LOS ANGELES — Tom Hardy and Joel Edgerton knew almost nothing about mixed martial arts when they signed to star in "Warrior," the biggest major-studio film to date about the nascent sport.
The two actors quickly figured out there's much more to MMA than blood and rage, and they're hoping audiences will enjoy getting a similar education about a niche sport that's about to go mainstream.
"Warrior" puts MMA in the nation's multiplexes Friday as the biggest major-studio film to date about the sport, leading a slew of MMA-related projects in various stages of production. The UFC just signed a nine-figure broadcast deal with Fox, putting the sport's dominant promotion on network prime-time.
"Warrior" director Gavin O'Connor knows why MMA is under Hollywood's spotlight.
Every storyteller loves a good fight.