THE HURT BUSINESS: A Deeper Look into MMA

Extending beyond the octagon and looking deeper into what life is really like inside the world of mixed martial arts (MMA), “THE HURT BUSINESS: A Deeper Look into MMA” comes to movie theaters nationwide for one night on Thursday, September 29 at 7:00 p.m. local time. Directed by Vlad Yudin and narrated by Academy Award® winner Kevin Costner, this event follows the daily lives of the sport’s biggest stars including UFC Light-Heavyweight Champion Jon “Bones” Jones, former UFC Light-Heavyweight Champion Rashad “Suga” Evans and female phenomenon Ronda Rousey to understand how this sport went from being shunned as “barbaric” to becoming one of most popular sports franchises of today. In addition to the feature story, audiences will experience an exclusive pre-recorded intro by Rashad Evans and an extra 15-minute featurette on the making of the film, plus legendary fight clips.

Tickets for “THE HURT BUSINESS: A Deeper Look into MMA” can be purchased online by visiting www.FathomEvents.com or at participating theater box offices. Fans throughout the U.S. will be able to enjoy the event in nearly 400 select movie theaters through Fathom’s exclusive Digital Broadcast Network. For a complete list of theater locations visit the Fathom Events website (theaters and participants are subject to change).

Director Vlad Yudin commented, "Creating The Hurt Business has been a real journey.  We have dedicated almost two years to making this film, working with fighters from all over the world and exploring the culture of MMA, its origins and its continuous growth. We are very happy to be working with Fathom Events to finally bring this project to the masses!"

The producers of “Bowling for Columbine,” “Fahrenheit 9/11” and “Generation Iron” deliver their next cinematic punch with “The Hurt Business,” detailing the lives of various martial arts superstars competing in the fastest-growing sport in the world and the struggles and triumphs that accompany all careers in cage fighting. Besides featuring legends such as Georges St-Pierre as well as the next generation of fighters, this event also covers the history of mixed martial arts fighting, from the coliseums of ancient Greece to modern day venues such as the MGM Grand in Las Vegas. Themes of injury, both mental and physical, are explored and the question is raised; is it worth it to sacrifice one's mind and body for sport?

“The world of mixed martial arts takes not only physical strength but mental toughness,” Fathom Events VP of Programming, Kymberli Frueh said. “this event goes behind the ring to explore everything that goes into the making of a MMA fighter from the grit and stamina to the personal toll the sport can take on elite fighters.”