Movies like American Warrior (2025)
The best movies like American Warrior (2025) are Beast (2026), Embattled (2020) and Never Back Down: No Surrender (2016). If American Warrior hooked you with its action and drama, these 30 similar films are what to watch next, and every pick says why it matches.
Quick picks
- Highest ratedWarrior (2011)7.8/10 from 5,220 votes
- NewestLion Fist (2026)Released 2026
Beast (2026)
MMA legend Patton James, now a commercial fisherman, is pulled back into the cage when his brother is in danger. Reuniting with his old coach Sammy, he commits to one final fight in one championship against the brutal champion Xavier Grau.
Why it matches: Recommended by TMDB viewers · both action & drama
Worth the HypeMovies like thisEmbattled (2020)
The eldest son of a ruthlessly tough MMA champion must fight his way out of the abusive cycle his father has continued.
Why it matches: Recommended by TMDB viewers · both action & drama
Popcorn FlickMovies like thisNever Back Down: No Surrender (2016)
Picking up after the events of Never Back Down 2, former MMA champion Case Walker is on the comeback trail to become champion once again.
Why it matches: Recommended by TMDB viewers · both drama & action
Worth the HypeMovies like thisWalking Tall (2004)
A former U.S. soldier returns to his hometown to find it overrun by crime and corruption, which prompts him to clean house.
Why it matches: Recommended by TMDB viewers · both drama & action
Popcorn FlickMovies like thisJawbone (2017)
A former youth boxing champion, Jimmy McCabe is a man in search of hope but looking in all the wrong places. When he hits rock bottom he turns to his childhood boxing club and the only family he has left: gym owner Bill corner man Eddie and promoter Joe. Back in training, years after anyone thought he was a contender, he risks his life, as he tries to stand tall and regain his place in the world.
Why it matches: Recommended by TMDB viewers · both action & drama
Popcorn FlickMovies like thisBorn a Champion (2021)
After a blood- soaked jujitsu match in Dubai, fighting legend Mickey Kelley falls to superstar Blaine. But years later, an online video proves that Blaine cheated, and the world demands a rematch. Can the aging underdog get back into shape in time to vanquish his foe, get revenge, and claim his prize?
Why it matches: Recommended by TMDB viewers · both action & drama
Popcorn FlickMovies like thisThe Challenger (2015)
A legendary trainer comes out of retirement to help an underdog boxer fight his way to a better life.
Why it matches: Recommended by TMDB viewers · both action & drama
SnoozefestMovies like thisWarrior (2011)
The youngest son of an alcoholic former boxer returns home, where he's trained by his father for competition in a mixed martial arts tournament – a path that puts the fighter on a collision course with his estranged, older brother.
Why it matches: Recommended by TMDB viewers · both drama & action
Worth the HypeMovies like thisBlood and Bone (2009)
In Los Angeles, an ex-con takes the underground fighting world by storm in his quest to fulfill a promise to a dead friend.
Why it matches: Recommended by TMDB viewers · both action & drama
Worth the HypeMovies like thisThe Karate Kid Part III (1989)
Despondent over the closing of his karate school, Cobra Kai teacher John Kreese joins a ruthless businessman and martial artist to get revenge on Daniel and Mr. Miyagi.
Why it matches: Recommended by TMDB viewers · both action & drama
SnoozefestMovies like thisLife After Fighting (2024)
Retired martial arts world champion Alex Faulkner has settled into a simple life, when the disappearance of two of his students leads to an unthinkable discovery close to home. Just when all hope of finding the children is lost, he locates the imprisoned girls and unsurfaces an international child trafficking operation, which draws him back into the fight of his life against those behind it.
Why it matches: Recommended by TMDB viewers · both action & drama
Worth the HypeMovies like thisThe Quest (1996)
Ghang-gheng, the ancient winner-take-all competition in which the deadliest fighters from around the world employ the most spectacular feats of martial arts skills ever displayed in order to win the prized Golden Dragon. But fighting prowess alone will not be enough for Chris to triumph over such daunting foes.
Why it matches: Recommended by TMDB viewers · both action & drama
Popcorn FlickMovies like thisBirth of the Dragon (2017)
Set against the backdrop of San Francisco’s Chinatown, this cross-cultural biopic chronicles Bruce Lee’s emergence as a martial-arts superstar after his legendary secret showdown with fellow martial artist Wong Jack Man.
Why it matches: Recommended by TMDB viewers · both action & drama
SnoozefestMovies like thisIn Hell (2003)
A man must survive a prison where hardened criminals battle to the death for the warden's entertainment.
Why it matches: Recommended by TMDB viewers · both action & drama
Popcorn FlickMovies like thisNever Back Down: Revolt (2021)
An amateur fighter is lured by a trafficking syndicate specializing in elite underground fighting where her brutal captor forces her to fight or face certain death.
Why it matches: Recommended by TMDB viewers · both action
Popcorn FlickMovies like thisFemale Fight Squad (2017)
A former fighter reluctantly returns to the life she abandoned in order to help her sister survive the sadistic world of illegal fighting and the maniac who runs it.
Why it matches: Recommended by TMDB viewers · both action
Popcorn FlickMovies like thisHard Target 2 (2016)
Forced into a deadly cat-and-mouse game, a disgraced mixed martial arts fighter is hunted through the jungles of Southeast Asia.
