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.
Direction
Fly-on-the-wall intimacy that predates modern fight sports docs.
Production
Grimy 16mm footage that feels stolen, not staged.
Acting
Rickson's thousand-yard stare could carry any narrative film.
Director
Robert Raphael Goodman
Trivia, insights & behind the scenes
This predates the UFC's corporate Zuffa era by six years—capturing MMA when it was still banned in most US states and thrived in shadows.
The 'Vale Tudo' tournament shown here directly inspired the Pride Fighting Championships format that dominated Japanese MMA through the 2000s.
US
