Martial arts have a long history to tell and today thanks to modern technologies we can tell this history in pictures, movies, and documentaries. Our goal for this article is to find the best martial arts documentaries.
When we have just started our research we realized, that our list will be not complete and we will miss some best documentaries anyway.
We strive to make this list as complete as possible. So write us a message if you know a martial art documentary that is not listed here.
We have split the best martial arts documentaries into different parts each related to a specific martial art style and combat sport.
Best Martial arts documentaries (in general)
In this part of the best Martial arts documentaries, we will share our findings about martial arts movies in general.
Further, we share the results of our research on documentary movies and not only related to specific combat sports.
Let’s see what the best martial arts documentaries on Netflix are to find.
The picked films can be also referred to as the history of martial arts documentary as almost every episode mentions a short origin story behind each martial art.
Human Weapon
Human Weapon is a TV show that was hosted on the American channel The History Channel.
What happened to the show Human Weapon?
The show was released in 2007 and lasted 15 episodes and was canceled in 2008.
 Human Weapon poster; image caption from internet | ⭐IMDb 8/10 Created by Terry Bullman. Hosts Bill Duff and Jason Chambers. American actor and martial artist Jason Chambers and former NFL player and wrestler Bill Duff traveled around the world to study different martial arts styles and their origin. The episodes involved: escrima, Muay Thai, karate, taekwondo, Pankration, savate, judo, Krav Maga, Marine Corps Martial Arts, MMA, kung fu sanda, sambo, Pradal Serey, Silat, Ninjutsu, Bokator. The episodes are available to watch on Apple TV for $1.99. |
FightWorld
American documentary series about the variaty of fighting techniques around the world. The series were released in 2018 with the goal to explore the local fight culture in different countries – wrestling, Lethwei, Muay Thai, etc.
 FightWorld; image caption from internet | ⭐IMDb 7.5/10 Cast Frank Grillo The FightWorld series on Netflix has 1 season with 5 episodes. |
Fight Quest
The idea behind the Fight Quest series is very similar to Human Weapon and all other mentioned here martial arts documentaries.
The first episode was shown in 2007 and the next series were released in 2008.
 Fight Quest; image caption from internet | ⭐IMDb 8.1/10 The martial arts documentary series DVD of Fight Quest can be found on Amazon or on Discovery Channel. The series has two seasons. |
Fight Quest: Pencak Silat episode
Fight Science
Fight Science is a National Geographic martial arts documentary. This TV series was released in 2007.
 Fight Science DVD on Amazon | ⭐IMDb 8.2/10 Creator Michael Stern Fight Science series is about the science behind martial arts. The documentary wants to reveal the secrets of the most powerful fighting techniques and explores the incredible physiology of fighting masters. “Infrared cameras, sensors, and computerized test dummies allow engineers to exactly calculate the incredible physics and physiology that produce martial arts’ devastating force-at last, separating myth from reality.” |
Best jiu jitsu documentaries
Gracie Jiu Jitsu documentary
What movie is Rickson Gracie in?
Choke
There is a documentary about Rickson Gracie – a jiu jitsu red belt, former MMA fighter, and jiu jitsu legend. The film is called Choke and it follows Rickson Gracie while he prepares for a Vale Tudo fight in Tokyo in 1995.
Rickson Gracie documentary Netflix release
Gracie Jiu-Jitsu documentary popularity will be on time all the way that exists jiu jitsu. Which counts almost 100 years, by the way.
The release date of the new Rickson Gracie documentary Netflix film is still to be announced. It has the name Dead or Alive.
Gracie documentary Netflix film is about exploring the origin of Brazilian Jiu jitsu and focuses on the two legends of martial arts – Rickson Gracie and Mitsuyo Maeda.
The director of the announced jiu jitsu documentary Netflix project will be Brazilian director Jose Padilha (Narcos, Elite Squad).
Rickson Gracie vs Nobuhiko Takada on Pride 1 in 1997
The Gracies and the Birth of Vale Tudo
One more Gracie Jiu Jitsu movie about “the legendary Gracie family and the remarkable creation and expansion of the UFC “Ultimate Fighting Championship” around the world”.
 | Supporting actors: Chuck Norris, Carlos Gracie, Renzo Gracie, Rolls Gracie, Ryan Gracie, Helio Gracie, Rodrigo Gracie, Carlson Gracie, etc. The Gracie documentary is available on Amazon Prime for $1.99. |
Roll: Jiu-Jitsu in SoCal
The Roll documentary is a jiu jitsu documentary film about a 7-day journey by Progress Jiu JItsu from the UK to California, USA, in 2014.
