Get ready MMA fans because – Bruce Buffer voice – “It’s Time!” for the film and TV industry to have another shot at making an MMA-based drama. Since the sport’s conception in the 90s, fans have waited for a great movie or show to give MMA the Rocky treatment. The closest Hollywood has come so far is Warrior, starring Tom Hardy and Joel Edgerton. But, a new series from Netflix titled La Cage (The Cage in English) looks like a strong contender.
Netflix has unveiled the first trailer for La Cage. Starring Melvin Boomer, the series follows an aspiring French MMA fighter with dreams of joining the UFC to rescue his family from poverty. To earn his shot, Taylor must defeat one of France’s strongest prospects, Ibrahim (Bosh). Setting an MMA drama in France is an inspired choice, as the sport was only legalized there in 2020, meaning much of the country’s talent has gone unrecognized. La Cage was created by Sylvain Caron (Balthazar) and Franck Gastambide (Taxi 5). Check out the new trailer below:
As well as its cast of emerging talent, La Cage also features cameos from some of the most popular UFC fighters. Ciryl Gane, the former Interim Heavyweight Champion, was an obvious choice considering he was born and trains in Paris. Retired champion and MMA legend Georges St-Pierre also makes a cameo in the series. Most surprisingly, controversial UFC veteran Jon Jones has a role in the show (which might explain why he’s been absent from fighting).
Why Are MMA Dramas So Hard to Get Right?
During the noughties, Hollywood tried its hardest to capitalize on the rapid growth of the UFC. Movies like Boyka: Undisputed and Never Back Down showcased a hyper-stylized representation of the sport. While both franchises have their own dedicated fan bases, MMA fans are in agreement that their representation of the sport is shoddy at best. Enter Warrior, directed by Gavin O’Connor. Over a decade later, the film still remains the best MMA-based movie ever made. So why is it so hard for Hollywood to get the sport right on the big screen?
It has to do with the reason why the sport was invented in the first place. The UFC was founded in 1993 to pit various styles of martial arts against each other, in order to determine which was the best. As a result, filtering through fake and useless martial arts became an important factor for fans. This legacy has continued, with new styles being adopted into the ever-changing and growing sport. However, this has had a major effect on the success of MMA movies.
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Because MMA is entirely based on realistic, effective fighting, it can be hard to capture accurately on screen. Hollywood fights have to be stylized, both to entertain audiences, and to keep the actors and stunt performers safe during production. Movies like John Wick have done a great job of showcasing effective and stylish grappling on the big screen, but the multi-faceted striking of MMA is still hard to translate on camera. Audiences are hoping that, given the bona fide UFC talent involved in the project, La Cage could be the first series in recent years to get MMA right on screen, while also being an entertaining show.