Once I Was a Champion
Jun 18, 2011 | IMDB 5.8
93 min Watch NowDocumentary
Writer, philosopher, alcoholic, and MMA fighter Evan Tanner died mysteriously in the desert of Clapp Springs, California. He was searching for treasure but not the material kind. This feature length biopic focuses on fifty people whose lives he forever changed as they try to figure out who he really was and the reason behind his untimely death.
MOVIE COMMENTS
SIMILAR MOVIES
Mask
UFC on ABC 5: Emmett vs. Topuria
Fight Life
The Gracies and the Birth of Vale Tudo
Takedown: The DNA of GSP
Fight Church
Kids in a Cage
Poised
Gina Carano in Training
The Panther
Conor McGregor: Notorious
VENUM
Choke
The Smashing Machine
Invincible
UFC 298: Volkanovski vs. Topuria
Tough Guys
The Unbreakable Tatiana Suarez
Anderson Silva: Like Water
The Answer to Weight Cutting
SIMILAR MOVIES
Mask
IMDB 6.8 | Nov , 2015
Charles Lewis founded TapouT in 1997, prompting a whirlwind life that intersected the birth of a sport. Selling TapouT apparel out of the trunk of his car during road trips throughout California, a hot bed of mixed martial arts in the late 1990s, Lewis took on the superhero persona of “Mask" as he donned war paint on his face and wore outlandish comic book outfits. Mask's vision quickly came to represent hardcore aspects of MMA fandom at a time when the sport floundered under political pressure. The history of MMA cannot be told without mentioning Charles “Mask” Lewis, or the era in which he emerged. On March 11, 2009, Lewis was killed by a drunk driver in Newport Beach, Calif. To honor his contributions, the sport's dominant promoter, the Ultimate Fighting Championship (UFC), posthumously inducted "Mask" as the first and only non-fighter into the UFC Hall of Fame.UFC on ABC 5: Emmett vs. Topuria
IMDB 0 | Jun , 2023
UFC on ABC 5: Emmett vs. Topuria was a mixed martial arts event produced by the Ultimate Fighting Championship that took place on June 24, 2023 at the VyStar Veterans Memorial Arena in Jacksonville, Florida, United States. A featherweight bout between former interim UFC Featherweight Championship challenger Josh Emmett and Ilia Topuria headlined this event.Fight Life
IMDB 7 | Jan , 2012
Chronicles the daily lives of professional MMA fighters from all different levels over the course of one year.The Gracies and the Birth of Vale Tudo
IMDB 6 | Nov , 2013
This is story of the Gracie Family, Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu and the creation of Mixed Martial Arts events. It shows the dissemination of one of the greatest chapters of the 20th Century in Brazil and the World, an extremely significant phenomenon, it illustrates the beliefs and values of this family of Martial Artists, as well as their life philosophyTakedown: The DNA of GSP
IMDB 6 | Feb , 2014
A look at the life and career of Ultimate Fighting Champion's welterweight world champ Georges St-Pierre, also known as "GSP".Fight Church
IMDB 5.5 | Sep , 2014
A documentary about the confluence of Christianity and mixed martial arts, including ministries which train fighters. The film follows several pastors and popular fighters in their quest to reconcile their faith with a sport that many consider violent and barbaric. Faith is tried and questions are raised. Can you really love your neighbor as yourself and then punch him in the face?Kids in a Cage
IMDB 6 | Jul , 2023
Exposing the shocking world of youth MMA (kids cage fighting), the film follows 2 child fighters over several years on their quest to win the kids MMA national championship, as they wrestle demons at home and battle for glory in the cage.Poised
IMDB 0 | Jun , 2024
A universal underdog tale with its own unique lens. Out of the ashes of loss, can one man use mixed martial arts to save young people from the toughest parts of our society? Zero opportunity, poverty and crime are common themes in the housing estates of Sunderland, North East England. A once proud region of industry, now a wasteland scattered with the relics of the past, as generations of government continue to neglect it.Gina Carano in Training
IMDB 8 | May , 2012
The Panther
IMDB 0 | Oct , 2017
El Pantera is a documentary film that chronicles the rise of Mexican UFC star Yair Rodriguez as he strives to become the first ever Mexican born UFC champion.Conor McGregor: Notorious
IMDB 7 | Nov , 2017
Conor McGregor is the biggest star in the history of Mixed Martial Arts. Filmed over the course of 4 years, Notorious is the exclusive, all-access account of Conor’s meteoric rise from claiming benefits and living in his parents' spare room in Dublin to claiming multiple championship UFC belts and seven figure pay-packets in Las Vegas.VENUM
IMDB 10 | Oct , 2023
A reality movie on VENUM Muaythai Training Camp center in Thailand where the best fighters are coached and trained to compete in tournaments and competition.Choke
IMDB 7 | Feb , 1999
