Bloodsport (1988)

Bloodsport (1988) is an iconic martial arts action film directed by Newt Arnold and starring Jean-Claude Van Damme in the role that catapulted him to international stardom. The movie is loosely based on the alleged true story of Frank Dux, a martial artist who claimed to have participated in and won a secretive underground fighting tournament called the Kumite.
Frank Dux (Jean-Claude Van Damme) is an American martial artist trained by Senzo Tanaka, a Japanese master. Dux decides to honor his sensei by entering the Kumite, a secret full-contact martial arts tournament held every five years in Hong Kong. The tournament is illegal, unsanctioned, and incredibly dangerous, with fighters from around the world competing in brutal, no-holds-barred bouts.
Despite being a U.S. military officer and forbidden by his superiors to compete, Dux evades military authorities (portrayed by Forest Whitaker and Norman Burton) and heads to Hong Kong. There, he befriends a fellow competitor, Ray Jackson (played by Donald Gibb), and a journalist, Janice Kent (Leah Ayres), who is investigating the tournament.
The film’s centerpiece is the Kumite itself, where Frank faces off against increasingly skilled and dangerous fighters, culminating in a battle against the tournament’s reigning champion, Chong Li (played by Bolo Yeung), a ruthless and undefeated fighter known for his lethal strikes and lack of mercy.
As Dux advances through the rounds, he must deal not only with the physical challenges of the fights but also with the emotional and psychological pressures of facing a deadly opponent. The tension culminates in a thrilling final fight where Dux must overcome blindness caused by a dirty move by Chong Li, ultimately using his martial arts training to triumph in dramatic fashion.