Felix Biederman and Jon Bois, in partnership with SBNation are tackling MMA, its modern history, its current evolution, and its place in American society in this 5-part documentary.
Jon Bois and Felix Biederman – of Chapo Trap House fame – have teamed up for SB Nation’s five-part documentary on mixed martial arts. The series looks to cover the evolution of the sport and its strange place in the world.
Episode 1 focused on the roots of MMA, while episode 2 looked at the beginning of the UFC. What’s in store for episode 3? Among other things, you’ll see the collapse of the Japanese economy, but the rise of PRIDE (with that sweet sweet Yakuza money), and a little later on in the documentary, the start of The Ultimate Fighter.
Here’s the description:
Japan’s garish, spectacular Pride Fighting Championships captured the imaginations of people beleaguered by an economic recession. Meanwhile in America, those struggling to process devastating and endless warfare suddenly rediscovered the cathartic refuge of competitive fighting: one person hit another, the other fell, no one died, and nothing about it lied to us.
Episode 4 and 5 will come out on Thursday and Friday, respectively.