Tough Guys (2017)
Overview
10 years before the debut of the Ultimate Fighting Championship. In 1979, Bill Viola and Frank Caliguri dreamed up a contest pitting barroom bigmouths against wrestlers, martial artists, boxers, bouncers and brawlers, billed as no-holds-barred new type of competitive fighting. When the fights succeeded beyond their wildest expectations, they were swept up in a chain of events that ended in the first mixed-martial arts ban in the nation. “Tough Guys” chronicles the inception of Caliguri and Viola’s first bouts and the colorful, crazy cast of fighters who made them a hit as well as the politicians who brought it all crashing down. The film brings to life a moment when the national martial arts craze was building to a crescendo as the economies of Pennsylvania steel towns were plummeting to levels of unemployment never seen, breeding desperate men looking for a chance to prove their worth and make some money in the ring.
Where to watch Tough Guys
| Country | Stream | Rent | Buy |
|---|---|---|---|
| United States | — | Amazon Video, Apple TV | Amazon Video, Apple TV |
| Canada | — | Apple TV | Apple TV |
Streaming availability from JustWatch via TMDB. Catalogues change often, so check the provider before subscribing.
What is Tough Guys about?
10 years before the debut of the Ultimate Fighting Championship. In 1979, Bill Viola and Frank Caliguri dreamed up a contest pitting barroom bigmouths against wrestlers, martial artists, boxers, bouncers and brawlers, billed as no-holds-barred new type of competitive fighting. When the fights succeeded beyond their wildest expectations, they were swept up in a chain of events that ended in the first mixed-martial arts ban in the nation. “Tough Guys” chronicles the inception of Caliguri and Viola’s first bouts and the colorful, crazy cast of fighters who made them a hit as well as the politicians who brought it all crashing down. The film brings to life a moment when the national martial arts craze was building to a crescendo as the economies of Pennsylvania steel towns were plummeting to levels of unemployment never seen, breeding desperate men looking for a chance to prove their worth and make some money in the ring. Tough Guys is a Documentary movie, released on 2017-09-15, runtime 76 minutes.
Is Tough Guys worth watching?
There are not enough ratings yet to summarize how viewers feel about Tough Guys.
Where can I watch Tough Guys?
In the United States, Tough Guys can be rented from Amazon Video and Apple TV. The table on this page lists 1 more country. Movie World also lists the official trailer, online streaming sources and links to external sources on this page.
Directed by
Henry Roosevelt, W.B. Zullo
Cast
- Bill Viola as Himself
- Frank Caliguri as Himself
- Dann Carr as Himself
- Jacquet Bazemore as Himself
- Jimmy Cvetic as Himself
More like this
Sources
Details and the 7.5/10 rating from Tough Guys on TMDB, also on IMDb. Back to Movie World.