“All forms of sport are just watered down versions of war.” -Josh (the Warmaster) Barnett, UFC Champion
Athletes are some of the most powerful human beings in existence. Their entire lives are made up of constant struggles to be the best they can possibly be in their chosen sport. While many of us pursue our passions in one form another, few endure the isolating physical and mental struggle that any athletic sport can inflict upon a person who has chosen to put their mind, body, and entire reality toward the ultimate goal of being the best there will ever be.
Due to these truths, the World of Mixed Martial Arts (MMA) is a sport unlike any other. MMA is known around the world as cage fighting, and is a full contact sport. Occupation: Fighter takes audiences into eight grueling months in the life of one unique MMA champion: Chad “Savage” George. This documentary-style film follows George as he prepares for an extremely important fight against Antonio Banuelos. Brilliantly directed by Andre Enzensberger, Occupation: Fighter allows audiences the chance at a one-on-one perspective of the struggles George faces within himself, with the people hes surrounded by, and with the sport he’s chosen to make his life’s work. It is hard not to identify with George’s ambition as he pursues perfection in the art of MMA. He shows all of us what we should seek in our own paths to greatness, even under the most difficult conditions.
The film opens with an inside look at George’s life from the perspective of his family, friends, and significant other. George originally relocated to Los Angeles from Sacramento to pursue a career in art. While hitting the gym for basic physical fitness, he took advantage of an opportunity to participate in an MMA-style fight in Tijuana. He won this first fight, which took place in 2005, by initiating the only submission move he knew from his two short months in training.
Years afterwards, during the time Occupation: Fighter was filmed, we learn that George has participated in 16 pro fights since that match. When we meet him, he is undergoing training for the WEC (World Extreme Cagefighting) promotion, known as the top organization for fighters weighing in at 155 lbs or less.
During a series of interviews, George’s parents reflect on their personal feelings about his MMA career, and his hometown friends and high school wrestling coach detail his early talents for mental and physical discipline, and the origins of his interest and success in hands-on combat.
George’s girlfriend introduces the idea of how isolating the dedication to MMA greatness can be. She offers her own reflections about how George’s training needs consistently outweigh her needs where their relationship is concerned. While she understands the sacrifice she must make to be with George, fear for his safety and well-being is forever present in her mind, as well as in the minds of his friends and family. Her perspective, as well as those of George’s parents and closest friends, highlight for the audience the ripple effect that dedication to this sport can have. We’re left with a deeper understanding that the pursuit of this sport means risk and sacrifice, which has a deep effect on these athletes’ lives.
Occupation: Fighter highlights the training process as Geoorge prepares for his fight. Narration and detailed accounts of the intensity of the training and how George handles the pressure are provided by competitors that train alongside him. George himself highlights the importance of the family environment that exists amongst everyone who trains at his gym multiple times per day, receiving only the tiniest perceptible gains in their pursuit of peak fitness and readiness. We also hear a full account of the fact that financial gain through this sport is an obsolete pursuit. It’s a sobering truth that magnifies the dedication these fighters possess, making them less comparable to athletes who compete professionally in more glamourous sports with greater financial rewards.
The hardest truth to swallow where the lack of financial gain these fighters can expect is concerned is the fact that many MMA fighters cannot afford medical insurance. Some purposely participate in fights while injured, in order to take advantage of the one-day insurance that is allocated to fighters on the day of their fights and receive medical attention for pre-existing injuries. George’s doctor provides insight that can be overlooked when watching MMA purely for entertainment: the human body was not meant for this kind of combat.
George receives extra income by training other fighters, and uses this income to provide himself with the instructors and lessons he needs for his fight against Banuelos. His students show their own experiences of George’s inspirational qualities. Everyone who appears in this documentary points out in their own way that George is living every elemennt of his passion, and that his results inspire passion in those he connects with, both inside and outside the cage.
Enzensberger’s style of filming is incredibly effective in providing an overall perspective on George’s world. The audience even receives an unexpected look into a very significant event when Enzensberger shows us an art show hosted by George and fellow MMA competitor Mac Danzig, where both have the chance to feature and detail their own works. This scene counteracts many of the negative stereotypes society presents about MMA fighters. MMA is an artform in itself, and by featuring this art show, Enzensberger intertwines two worlds that many would have seen as completely separate.
The remainder of the film is an in-depth exploration of George’s grueling training process as he enters the final stages of preparing for the Banuelos fight. Enzensberger’s voyeuristic style is never more appreciated than in these final moments leading up the fight. Throughout the film, everything from selection and timing of the music to the lighting and camera angles as George overcomes both internal and external struggles allows for audiences a firsthand perspective of George’s preparations. However, in these final stages of training, this style is overwhelmingly effective as it literally allows audiences to view everything George is experiences, from the eyes of the MMA fighter himself. This results in a very emotional and intense experience.
After viewing Occupation: Fighter, viewers will be inspired to be the best they can be for themselves and the people in their lives that push us to do that every single day. We can all learn from Chad George and other MMA competitors–the only choice to make when life beats you in every way imaginable is to always get back up, and never give up. Period.
