Title: Choke
Writer: Larry Golin
Release Date: February 1999
Plot: Despite never fighting in the UFC, Rickson Gracie is largely regarded as the greatest fighter produced by the family which spawned Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu, as well helping establish UFC, and to a smaller extent MMA.
Choke is a fly on the wall documentary that follows Gracie as he prepares to defend his World Freestyle Fighting Championship title in Tokyo, Japan. From his dojo in urban Los Angeles to the mountains and waterfalls of the Japanese countryside, you are given an in-depth insight into Gracie’s insane training methods.
There is also intimate footage of all the fights in the competition, which like early UFC events, required a fighter to win three times in a night to be declared champion. Filmed at the turn of the century, the tournament was under the old Vale Tudo rules, which in short meant there wasn’t anyone.
It can be cheesy and some of the fight footage feels choreographed, but it’s a must-see for any fight fan.
Here it is in full: