MOVIE TRAILERS

Sean Patrick Flanery in Trailer for Jiu-Jitsu Drama 'Born a Champion'

by Alex Billington
November 20, 2020
Source: YouTube

"There is always some theoretical fighter who thinks he can take on the pros." Lionsgate has unveiled an official trailer for a MMA fighter film titled Born a Champion, from French filmmaker Alex Ranarivelo. The film is co-written by and stars actor Sean Patrick Flanery as Mickey Kelly, one of the first American black belts in Brazilian jiu-jitsu. Set in the 1990s, the film follows Mickey as he finds himself pulled into an unsanctioned MMA tournament in the hopes of providing for his family. The full cast also includes Dennis Quaid, Katrina Bowden, Currie Graham, Costas Mandylor, Maurice Compte, Reno Wilson, and Ali Afshar. This has all the usual fight film tropes, and doesn't seem to be unique at all especially with the military subplot, but it does look like Flanery is giving one hell of a performance at least. Check it out below.

Here's the official trailer (+ poster) for Alex Ranarivelo's Born a Champion, direct from YouTube:

Mickey Kelley (Sean Patrick Flanery), one of the first American black belts in Brazilian jiu-jitsu, who gets pulled away from everything he loves and into an unsanctioned MMA tournament. Born a Champion, also known as Mickey Kelley, is directed by French filmmaker Alex Ranarivelo, director of the films Alpha Males Experiment, American Wrestler: The Wizard, The Dog Lover, Running Wild, Pray for Rain, Dirt, The Ride, and Bennett's War previously. The screenplay is from Sean Patrick Flanery and Alex Ranarivelo. This hasn't premiered at any fests or elsewhere, as far as we know. Lionsgate will debut Ranarivelo's Born a Champion in select US theaters + on VOD starting January 22nd, 2021 early next year. Anyone into this?

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