6 Best Underground Fighting Movies

By Vlad Zakh · May 24, 2026

Underground fighting is raw, brutal and secretive. Warrior has two estranged brothers entering the same MMA tournament, Redbelt has a jiu-jitsu instructor pulled into a corrupt world, and Never Back Down and its sequel follow fighters finding discipline. Fight Club and Bloodsport round out the six.

Never Back Down 2: The Beatdown (2011)

TMDB ★ 5.4

A group of amateur fighters trains together under a demanding coach for an underground tournament.

Directed by Michael Jai White · 1h 39m · Rated R

Where to watch

Rent or buy: Amazon Video, Apple TV Store, Google Play Movies, YouTube, Fandango At Home

▶ Trailer Letterboxd

Warrior (2011)

IMDb ★ 8.1 RT 84% Metacritic 71

Two estranged brothers with a fractured family history collide in the finals of a mixed martial arts tournament.

Directed by Gavin O'Connor · 2h 20m · Rated PG-13

Nominated for 1 Oscar6 wins & 22 nominations

Where to watch

Stream: Amazon Prime Video, fuboTV, Lionsgate+ Amazon Channel, Amazon Prime Video with Ads · Rent: Amazon Video, Apple TV Store, Google Play Movies, YouTube, Fandango At Home · Buy: Amazon Video, Google Play Movies, YouTube, Fandango At Home

▶ Trailer Letterboxd

Redbelt (2008)

TMDB ★ 6.3

A disciplined jiu-jitsu instructor is reluctantly drawn into the corrupt, commercialised world of mixed martial arts.

Directed by David Mamet · 1h 39m · Rated R

Where to watch

Rent or buy: Amazon Video, Apple TV Store, Google Play Movies, YouTube, Fandango At Home

▶ Trailer Letterboxd

Never Back Down (2008)

TMDB ★ 6.0

A troubled teenager finds discipline and purpose through underground mixed martial arts fighting.

Directed by Jeff Wadlow · 1h 53m · Rated PG-13

Where to watch

Stream: fuboTV, MovieSphere+ Amazon Channel · Rent or buy: Amazon Video, Apple TV Store, Google Play Movies, YouTube, Fandango At Home

▶ Trailer Letterboxd

Fight Club (1999)

IMDb ★ 8.8 RT 81% Metacritic 67

A satire so stylish that a lot of viewers missed it was a satire at all.

Directed by David Fincher · 2h 19m · Rated R

Nominated for 1 Oscar12 wins & 38 nominations

Where to watch

Rent or buy: Amazon Video, Apple TV Store, Google Play Movies, YouTube, Fandango At Home

▶ Trailer Letterboxd

Bloodsport (1988)

TMDB ★ 6.8

An American soldier competes in a secret, brutal full-contact martial arts tournament in Hong Kong.

Directed by Newt Arnold · 1h 32m · Rated R

Where to watch

Stream: fuboTV, MGM+ Amazon Channel, Philo, MGM Plus Roku Premium Channel, MGM Plus · Rent: Amazon Video, Apple TV Store, Fandango At Home, Plex · Buy: Amazon Video, Apple TV Store, Google Play Movies, YouTube, Fandango At Home

▶ Trailer Letterboxd

Streaming availability data from JustWatch, via TMDB. Availability changes often, so check the service before you plan a movie night.

Vlad Zakh

Founder, Movieix

Founder of Movieix. He started the site because most recommendation pages felt like noise. Here, lists are sorted by who's in the film, where it's from and what mood you're in tonight.

6 Best Underground Fighting Movies

Never Back Down 2: The Beatdown (2011)

Warrior (2011)

Redbelt (2008)

Never Back Down (2008)

Fight Club (1999)

Bloodsport (1988)

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