The riveting and honest new documentary "THE HURT BUSINESS," a follow-up to critically acclaimed feature, "GENERATION IRON," will open everywhere at select cinemas nationwide on Sept. 29. A major VOD release will follow.
When "GENERATION IRON" hit theaters and VOD platforms it left an impact on the world of bodybuilding and became one of the highest-grossing documentary feature theatrical releases of 2013 according to IMDb and Box Office Mojo.
Now Yudin plans to do the same to the sport of MMA (mixed martial arts) with "THE HURT BUSINESS."
“We discovered that a fascinating, violent and dangerous sport has emerged in America in recent years,” director Vlad Yudin said. “I wanted to get inside the psyche of this sport and portray the many perspectives that exist both inside and outside of the sport. Is it really ‘art’ as one competitive athlete told me? What does it take to be a fighter and make a career of it? Why do they put everything on the line every time they enter the cage? The making of the film became a journey for me as it will be for its audiences..."Extending beyond the octagon and taking a deeper look into what life is really like within the world of MMA, the film follows the daily lives of UFC Light-Heavyweight Champion Jon “Bones” Jones, former UFC light-heavyweight champion Rashad “Suga” Evans and female phenomena Ronda Rousey, former UFC Women's Bantamweight Champion.
Recent UFC bantamweight champ Holly Holm, who defeated Rousey, and ranked UFC fighter and 2004 Olympic Silver Medalist Sara McMann also appear in the documentary.
Along with a look at their day to day lives, the film tracks the first fights and early years of the sport, including its roots in Japan, its adaptations and growth in Brazil, and ultimately its development in the U.S.
Along with a look at their day to day lives, the film tracks the first fights and early years of the sport, including its roots in Japan, its adaptations and growth in Brazil, and ultimately its development in the U.S.
It examines how the sport went from being shunned as barbaric to the popular, celebrity-creating entertainment operation it is today.
Through the telling of their experiences, the complete history and culture of MMA is explored in a more expansive way than ever before.
The film follows the efforts of elected officials and advocates to prevent the sport from becoming legal in New York State, the nation’s last holdout.
The film follows the efforts of elected officials and advocates to prevent the sport from becoming legal in New York State, the nation’s last holdout.
After Governor Andrew Cuomo signed a law legalizing professional MMA, it was announced that New York will host a major Pay-Per-View event at Madison Square Garden on November 12 and the film also examines the issue of widespread steroid use and the recent doping violations scandal that hit multiple fighters and implicated the men’s champion, Jon Jones, who is featured throughout the documentary and was disqualified from fighting earlier this month.
Additionally, the film includes significant contributions from leading psychologists, neurologists and sociologists as well as government officials who analyze the grim prevalence of brain trauma and the implications of MMA’s increased popularity, and what it means for our society.
Additionally, the film includes significant contributions from leading psychologists, neurologists and sociologists as well as government officials who analyze the grim prevalence of brain trauma and the implications of MMA’s increased popularity, and what it means for our society.
MMA veteran Gary Goodridge, who claims that he developed dementia due to receiving countless concussions in the sport, allowed the film crew to document his multiple medical examinations.
Athletes, referees, and sports professionals discuss how a sport that was until recently illegal and referred to as “human cock-fighting” became accepted, and even glamorized by the mainstream culture.
"THE HURT BUSINESS" also features other current and past top names in the sport including Chuck Liddell, Tito Ortiz, Georges St-Pierre, Kenny Florian, Urijah Faber, Ken Shamrock, Bas Rutten, Josh Barnett and many more.
Athletes, referees, and sports professionals discuss how a sport that was until recently illegal and referred to as “human cock-fighting” became accepted, and even glamorized by the mainstream culture.
"THE HURT BUSINESS" also features other current and past top names in the sport including Chuck Liddell, Tito Ortiz, Georges St-Pierre, Kenny Florian, Urijah Faber, Ken Shamrock, Bas Rutten, Josh Barnett and many more.
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