Zack Snyder confirmed to write and direct UFC film Brawler
Hollywood director Zack Snyder will be at the helm of an upcoming film about the UFC, titled Brawler, it has been announced.
Snyder, who counts 300, Batman v Superman and Dawn Of The Dead among his films, will direct the movie, which will be made in collaboration with the UFC and Saudi adviser Turki Alalshikh. Snyder will also serve as part of the writing team for the film.
The UFC (Ultimate Fighting Championship) is the flagship promotion in mixed martial arts, and per a press release, Brawler will depict 'a young fighter' getting a shot at a UFC title, 'rising from the rough streets of Los Angeles' and 'battling his inner demons as he fights for redemption'.
Snyder, whose style has long proved divisive, said on Monday (31 March): 'Behind every great fighter is the story of how they got there. UFC is the world leader in combat sports, and I'm honoured to be partnering with them to tell this incredible story.'
Meanwhile, UFC president Dana White said: 'Turki Alalshikh and Zack Snyder have a shared vision to create a film about UFC. They are both very passionate about this project to show fans what it takes to become a UFC champion. It's an incredibly ambitious project, and I look forward to seeing it come to life.'
Alalshikh added: 'I've been a fan of Zack's work for years. His unique style, from his iconic action sequences to his sweeping visuals and intensely emotional storytelling – coupled with his humanised portrayal of deeply flawed characters – is singular. I couldn't think of a better person to partner with to bring the UFC to the big screen.'
Acclaimed filmmaker Zack Snyder has partnered with UFC and Turki Alalshikh to create the film BRAWLER. Snyder will direct the film and serve as a writer 🎬Rising from the rough streets of Los Angeles, a young fighter gets a shot at a UFC championship, battling his inner demons… pic.twitter.com/h4GVeiMXSw
— Ring Magazine (@ringmagazine) March 31, 2025
Alalshikh has been the chief matchmaker behind most major boxing events over the past two years, and he recently partnered with White as they prepare to launch their own boxing promotion in 2026.
Snyder's most recent films were Rebel Moon – Part One and Part Two in 2023 and 2024, respectively. He has been heavily involved in the DC cinematic universe over the last decade-plus, having directed the Superman film Man Of Steel in 2013 before tackling Batman v Superman (2016) and Justice League (2017).
As well as Dawn Of The Dead (2004) and 300 (2006), the 59-year-old American counts Watchmen (2009) and Sucker Punch (2011) among his most famous directed works.
Hashtags
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
Forbes
an hour ago
- Forbes
UFC Tonight: What Time Does The UFC Baku Fight Card Start?
BAKU, AZERBAIJAN - JUNE 20: (L-R) Jamahal Hill and Khalil Rountree Jr. face off during the UFC ... More Fight Night ceremonial weigh-ins at Baku Crystal Hall on June 20, 2025 in Baku, Azerbaijan. (Photo by Mike Roach/Zuffa LLC) The UFC Baku fight card goes down today at Baku Crystal Hall in Baku, Azerbaijan. In the main event of the UFC on ABC card, former UFC light heavyweight champion Jamahal Hill faces recent 205-pound title challenger Khalil Rountree Jr. Meanwhile, in the co-main event of the UFC Fight Night card, Rafael Fiziev and Ignacio Bahamondes face off in the lightweight scrap. UFC Baku Fight Card: Date, Time, Location, How To Watch Or Stream Date: Saturday, June 21, 2025 Location: Baku Crystal Hall in Baku, Azerbaijan Main Card Start Time: 3:00 p.m. ET on ABC Preliminary Card Start Time: Noon ET on ESPN2 UFC Baku Main Card Jamahal Hill vs. Khalil Rountree Jr. - Light Heavyweight Rafael Fiziev vs. Ignacio Bahamondes - Lightweight Curtis Blaydes vs. Rizvan Kuniev - Heavyweight Tofiq Musayev vs. Myktybek Orolbai - Lightweight Nazim Sadykhov vs. Nikolas Motta - Lightweight Muhammad Naimov vs. Bogdan Grad - Featherweight UFC Baku Preliminary Card Seokhyeon Ko vs. Oban Elliott - Welterweight Ismail Naurdiev vs. Junyong Park - Middleweight Melissa Mullins