Conor McGregor: Notorious (2017)

When it comes to MMA, there are few bigger names than Conor McGregor, which is why a documentary movie was created about his life. This one follows his life and rise within the sport, and obviously, because it is based on real-life, it is something very different from the other movies on this list.

However, for any MMA fan, it is a must-watch purely because of how detailed it is. Even if McGregor isn't a favorite of someone, it is still an intriguing movie as it really shows the dedication involved in becoming a star in the sport.

5 Sucks: Fighting (2009)

Another movie that jumps into the underground fighting world and pulls in a lot of MMA was Fighting. This film follows Shawn as he attempts to make as much money as possible with the fighting world providing that opportunity.

The problem with the movie is the real lack of story to invest in and the fighting scenes themselves are really lacking something for a movie that is actually built around it all.

4 Great: Undisputed 2 (2006)

This movie doesn't just focus on MMA itself, as it actually places a lot of focus on prison life instead. When George is framed for a crime, he finds himself sent to prison which leads to him having to work out how he can get out.

The answer to that is fighting. He starts out in boxing and then eventually that boils down to MMA, which provides some of the grittiest and most intense fight scenes in movie history when it comes to MMA.

3 Sucks: Fight Valley (2016)

Fight Valley features several major MMA stars with Meisha Tate, Cris Cyborg, and Holly Holm all being part of the movie. However, that doesn't lead to it being a great movie, even though the actual fight scenes do look quite convincing overall.

The story of this sees the main character, Windsor team up with Tate's character, Jabs who is a former fighter in the movie. Everything is set around underground fights which leads to Windsor's sister being killed and she tries to gain revenge on her behalf. The story is quite a violent one, but the plot isn't the greatest and neither is the acting.

2 Great: Warrior (2011)

Out of all the MMA-based movies to exist, Warrior is far and above the greatest. The actual fighting is shot brilliantly and with great detail in this movie, while the storyline itself is gripping with some fantastic acting taking place, particularly from Tom Hardy.

He plays a Tommy Conlon in this story, who ends up being trained in MMA by his father. It all boils down to an emotional fight with his estranged brother, and because there is so much story investment here, it is really easy to be drawn into the characters and not just the action itself.

1 Sucks: Locked Down (2010)

This is another MMA movie that is set in a prison when a police officer is framed, his life turns upside down. He is sent down to prison and that is where the MMA comes into things, as the inmates create a cage fighting ring where brawls take place on a regular basis.

The officer has to try and defeat people in his way while he also tries to clear his name. The movie features popular British actor Vinnie Jones, but the storyline itself is quite weak, and overall this isn't one of the best movies.