Fight journals are an interesting batch of film. More often than not, they are a simple collection of offhand moments in a fighter’s life, usually preempting/hyping an upcoming fight. They are of varying interest levels, but usually reside somewhere between “been there, done that” and “would rather watch new Meisha Tate interview.” However, every now again, we are treated to a stylized, slickly edited piece of film that, regardless of it’s content, is able to pique our interest. We’ve seen it before with the fantastic web series The Reem, and today we’ve managed to stumble over another exceptional fight journal, that of Anthony Johnson, who maybe be looking at a future title shot if he gets past Vitor Belfort at UFC 142, which goes down in less than a week in Rio De Janerio, Brazil.
Brought to us compliments of Authentic Sports Management, “Rumble in Rio” separates itself from the humdrum, so to speak, with great production quality, sharp editing, a little narration, and even some ominous music thrown in at opportune times, all the while showcasing the training footage and behind-the-scenes moments that we are accustomed to. Make sure to check out the clip from an intense sparring session between “Rumble” and TUF 12 finalist Michael Johnson (3:20) at the minimum.
I must say I really enjoyed the use of black and white as well, and as a graduate in film studies, I’ve seen it woefully misused in more films then I’d care to recount. Yes, I know Following was good, but Christopher Nolan you are not.
Anyway, check out the journal, and let us know what you think in the comments section.
-Danga