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There are numerous documentaries about all sorts of martial arts. From Karate to Aikido and Kung-fu to Jiu-jitsu. It's just that all of these documentaries are old and the quality isn't good anymore. The content might be good, but some are so old you can only purchase them on VHS. Says enough right? In the past few years documentaries about martial arts came back to life. Especially now that the UFC is conquering the world with Mixed Martial Arts. Which is a combination of almost every martial arts there is. I have made a top 5 of the documentaries that have been released in the past few years. It contains the two best boxing documentaries ever made, The best fighter on the planet today and a lot of upcoming talent. The documentaries I have chosen show a lot of the mental aspect of fighting. Why does he fight? What does he have to sacrifice? It takes away the stereotype fighter image and reveals the day to day life of these guys.

Enough talk, on with it!

1.Facing Ali (2011)

Cassius Marcellus Clay, better known as Muhammad Ali. He rocked the sport, shook the world, and changed their lives. Now, several decades after they met in the ring, ten of the sport's finest fighters tell what it was like to battle Muhammad Ali, the man many consider the best boxer ever. This brutally honest documentary recounts Ali's incomparable journey as seen through the eyes of those who stepped through the ropes and into history. Join these respected fighters as they weigh in on "The Greatest" and pay tribute to a living legend in this powerful and unforgettable film.

It's one thing when your fans will sing your praises, but you're at another level when former rivals will come to your defense. Directed by Pete McCormack (Uganda Rising), this documentary looks at the career of boxing legend Muhammad Ali from the perspective of his opponents, including George Foreman, Joe Drazier, and Larry Holmes.

2.Anderson Silva like water (2012)

This documentary spends most of it's 96 minutes on the lead up to UFC 117, Anderson Silva versus Chael Sonnen. In fact, it could be viewed as the ultimate bonus feature for UFC 117. It spends a bit of time on his background and his homelife in Brazil. However, the vast majority of the documentary is about his training sessions, almost like a video blog. It contains interviews with a variety of people like Ed Soares, Dana White, Chael Sonnen, and others. There's also a segment with Anderson Silva coaching one of his friends at a smaller MMA promotion.

Overall, it's an interesting behind the scenes look at Silva's life and is highly recommended for any MMA fan, or anyone interested in the life of a professional fighter. It reveals the story of Anderson Silva and how he prepares himself for a fight.

3.Tyson (2009)

In his younger days, the former heavyweight champ liked to say, "No one really knows Mike Tyson." Director James Toback, who befriended him while making 1999's Black and White, allows Tyson to speak for himself as he illustrates his words through archival footage and fight clips, culminating in a subjective portrait that begins in empathy before ending somewhere more enigmatic. Neglected as a child, the Brooklyn-born youth took solace in his pigeons--much like Marlon Brando's boxer in On the Waterfront--before turning to stealing and brawling in his teens until legendary trainer Cus D'Amato spotted his talent and helped him to develop the discipline and self-confidence he lacked. Tyson fought many of his most famous bouts after D'Amatos death, but never quite recovered from the loss. Toback tracks the fighter's rise in the 1980s, followed by his fall in the '90s and '00s: the turbulent marriage to actress Robin Givens, the infamous ear-biting incident, and the notorious rape conviction (about which he maintains his innocence). The filmmaker captures his now-retired subject in a reflective mood, and Tyson comes across as considerably more humble and eloquent than his reputation suggests--he describes boxing impresario Don King as "wretched, reptilian, and slimy" and has a special fondness for the word "skullduggery"--but continues to battle loneliness and feelings of abandonment, even fighting back a few tears at times. Tyson may disappoint those looking for the trash-talking pugilist of old, but Toback proves there's more to Iron Mike than meets the eye.

4. FIGHTVILLE (2012)

As Dustin "The Diamond" Poirier and other Mixed Martial Arts (MMA) hopefuls fight their way up from the hardscrabble backlands of the American South for a shot at the bright lights of Las Vegas, they learn what it takes to be a champion.

Over the past decade, Mixed Martial Arts has grown from a controversial, no-holds-barred sideshow into a billion-dollar phenomenon eclipsing boxing as the dominant combat sport in the world. Fightville shows how MMA has taken hold in the American heartland, where modern-day gladiators battle in strip mall gyms and dusty rodeo arenas desperate for glory and a shot at the big time. In Lafayette, Louisiana, far from the glamorous and lucrative world of Las Vegas bouts, pro hopefuls Dustin "The Diamond" Poirier and Albert Stainback fight tooth and nail for their shot at the American Dream. This thrilling, unflinching and ultimately moving documentary offers a cage-side view of these passionate and powerful athletes as they put their bodies on the line in the quest for fame and fortune.

5.Occupation:Fighter (2012)

The truth about what it takes to be a professional fighter.Eight months in the life of a fighter, the film provides the opportunity to discover the MMA (Mixed Martial Arts) sport in a fresh and striking new light, revealing the life of a dedicated fighter on his way to the top. In times of hard labor and an infamously tough economy, this film inspires the very spirit of our existence, to never give up. Over the course of 8 months, we learn about the amount of sacrifice and suffering professional fighters have to go through in order to stay competitive. Moreover, the challenges of life such as dealing with stereotypes, financial situations, relationships, and injuries are portrayed as seen through the eyes of a top athlete and the people surrounding him. The storyline continues to intensify as we approach what happens after the 8th month: Fight day!

Numerous Free Boxing Videos

Occupation: Fighter is a feature length documentary film by Andre Enzensberger and Bavayou Films featuring WEC veteran Chad "Savage" George alongside UFC and Strikeforce legends Josh Barnett, Dan Hardy, Mac Danzig, Miesha Tate, and Thomas Denny.