vs. Daria Zheleznyakova - Women's bantamweight Irina Alekseeva vs. Klaudia Syguła- Women's bantamweight Tagir Ulanbekov vs. Azat Maksum - Flyweight Hamdy Abdelwahab vs. Mohammed Usman - Heavyweight UFC Baku Main Event: Jamahal Hill Vs. Khalil Rountree Jr. BAKU, AZERBAIJAN - JUNE 20: Jamahal Hill poses on the scale during the UFC Fight Night official ... More weigh-ins at Hilton Baku on June 20, 2025 in Baku, Azerbaijan. (Photo by Ed Mulholland/Zuffa LLC) Jamahal Hill (12-3-0-1) had a 5-0 record when he appeared on a Dana White Contender Series card in July 2019. He won that fight against Alexander Poppeck by TKO in the third round. The victory earned him a UFC contract. Hill made his official UFC debut in January 2020, winning a decision over Darko Stosic on the main card of an ESPN+ event at PNC Arena in Raleigh, North Carolina. He then faced Klidson Abreu in May 2020. He initially won that bout by first-round TKO, but the result was later overturned to a no-contest because Hill tested positive for marijuana He followed that fight with a December 2020 TKO over former interim light heavyweight title challenger Ovince Saint Preux. Hill's unbeaten streak ended in his next trip to the Octagon, when Paul Craig ended their June 2021 fight in under two minutes by TKO. Hill bounced back from that loss by rattling off three straight 'Performance of the Night' bonus-winning knockouts. That run earned him a shot at then-champion Glover Teixeira. Hill put on a striking clinic in that fight, battering Teixeira over five rounds to earn a one-sided decision win and the UFC 205-pound crown. That fight headlined UFC 283 in January 2023. Misfortune ended Hill's title reign. In July 2023, he suffered a ruptured Achilles tendon during a UFC fighter basketball game. He relinquished the title and underwent surgery to repair the injury. Hill returned at UFC 300 in a matchup against UFC light heavyweight champ Alex Pereira. Pereira ended that fight via knockout at the 3:14 mark of the first round. Hill returned to the Octagon at UFC 311 when he faced former champ Jiri Prochazka on the main card. Prochazka ended that bout via TKO at 3:01 of Round 3. Hill, the No. 4 ranked UFC light heavyweight, has seven wins by knockout and five decision victories. His three losses have come via knockout. BAKU, AZERBAIJAN - JUNE 20: Khalil Rountree Jr. poses on the scale during the UFC Fight Night ... More official weigh-ins at Hilton Baku on June 20, 2025 in Baku, Azerbaijan. (Photo by Ed Mulholland/Zuffa LLC) Khalil Rountree Jr. (13-6-0-1) joined the UFC in July 2016 when a loss to Andrew Sanchez in the season finale of The Ultimate Fighter dropped him to 4-1 as a pro. A submission loss to Tyson Pedro followed Rountree's defeat to Sanchez. However, Rountree went 3-0-0-1 after that setback, scoring three knockout wins in his victories. A knockout loss to Johnny Walker, who Rountree was favored to beat, ended his unbeaten streak. A decision victory over Eryk Anders in April 2019 got Rountree back in the win column, but a TKO loss to Ion Cutelaba and a decision setback against Marcin Prachnio followed. In September 2021, the UFC matchmakers booked Rountree against Modestas Bukauskas. He won that scrap via TKO. That win was the first of five consecutive victories for Rountree. Rountree was scheduled to face former UFC light heavyweight champ Jamahal Hill in June, but a self-reported drug test failure knocked him from that card. The Nevada State Athletic Commission suspended Rountree 4.5 months for that drug test failure. When Rountree returned to action it was at UFC 307 in the main event of the pay-per-view card opposite then-UFC 205-pound champion Alex Pereira. Pereira battered Rountree before ending the fight via TKO in the fourth round. Rountree has nine knockout wins and four decision victories. His losses have come by knockout (three), submission (one) and decision (two). He is the No. 7 ranked competitor in the UFC's 205-pound weight class. We will have full fight card results, reactions and highlights for the UFC Baku fight card on fight night.