Welcome to the world of no-holds-barred freestyle fighting...the fastest growing "sport" in the United States, Brazil, and Japan. CHOKE follows undisputed World Freestyle Fighting Champion Rickson Gracie as he prepares to defend his title in a one-night, single elimination tournament where the winner will fight 3 separate fights over five hours. The World Cup finals of hand-to-hand combat.The Smashing Machine
IMDB 7 | May , 2002
An unflinching look at the life and story of Mark Kerr between 1999 and 2001, an intelligent, articulate, and emotionally vulnerable athlete, considered by many at the time to be the most dominant ultimate fighter in the world. A former Olympic wrestler, Kerr easily dominated all his opponents, earning him the nickname "The Smashing Machine." With the promise of big money and the euphoria of his early victories, Kerr must battle his injuries and inner fears. The shock of these fights takes a heavy toll on his body and mind, and Kerr attempts to overcome these physical and psychological traumas by turning to painkillers. Kerr's addiction is shown in its raw form, with the camera capturing him desperately soliciting drugs from friends and staff, and injecting painkillers into his veins. His shocking defeat to Fujita in Japan shows us a story that is sometimes difficult and heartbreaking to watch.Invincible
IMDB 7 | Jun , 2021
A dynamic and emotional story of fighting, passion and sacrifice. From 2016 to 2018, the filmmakers accompanied Joanna Jedrzejczyk, a multiple UFC champion, who at her time conquered the world of female MMA. To stay on top, the Polish fighter has to constantly confront her opponents and her own body, which is forced to make superhuman efforts over and over again. "Invincible" reveals the behind-the-scenes fights of modern gladiators, bluntly showing the blood, sweat, tears and overwhelming loneliness that are the price of the road to success in sports on a global scale.UFC 298: Volkanovski vs. Topuria
IMDB 9 | Feb , 2024
UFC 298: Volkanovski vs. Topuria was a mixed martial arts event produced by the Ultimate Fighting Championship that took place on February 17, 2024, at the Honda Center, in Anaheim, USA. A UFC Featherweight Championship bout between current champion Alexander Volkanovski and Ilia Topuria headlined the event. This bout was originally expected to headline UFC 297 one month prior but was pushed back after Volkanovski was pulled to face UFC Lightweight Champion Islam Makhachev at UFC 294.Tough Guys
IMDB 7.5 | Sep , 2017
10 years before the debut of the Ultimate Fighting Championship. In 1979, Bill Viola and Frank Caliguri dreamed up a contest pitting barroom bigmouths against wrestlers, martial artists, boxers, bouncers and brawlers, billed as no-holds-barred new type of competitive fighting. When the fights succeeded beyond their wildest expectations, they were swept up in a chain of events that ended in the first mixed-martial arts ban in the nation. “Tough Guys” chronicles the inception of Caliguri and Viola’s first bouts and the colorful, crazy cast of fighters who made them a hit as well as the politicians who brought it all crashing down. The film brings to life a moment when the national martial arts craze was building to a crescendo as the economies of Pennsylvania steel towns were plummeting to levels of unemployment never seen, breeding desperate men looking for a chance to prove their worth and make some money in the ring.The Unbreakable Tatiana Suarez
IMDB 6.1 | Jan , 2024
Follow the exceptional spirit and drive of mixed martial arts (MMA) fighter Tatiana Suarez as she prepares to reenter the cage after nearly four years away from the sport. Suarez reflects on her journey from wrestling prodigy to professional athlete and the legacy she leaves young women, particularly those in the Latina community.Anderson Silva: Like Water
IMDB 6.3 | Oct , 2011
Anderson Silva is the deadliest man on the planet - The longest-reigning UFC Champion, and the most feared fighter in mixed martial arts. Like Water offers a unique perspective of the living legend as he trains with fellow fighters Lyoto "The Dragon" Machida, Junior Dos Santos, and Antonio "Minotauro" Nogueira, in preparation for his career defining title defense against challenger, and arch villain Chael Sonnen. A man of few words, Anderson Silva walks the fine line between cockiness and confidence. A philosopher in spirit, and dedicated family man, Silva's personality contradicts that of Sonnen's, who uses trash talk and intimidation to get under his opponents' skin. Balancing family and fighting; respect for the sport, and rage for his opponent; Silva's mind and body will be put to the test, as first-time filmmaker Pablo Croce peels back the layers of an ultimate fighter to reveal the heart of a champion.The Answer to Weight Cutting
IMDB 0 | Jul , 2025
MMA on Point takes a deep dive into the weight cutting issue that plagues athletes. Through this investigation, multiple discoveries are made that may shock the mixed martial arts world.