Why it matches: Recommended by TMDB viewers · both action
Popcorn FlickMovies like thisAmerican Shaolin (1991)
After facing brutal humiliation in the ring, a young karateka travels to China in order to study the ancient art of Shaolin Kung Fu, becoming the first American Shaolin.
Why it matches: Recommended by TMDB viewers · both action
Popcorn FlickMovies like thisLion Fist (2026)
Martial arts fighter Joe goes to prison for four years and takes his wife's blame for a drug bust. After his release, he learns that his son needs expensive surgery because of a life-threatening tumor. Joe's only chance to save him: a brutal all-styles tournament with a $100,000 prize.
Why it matches: Recommended by TMDB viewers · both action
Worth the HypeMovies like thisThe Black Book (2023)
After his son is wrongly accused of kidnapping, a deacon who has just lost his wife takes matters into his own hands and fights a crooked police gang to clear him.
Why it matches: Recommended by TMDB viewers · both action
Popcorn FlickMovies like thisTJPW Vancouver Premiere ~ Day 1 (2026)
Vancouver Premiere ~ Day 1 was a professional wrestling event promoted by Tokyo Joshi Pro-Wrestling (TJPW). It was held on April 11, 2026 at Great Canadian Hastings Racecourse & Casino in Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada.
Why it matches: Similar story and style · both action & drama
TJPW Vancouver Premiere ~ Day 2 (2026)
Vancouver Premiere ~ Day 2 was a professional wrestling event promoted by Tokyo Joshi Pro-Wrestling (TJPW). It was held on April 12, 2026 at Great Canadian Hastings Racecourse & Casino in Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada.
Why it matches: Similar story and style · both action & drama
DREAM LIGHTS ~DDT What Do You Think on Wednesday?~ (2026)
DREAM LIGHTS ~DDT What Do You Think on Wednesday?~ was a professional wrestling event promoted by DDT Pro-Wrestling, held on April 5, 2026 at Korakuen Hall in Tokyo, Japan. In the main event, Yuki Ueno defended the KO-D Openweight Championship against Yuki Iino.
Why it matches: Similar story and style · both action & drama
TJPW Warm Spring Pro Wrestling in Ueno (2026)
Warm Spring Pro Wrestling in Ueno was a professional wrestling event promoted by Tokyo Joshi Pro-Wrestling (TJPW), held on April 8, 2026 at Ueno Park Outdoor Stage in Tokyo, Japan.
Why it matches: Similar story and style · both action & drama
NOAH Apex Conquest 2026 in Nagoya (2026)
Apex Conquest 2026 in Nagoya was a professional wrestling event promoted by Pro Wrestling NOAH, held on April 12, 2026, at Nagoya Kinjōfutō Arena in Nagoya, Aichi, Japan. In the main event, Yoshiki Inamura defended the GHC Heavyweight Championship against Alpha Wolf.
Why it matches: Similar story and style · both action & drama
The Champ (1931)
A broken-down alcoholic prizefighter struggles to keep custody of his adoring son.
Why it matches: Similar story and style · both drama
Worth the HypeMovies like thisFiddler’s Green (2025)
At a rest stop bar in the middle of nowhere, a mysterious proprietor helps a guilt-ridden man reckon with his choices.
Why it matches: Similar story and style · both drama
Tenshin Nasukawa vs. Juan Francisco Estrada (2026)
Tenshin Nasukawa, who suffered his first professional defeat in his last fight, will face former two-division world champion Juan Francisco Estrada in a WBC world bantamweight title eliminator. Can he defeat this global big name and earn a ticket to challenge for the title again? It's a high-risk, high-reward fight. Supporting the card are a world-ranked showdown between Tomoya Tsuboi and Pedro Guevara, and the first Japanese appearance of bantamweight world-ranked fighter Katsuma Akitsugi, who mainly fights in America. He will face Jose Calderon, who fought Riku Masuda last autumn. These highly anticipated fights will be exclusively live-streamed.
Why it matches: Similar story and style · both action
UFC Fight Night 125: Machida vs. Anders (2018)
UFC Fight Night 125: Machida vs. Anders was a mixed martial arts event produced by the Ultimate Fighting Championship held on February 3, 2018, at Arena Guilherme Paraense in Belém, Brazil. A middleweight bout between former UFC Light Heavyweight Champion Lyoto Machida and Eryk Anders headlined this event.
Why it matches: Similar story and style · both action
Gipsy Queen (2019)
Disowned by her Romani community for having a child out of wedlock, a former boxing prodigy returns to the ring to build a new life for her children.
Why it matches: Similar story and style · both drama
Like American Warrior and something else?
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Frequently asked questions
What are the best movies like American Warrior?
The closest matches to American Warrior are Beast (2026), Embattled (2020) and Never Back Down: No Surrender (2016). Below are 27 more, each with the reason it matches.
What should I watch after American Warrior?
Start with Beast (2026), the closest match to American Warrior.
What is the highest-rated movie like American Warrior?
Warrior (2011), rated 7.8/10 by 5,220 TMDB users.
What is the newest movie like American Warrior?
Lion Fist (2026) is the most recent release on this list.
Are there English movies like American Warrior?
Yes: Beast (2026), Embattled (2020) and Never Back Down: No Surrender (2016).
How are movies similar to American Warrior chosen?
First come films that Trakt’s viewers watch alongside American Warrior, then TMDB’s recommendations and films it rates as similar in story and genre. Each pick says which signal put it there.