I was excited to watch Felipe Costa’s documentary The Path to Success because it promised to show how an average BJJ fighter could become an expert competitor. Through three sections, “Felipe’s Story”, “Old Mistakes”, and “Techniques”, The Path to Success offers a new take on jiu-jitsu documentaries by showing how three aspects of jiu-jitsu combine to make a great competitor. Unfortunately, the actual content left me wanting more.

The Smashing Machine is a fascinating documentary that takes viewers inside the world of no-holds-barred fighting in the late 90s. It shows the raw details in and outside the ring through the eyes of Mark “The Smashing Machine” Kerr and his friend/opponent Mark “The Hammer” Coleman. Through their stories, viewers get a glimpse at the bright side of MMA when a fighter is at the top of the food chain as well as the dark side, where drug addiction and failure threaten to ruin not only a fighter’s career but also his personal life.