Yahoo
an hour ago
- Yahoo
UFC Baku live updates: Jamahal Hill vs. Khalil Rountree Jr. results, round-by-round analysis and highlights
Jamahal Hill vs. Khalil Rountree Jr. headlines UFC Baku on Saturday at the Baku Crystal Hall in Baku, Azerbaijan. Uncrowned has UFC Baku live results, round-by-round updates, start time and highlights for the Jamahal Hill vs. Khalil Rountree Jr. fight card on Saturday morning at the Baku Crystal Hall in Baku, Azerbaijan. Former UFC light heavyweight champion Hill squares off against recent title challenger Rountree in the afternoon's five-round main event, while longtime lightweight contender Rafael Fiziev looks to fend off hard-charging up-and-comer Ignacio Bahamondes in the co-headliner. Hill (12-3, 1 NC) finds himself in dire need of a win after dropping back-to-back contests since his 2023 title win over Glover Teixeira. The 34-year-old Chicago native was forced to vacate his title in July 2023 after suffering a ruptured Achilles tendon while playing pickup basketball. He subsequently lost his April 2024 return against then-champion Alex Pereira via first-round knockout, then sustained a brutal third-round knockout loss to fellow former champion Jiri Prochazka this past January. Advertisement One more loss in a row for Hill and his time in the title picture could be over for the foreseeable future. Rountree (13-6, 1 NC), likewise, aims to bounce back after falling short in a four-round thriller against Pereira in October. The 35-year-old Los Angeles native ultimately lost in his first UFC title opportunity, however his back-and-forth battle with Pereira made Uncrowned's short list as one of 2024's best fights of the year. Prior to that, Rountree racked up a five-fight win streak that included brutal knockouts of Anthony Smith, Chris Daukaus, Karl Roberson and Modestas Bukauskas. Advertisement In the co-main event, Fiziev (12-4) looks to snap his own three-fight losing skid when he takes on the streaking Bahamondes (17-5), who's won six of his past seven UFC appearances. The UFC Baku start time for the preliminary card is at 12 p.m. ET on ESPN2 and ESPN+. The main card begins live at 3 p.m. ET on ABC and ESPN+. Follow along with Uncrowned's live UFC Baku: Hill vs. Rountree results, highlights and live blog below, including round-by-round play-by-play for the main card. Main Card (ABC/ESPN+, 3 p.m. ET) Light heavyweight: Jamahal Hill vs. Khalil Rountree Lightweight: Rafael Fiziev vs. Ignacio Bahamondes Advertisement Heavyweight: Curtis Blaydes vs. Rizvan Kuniev 165-pound catchweight: Tofiq Musayev vs. Myktybek Orolbai Lightweight: Nazim Sadykhov vs. Nikolas Motta Featherweight: Muhammad Naimov vs. Bogdan Grad Prelims (ESPN2/ESPN+, 12 p.m. ET) Welterweight: Seokhyun Ko vs. Oban Elliott Middleweight: Ismail Naurdiev vs. Jun Yong Park Women's bantamweight: Daria Zhelezniakova vs. Melissa Mullins Women's bantamweight: Irina Alekseeva vs. Klaudia Sygula Flyweight: Tagir Ulanbekov vs. Azat Maksum Heavyweight: Hamdy Abdelwahab vs. Mohammed Usman
USA Today
5 hours ago
- USA Today
Three-week rollercoaster: Klaudia Sygula hit full reset after unfortunate circumstances rocked UFC debut
Klaudia Sygula hasn't been on the roster for long, but there have been more ups and downs than many UFC athletes encounter in their entire careers. If the name isn't ringing a bell, Sygula (6-2 MMA, 0-1 UFC) gets why. Her debut wasn't great. She knows it, but says that wasn't her. Even as she tries to explain the circumstances of her second-round TKO loss to Melissa Mullins in November, she cuts herself off at even the slightest chance her reasoning could be construed as an excuse. But she pushes through, because a story is a story. Three weeks before that November fight, is when the UFC offer – her dream – came true. Sygula