Michael Jai White (Dragged Across Concrete), Gina Gershon (Bound), Josh Herdman (Harry Potter franchise), Michelle Ryan (The Last Photograph) and Jason Maza (Welcome To The Punch) are set to star in MMA/WWE sports drama Cagefighter.
Pic revolves around mixed martial arts champion Reiss (Herdman) who unexpectedly loses a heavily promoted match. A downward spiral sends him to the brink of losing his wife (Ryan) and his best friend and agent (Maza). Deemed erratic and out of control, he alienates his long-time trainer (Jai White) and the biggest MMA promoter in the business (Gershon). He must dig deep to find a path back to victory.
Writer-director is Jesse Quinones (Calloused Hands) who himself holds a black belt in Brazilian Jiu Jitsu. Actor and MMA fighter Jai White holds black belts in eight different styles of martial arts and Herdman has experience as an amateur MMA fighter.
Cameos from the MMA world are due to include Anderson Silva, Georges St. Pierre, Alexander Gustafsson, Dan Hardy, and Tyron Woodly, among others.
Film is being produced by Jesse Quinones and Lorianne Hall for Woolfcub Productions, and Terry Bird for Norton Place Pictures. Hall will be attending the EFM in Berlin to discuss the film with potential financial partners and distributors.