Never Back Down: No Surrender
| Never Back Down: No Surrender | |
|---|---|
 DVD cover | |
| Directed by | Michael Jai White |
| Produced by |
Craig Baumgarten David Zelon |
| Screenplay by | Chris Hauty |
| Story by |
Michael Jai White Chris Hauty |
| Starring |
Michael Jai White Josh Barnett Gillian White Stephen Quadros Nathan Jones Esai Morales Tony Jaa |
| Music by | Frederik Wiedmann |
| Cinematography | Ross W. Clarkson |
| Edited by | Scott Richter |
Production company | |
| Distributed by | Destination Films |
Release dates |
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Running time | 102 minutes |
| Country | United States |
| Language | English |
Never Back Down: No Surrender is a 2016 martial arts film, directed by Michael Jai White, written by Chris Hauty and Jai White, produced by Craig Baumgarten and starring Jai White, Josh Barnett, Gillian White, Steven Quardos, Nathan Jones and Esai Morales. It is the sequel to Never Back Down 2: The Beatdown, and was released on DVD on June 7, 2016. In No Surrender, which picking up two years after the events of the second film, the former MMA champion Case Walker is on the comeback trail to become champion once again.
Plot
It's been two years since Case Walker has re-entered the world of professional mixed martial arts fighting, but had grown tired of it. He now competes in amateur bouts in an effort to teach his opponents how to utilize their skills. After such a match in Beaumont, Texas, Case runs into Brody James, an old friend who is also a MMA fighter. Brody has signed with PFC Combat, a promotion run by Hugo Vega, in which Brody has signed to fight the 7-foot beast Caesar Braga for the PFC Championship in Bangkok. Brody asks Case to help him train for the fight, knowing Case needs to find his way back as well as attempt to help Brody go on the straight and narrow. Case reluctantly accepts Brody's offer and goes to Thailand.
Case goes to the Top Fight Gym, where he already finds resistance from Brody's other trainer, Matty Ramos. Their difference in training methods make them rivals. To make matters worse, Case gets ridiculed for his training by Cobra O'Conor, a younger fighter whose arrogance gets the best of him. When Brody shows up, Cobra insists on taking Case on in a match of "old school vs. new school". Matty warns Cobra to take it easy, but the arrogant Cobra refuses to listen and faces Case. Case deflects Cobra's moves and uses elements from Kyokushin to pound Cobra to a state of unconsciousness. Brody seems upset with Case with the pummeling of Cobra, but tells him he was kidding and that he agreed that Cobra had what was coming to him. Case soon finds himself becoming a mentor to two up-and-coming fighters, Taj and Creech. Case's pummeling of Cobra attracts the attention of Vega, who is revealed to have some sort of history with Case. PFC marketing director Myca Cruz begins to have a liking to Case and asks him on a date to get to know him, to which he agrees.
When Case has his date with Myca, Matty watches the two together and decides to use it against Case when it comes to Brody. Brody has been slowing down his training and Vega, in an effort to make the fight a success, recommends that Brody use steroids from his supplier to help him better himself. Matty tells Brody of Myca and Case, in which their date ends abruptly when Myca brings up Case's time in prison, making him feel very uncomfortable. When Brody offers to spar with Case, the session gets out of hand as Brody goes too far, hitting Case in the head, to which he retaliates in a way he never expected. Despite apologizing to Brody, their friendship seems to have ended. That is until Case notices Brody using steroids. After training one night, Case and Brody go out to eat. It is then when Brody realizes his mistakes and apologizes. He vows to Case he will do things the right way and even tells Case that Myca would be a good woman for him. Brody and Case work together to begin training for the fight along with Matty, who thanks to an intervention from Brody, agrees to work with Case in training Brody for the title fight. However, viral footage of Case beating up the racist policemen (from Never Back Down 2: The Beatdown) has grabbed the attention of many, thus causing Vega to realize that Brody may not be the one worthy of the fight against Braga.
One day, Case arrives at the gym to see Brody working with Boris, a Sambo specialist. Boris injures Brody's knee with a submission move, claiming he rolled the wrong way. However, Case becomes suspicious. When Vega arrives, he tells Case that the fight will happen and it will be Case against Braga in which Vega will pay him two million dollars. The next day, Case's suspicions were right as he breaks into Boris's locker to find a text message on his cell to Vega reading "It's done". Case confronts Boris, who admits to the deal. Beginning to train for the fight under the mentorship of Brody and the physical training from Matty, Taj confronts Case, accusing him of "selling out". Case knows that he is forced to fight, but must find a way to stop both Braga and Vega, who is set to make a lot of money off the fight and prove that he is responsible for Brody's injury.
At the night of the fight, Tony Jaa appears, mistaking Case for Cuba Gooding, Jr., howling because he is a fan of the film Snow Dogs. Myca, who has become Case's girlfriend, tells Vega she quits. Case begins to think as he is wrapped up for the fight. However, he realizes how he can stop Vega and goes to Braga's locker room, confronting him. As Braga heads to the ring, Case stops him and asks him why if he is so tough it took two punches to knock out his wife. Braga, in total rage, begins to attack Case. The two go to blows outside of the ring, to the delight of the crowd and to the chagrin of Vega. When Braga gets the best of Case, Case resorts to using Kyokushin again, this time using a Nakadaka Ken (Extended Middle Knuckle Punch) that damages Braga's ribs. Case continues using traditional karate techniques and knocks Braga out with a Mawashi Kaiten Geri (Rolling Wheel Kick) to his head. Vega threatens to sue, but Case tells Vega that they have the proof of him causing Brody's injury and that suing could cost Vega millions of dollars. To make matters worse, Vega must pay back everyone who came to see the fight, to which he storms off in anger, knowing he has been defeated. Case, Myca, Brody, Matty, Taj, Creech, and Creech's new love interest, Jeeja (seen earlier training and beating up a fighter who beat Creech up badly in the ring) leave the ring arena knowing they have achieved victory.
Cast
- Michael Jai White as Case Walker
- Josh Barnett as Brody James
- Gillian White as Myca Cruz
- Stephen Quadros as Matty Ramos
- Nathan Jones as Caesar Braga
- Esai Morales as Hugo Vega
- Tony Jaa as Himself
- Yanin Vismitananda as Gym Fighter Girl
- Ron Smoorenburg as Casey's 1st Opponent
- Brahim Achabbakhe as Brody's Young Fighter