It’s a “slight glimpse into the Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu lifestyle in Southern California”.
Jiu-Jitsu vs The World
And of course the Jiu Jitsu vs The World film. This documentary you will find this in all the best BJJ documentary Reddit recommendations.
Since 2016 the Jiu-Jitsu vs The World video on YouTube collected almost 2M views and over a thousand comments.
The film is telling and shows the positive impact of Brazilian jiu jitsu on lives everywhere around the world.
1.5 hours of time to enjoy.
Arte Suave documentary
The Arte Suave documentary may be underestimated by the reason that it is not well-known in the jiu jitsu and grappling community.
Best BJJ documentary that consists of two parts almost 2 hours each. The old documentary shows jiu jitsu training in the best academies and the coexistence of the best fighters and champions of jiu jitsu looking for their true virtue.
Jiu Jitsu Lifestyle: Arte Suave: Part 1
Jiu Jitsu Lifestyle: Arte Suave: Part 2
Best boxing documentaries
Boxing remains to be one of the most popular amateurs and professional combat sports.
Documentaries stays always a great source for Boxing fans and athletes to learn more about their favorite sport.
Let’s find out if we can collect a top 10 boxing documentaries.
Best Mike Tyson documentary Reddit picks
What is Mike Tyson’s best documentary?
In fact, one of the most popular searches for boxing documentaries are those about Mike Tyson.
So what is Mike Tyson’s best documentary according to the Reddit recommendations?
Tyson (2008)
 | ⭐IMDb 7.4/10 “A mixture of original interviews, archival footage, and photographs shed light on the life experiences of Mike Tyson”. The Tyson film is available to watch on Amazon Prime for $3.99. |
Mike Tyson: Undisputed Truth
 image caption from the internet | ⭐IMDb 7.3/10 The HBO boxing documentary Mike Tyson: Undisputed Truth was released in 2013. Among other boxing movies on Hulu, Undisputed Truth is also available to watch. “Filmmaker Spike Lee brings Tyson’s one-man hit stage show to HBO in this special”. |
Mike Tyson: The Knockout
 | ⭐IMDb 8.0/10 Mike Tyson: The Knockout is one of the latest boxing documentaries about Tyson. It was released in 2021. “Mike Tyson’s climb, crash and comeback, from his difficult childhood to becoming undisputed world champion to his 1992 rape conviction and his personal struggles”. |
Mike Tyson’s knockouts compilation
Untold: Deal With the Devil
 Best boxing documentaries Netflix release; image caption from internet | ⭐IMDb 7.3/10 The female boxer documentary Netflix film Untold: Deal With the Devil. The documentary release year is 2021. The film tells the story of female boxer Christy Martin and her “incredible fight for survival both in and out of the ring as she battled substance abuse, domestic violence and a harrowing brush with death”. |
Counterpunch
 Best boxing documentaries on Netflix; screen caption from the internet | ⭐IMDb 6.7/10 Another pick from the boxing documentaries on Netflix. The film is about “three fighters at different stages of their career make sacrifices to pursue their dreams of becoming champions”. The boxers are Oscar De La Hoya, David Diamante, and Bernard Hopkins. |
The Kings boxing documentary
 The Kings documentary Netflix; screen caption from the internet | ⭐IMDb 8.1/10 The Kings boxing documentary is one of the trending series by Showtime. Four boxing champions – Roberto Duran, Marvelous Marvin Hagler, Thomas Hearns, and Sugar Ray Leonard – and their “battles in and out of the ring”. |
Best boxing documentaries on YouTube
YouTube is a great source of information if to search carefully.
A good start to the boxing journey on YouTube can be the two hours documentary The Lost Generation of Heavyweight Boxing.
Best MMA documentaries
Meatball Molly
 Meatball Molly documentary; screen caption from the internet | ⭐IMDb no rating yet MMA documentary about Molly McCann – a mixed martial artist and the first female from the UK to win in the UFC. |
Conor McGregor: Notorious film
 screen caption from the internet | ⭐IMDb 7.1/10 The best martial arts documentaries list is not done without the one about Conor McGregor. Conor McGregor: Notorious is a mixed martial arts documentary about the most popular MMA and UFC fighter. Released in 2017. |
Conor McGregor: Notorious Universal Pictures official trailer
The Bisping documentary
 | ⭐IMDb 7.7/10 Michael Bisping documentary is available to watch on Prime Video. A story about how a UFC middleweight fighter became a UFC pro fighter. |
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