History Film / NeverBackDown

''Never Back Down'' is a 2008 martial arts film directed by Jeff Wadlow and starring Sean Faris, Creator/AmberHeard, Cam Gigandet, and Creator/DjimonHounsou.

** Max mentions Roqua has having "trained the Gracies" back in Brazil, which would quite be a sign of badassery for him in real life, as the Gracie family (the main developers of UsefulNotes/BrazilianJiuJitsu and the force behind the creation of UsefulNotes/UltimateFightingChampionship) did not use to learn from outsiders to their art for a long time.
** The main character entering a tournament to get a revenge and forfeiting at the semifinals after learning his rival is not anymore in the card draws parallelisms with the real life run of Wrestling/KenShamrock at UFC 3, where he forfeited at the end when he learned Royce Gracie had forfeited too.

** Max mentions Roqua has having "trained the Gracies" back in Brazil, which would quite be a sign of badassery for him in real life, as the Gracie family (the main developers of Brazilian jiu-jitsu and the force behind the creation of UsefulNotes/UltimateFightingChampionship) did not use to learn from outsiders to their art for a long time.

As things progress, Jake gets beaten senseless by Ryan McCarthy, the school's resident {{Jerkass}}, in a fight that was unwanted by Jake and instigated by Ryan's innate ability to sense his opponent's BerserkButton and proceed to mash it repeatedly. This fight is Jake's first lesson in MMA. His friend then gets him into formal MMA training, where [[ScaryBlackMan Jean Roqua]] teaches Jake how to defeat any opponent. Many matches later, Jake ends up facing Ryan in a one-on-one fight to determine, once and for all, who the better fighter is.

As things progress, Jake gets beaten senseless by Ryan, the school's resident {{Jerkass}}, in a fight that was unwanted by Jake and instigated by Ryan's innate ability to sense his opponent's BerserkButton and proceed to mash it repeatedly. This fight is Jake's first lesson in MMA. His friend then gets him into formal MMA training, where [[ScaryBlackMan Jean Roqua]] teaches Jake how to defeat any opponent. Many matches later, Jake ends up facing Ryan in a one-on-one fight to determine, once and for all, who the better fighter is.

* InevitableTournament: The Beatdown is mentioned, but Jake says he doesn't want to fight in it. Guess what he ends up doing. However, it's subverted when Ryan ends up disqualified and Jake taps out intentionally from his own semi-final having nothing to prove. When a fight between Jake and Ryan happens outside at the parking lot, the crowd is more interested in their fight than the actual final.

* MomentKiller: Charlie walks in on Jake and Baja making out on his bedroom floor. Baja lamely claims that they were "wrestling."

Jake Tyler is your average boy from Iowa. Except that his dad is dead and as a result, Jake is angry all the time and expends his excess energy by beating the crap out of anyone who makes the slightest comment involving his lack of ongoing male adult influence. His brother is a budding tennis star who gets a scholarship to a good tennis school in Florida. As Jake is in severe trouble at home in Iowa, this is a good move for all involved. Once he arrives in Florida, he finds something new and unexpected: UsefulNotes/MixedMartialArts. Seemingly the entire school is involved in an unofficial MMA club. Yes, the ''whole school'', even the ladies, has a singular obsession with MMA.

* InevitableTournament: The Beatdown is mentioned, but Jake says he doesn't want to fight in it. Guess what he ends up doing. However, it's subverted when Ryan ends up disqualified and Jake taps out intentionally from his own semi final having nothing to prove. The crowd is more interested in the fight between Jake and Ryan in the car park than the actual final.

* RealityEnsues: Ryan executes an [[EyeScream eyegouge]] on his opponent when the ref's back is turned. Immediately after the match, the ref notices the other guy's messed up eye and immediately disqualifies Ryan from the tournament.

* SeriousBusiness: The description above isn't exaggerating much about how obsessed the kids at Jake's new school are with MMA. To be popular with a majority is one thing, but it strains WillingSuspensionOfDisbelief when the movie makes it seem as though a second common interest simply does not exist among the studentry.

* WhoNamesTheirKidDude: Baja suggests that her parents smoked a lot of weed.

* CoolButInefficient: The capoeira fighter [[IntimidationDemonstration shows off]] with fancy flips and spinning kicks apparently forgetting he is in a fight, so [[BoringButPractical Ryan finishes him with a single punch.]]

** Max mentions Roqua has having "trained the Gracies" back in Brazil, which would quite be a sign of badassery for him in real life, as the Gracie family (the main developers of Brazilian jiu-jitsu and the force behind the creation of UsefulNotes/UltimateFightingChampionship) did not use to learn from outsiders at the time.
** The main character entering a tournament to get a revenge and forfeiting at the semifinals after learning his rival is not anymore in the card draws parallelisms with the real life run of Ken Shamrock at UFC 3, where he forfeited at the end when he learned Royce Gracie had been eliminated.

Jake Tyler is your average boy from Iowa. Except that his dad is dead and as a result, Jake is angry all the time and expends his excess energy by beating the crap out of anyone who makes the slightest comment involving his lack of ongoing male adult influence. His brother is a budding tennis star who gets a scholarship to a good tennis school in Florida. As Jake is in severe trouble at home in Iowa, this is a good move for all involved. Once he arrives in Florida, he finds something new and unexpected: MixedMartialArts. Seemingly the entire school is involved in an unofficial MMA club. Yes, the ''whole school'', even the ladies, has a singular obsession with MMA.

* AwesomeButImpractical: The capoeira fighter [[IntimidationDemonstration shows off]] with fancy flips and spinning kicks apparently forgetting he is in a fight, so [[BoringButPractical Ryan finishes him with a single punch.]]

* AwesomeButImpractical: The capoeira fighter shows off with fancy flips and spinning kicks apparenty forgetting he is in a fight, so [[BoringButPractical Ryan finishes him with a single punch.]]

The film was followed by two sequels (''[[Film/NeverBackDown2 Never Back Down 2: The Beatdown]]'' and ''Never Back Down 3'') both directed by and starring Creator/MichaelJaiWhite as ex-MMA phenom and martial arts master, Case Walker.

* BlondGuysAreEvil: Ryan.

The film was followed by two sequels (''Never Back Down 2: The Beatdown'' and ''Never Back Down 3'') both directed by and starring Creator/MichaelJaiWhite as ex-MMA phenom and martial arts master, Case Walker.

The film was followed by two sequels (''Never Back Down 2: The Beatdown'' and ''Never Back Down 3'') both directed by and starring [[Creator/MichaelJaiWhite]] as ex-MMA phenom and martial arts master, Case Walker.

The film was followed by two sequels (''Never Back Down 2: The Beatdown'' and ''Never Back Down 3'') both directed by and starring [[Michael Jai White]] as ex-MMA phenom and martial arts master, Case Walker.

* ArtisticLicenseMartialArts: The kick Jake uses to finish off Ryan would likely break his own foot if attempted in a real fight.
* AwesomeButImpractical: The Capoeira fighter shows off with fancy flips and spinning kicks. [[BoringButPractical Ryan finishes him with a single punch.]]

* [[DefeatEqualsFriendship Defeat Equals Respect]]

--> '''Ryan:'' And now for the bad news. It's gotta end with you looking like a bitch in front of everybody.

* WholePlotReference: This is basically a poor man's remake of ''TheKarateKid'' [[RecycledInSpace with MMA]].

* InevitableTournament: The Beatdown is mentioned, but Jake says he doesn't want to fight in it. Guess what he ends up doing.