Bullet Points: Born a Champion (2021)

The early days of “mixed martial arts” are filled with guys who look way better selling used cars and teaching children’s karate classes then actually fighting on the mat. It became pretty clear as the newly formed Ultimate Fighting Championship breathed life in 1993 that Brazilian Jiu-jitsu was more than just “here to stay”. It was going to be the dominating force in MMA for years to come. I am proud to say that I grew up in a household that appreciated the benefits of the martial sciences and I was lucky enough to catch the UFC bug from the very beginning. For me, lessons weren’t just something that you were taught but also something that you experienced. I have a sneaking suspicion that Sean Patrick Flanery is under that same impression.

Synopsis: Mickey Kelley (Sean Patrick Flanery), one of the first American black belts in Brazilian jiu-jitsu, gets pulled away from everything he loves and into an unsanctioned MMA tournament.

• The Story of Mickey: The film begins in a documentary style as a reporter is interviewing Mickey’s alleged best friend “Taco”. He talks about how they met and instantly became pals. He also mentions a fight that Mickey was involved in that he believes is the premier mixed martial arts fight in history. Mickey also spent some time in the military but there was no record of him found by the reporter.
• A Chance Meeting: It’s 1992 and Mickey is en route to Dubai to teach Brazilian jiu-jitsu classes to the son of The Sheik. He’s a black belt who trained under the famous Gracie family and now gives private instruction back in the States and wherever the money takes him. He meets the beautiful Layla (Katrina Bowden) on the plane and the two immediately become smitten with one another. It’s clear during the trip when Mickey gets another opportunity to “save” Layla that the two are meant for something much more.

• A Romance for the Ages: A few scenes later and Mickey and Layla are both back in California and falling madly in love. It’s a quick romance, for sure, but both characters are so likable that it’s easy to accept it. Taco is still a big part of their story, as well. He plays the best friend to both of them and is the first place that either of them go to when they have a fight. He’s also part of the ongoing interview that fills us in on some of the info we don’t see on screen.
• The Tournament: “Just getting by” is how I would describe the newly married Mickey and Layla. They continue to work multiple jobs until Layla finally ends up pregnant. It’s then that Mickey gets offered $25,000 to find in an 8 man tournament in the Middle East. The money is too much for him to turn down and Layla reluctantly agrees.
• Fight: Mickey doesn’t start fights but he’s gotten pretty good at finishing them. Taco is in his corner and Layla watches from ringside as Mickey easily takes down the first two competitors of the tournament. Then he faces a master striker named Marco Blaine. To say that it was a bullshit fight would be an insult to other bullshit fights. Marco straight up knees him in the face as Mickey is bowing to him and the fight is over before it ever began. Blaine ends up beating Mickey to a pulp before Taco finally throws the towel in and Mickey is left with some serious eye injuries that put his future eyesight in question.

• A Family: A month after the brutal beating and the baby Mickey and Layla were waiting for is born. It couldn’t have come at a better time as Mickey is still dealing with the depression of the fight. The next few years are them continuing to love on one another and just barely getting by. Fighting again is out of the question as far as Layla is concerned. Mickey could lose his eyesight and she doesn’t even like the fact that he still teaches BJJ privately.
• Going Viral: In true 90’s fashion (even though I think it happens in the early 00’s in the film), a tape of the 8 man tournament in the desert gets traded around and put on a forum. It explodes in the growing mixed martial arts community and the now champion Marco Blaine is totally being questioned. A fight promoter named Dick Mason (Dennis Quaid) tries to get a fight between Blaine and Mickey off the ground even though he doesn’t believe Mickey has a chance. It’s very much a Rocky situation with Apollo Creed and funny to see something like this happen when I can remember reading forums like this and watching early internet videos of fights in Japan.

• Tragedy: There are a few scenes in Born a Champion that hit me hard and this was one of them. Mickey finally has the chance to redeem the loss to Blaine and then is hit with something that threatens to take his entire livelihood away from him. If you have a family and can make it through this scene without some waterworks then you’re a stronger man than I. Sean Patrick Flanery shines throughout this film as an actor and this is one of those scenes that really makes you wonder why he hasn’t become a bigger star.
• A Stubborn Man: Mickey knows that he has the heart of a champion. He’s never questioned his skills on the mat and he downright refuses to quit in a fight. It’s a good quality for a fighter to have and we get a few subtle shots where we see just how calm and collected he is before his fights. Then we finally get another bit of info about Mickey’s military past when Dick Mason and Mickey have a moment. It’s another touching scene and one that reminds us what kind of man Mickey was before we ever met him in the film.

• The Big Fight: The finale between Mickey and Marco Blaine is a roller coaster ride of emotions. Mickey is clearly the better fighter on the ground but Blaine dominates standing up and continues throughout the fight to get saved by some shenanigans. In the end, Mickey’s ability to leave everything on the mat and his refusal to quit see him through. It’s a pretty great fight scene and one that gives Sean Patrick Flanery an opportunity to show off his real BJJ skills.

The Verdict: Born a Champion is to the art of Brazilian Jiu-jitsu what Rocky was to the sport of boxing. It’s a love letter to a combat sport where guys and gals leave their blood, sweat, and tears on the mat in an effort to improve not just their fighting skill, but to improve their quality of life. Those who haven’t trained in the martial arts or fought competitively don’t know first hand the discipline, sacrifice, and toll that it takes on the mind and body. Sean Patrick Flanery is the perfect man to bring that emotional toll to the screen and deliver a performance that inflicts the viewer with that passion. I can honestly say that I wiped away tears from my eyes on two separate occasions and my love for the combat arts and my own past only worked to magnify the emotions I took from the screen. I can’t recommend this film enough for fans of the fight game and for anyone who has ever decided that they are more than just “good enough”. That they deserve better and refuse to accept anything less. This movie is for those stubborn few who refuse to stop working. The ones who refuse to tap out.