currently in production:
The Hurt Game
(working title)
Far from the glitz, glamour, and money of the UFC, every weekend across the country young men and women square up against each other in a caged “ring” to test their mettle as mixed martial arts fighters. And for every UFC champion, thousands of men and women compete in their local gyms and at ramshackle MMA events. Cage fights can be bloody and brutal. The cost of competing can be high – being knocked out cold, tearing ligaments or tendons, breaking bones, even death in very rare cases. And while the top UFC champions may earn millions, lower level pros may only earn a few hundred dollars per fight, and amateurs earn nothing, yet for these fighters the dedication and training needed to compete is comparable to their UFC counterparts. Who are these weekend cage warriors? Why do they do it? ? Is it fame and fortune, or something more primal?
The Hurt Game takes a revealing look at several amateur and entry-level professional mixed martial arts fighters, coaches, managers and promoters in the Seattle area. It highlights the career and unique perspectives of retired UFC standout Ivan Salaverry, along with other notable Pacific Northwest cage fighting veterans and professionals. It examines the real costs and rewards, financial and otherwise, of cage fighting as a hobby and as a career. It follows the path of four unique fighters on team Ivan as they strive for success in an often brutal and unforgiving sport. Some have college degrees and demanding professional careers, some are struggling to make ends meet. But education and background become insignificant once they step inside the cage, where toughness, courage, determination, fitness, skill, and luck determine who gets bragging rights for the day. The Hurt Game follows these men and woman as they take stock on their lives as they watch their dreams and reality collide.
©2014