was initially an economics major. She's smart, her grades were good, and school was the priority. When she first signed up for a karate gym, the coach scolded her because of her lack of dedication. But her passion was in the classroom until MMA took over her life and became her obsession. So when that offer came through from Mick Maynard, Sygula couldn't say no. But the time period leading up to that seven-and-a-half minutes inside the cage was a fight within itself. "To be honest, my debut was not good," Sygula recently told MMA Junkie. "One day after I got the UFC contract, my coach ended up in prison. It was not an easy situation for me." Renowned Polish coach Andrzej Koscielski was arrested in October. His arrest was reportedly linked to a 22-year-old murder cold case. Koscielski remains in prison. "He's still in prison. It is not an easy situation," Sygula said. "I think I shouldn't talk more about it. At this moment, it was really hard for me because I was left alone and I had to rely only on myself, so it was not easy." It's never ideal to have to find a new training home as a fighter. But three weeks before your big break fight? Even worse. Sygula's boyfriend and another relatively inexperienced training partner made the trek over to the United States – but it's a trip that almost didn't even happen. It wasn't until Tuesday of fight week that Sygula secured her travel papers. "I took this fight as a replacement," Sygula said. "I wasn't in good shape. I'm not looking for excuses, but the situation was not easy. I didn't have visa. It was hard to take a replacement. I had 12 kilograms to cut. It was not a good camp and I was not in good shape – and this was my debut in the UFC. I didn't show myself and it hurt the most." "I got my fight three weeks before, but I got my visa on Tuesday. On Wednesday, I had flight. On Thursday, I was in Las Vegas. I had to make my weight. On Friday, was the weigh-ins and Saturday, the fight. At that moment, I thought, 'It's not important for me. I'm ready and everything is OK.'" The loss was a disappointment for Sygula, who had to reroute her whole career in the wake of victory. However, as fate as it, Sygula wasn't the only Polish fighter on her debut card. Former UFC title challenger Karolina Kowalkiewicz fought on the same card and lost. The two met up in the hotel afterward, and Sygula found the positive change she was in dire need of. "(Kowalkiewicz) came with her coach Marcos 'Parrumpa' (De Matta) and that is how I met him," Sygula said. "Unfortunately, we both lost our fights. After the event, we met together in her room to talk about this, to cry together, to eat something. I talked a lot with her coach, with coach Marcos. He convinced me to come to Florida, to ATT. He said one important sentence that stayed with me, which was if I want to be a professional fighter, I have to have professional people around me. I was thinking a lot about this. I thought that I have to change something if I want to stay in the UFC, if I want to change something. I made the decision that I'd come to ATT for the first time to see how it works, to see how their coaches are and how their sparring partners are." For this camp, Sygula found herself brushing shoulders, grappling, and sparring with the likes of Dakota Ditcheva, Kayla Harrison, Bia Mesquita, Yana Santos, and others. She enters her second promotional appearance Saturday at UFC on ABC 8 in Baku, Azerbaijan feeling like a totally different fighter. "I'm sure they will see me, 'real' Klaudia," Sygula said. "Because in the first fight, I didn't show anything. As I've said before, the UFC deserves more. The people, my supporters, they deserve more. I hope that this time, they will see, 'real' Klaudia. I think that will be a better version of me."
