WARNING: Spoilers for Born a Champion.
Will Born a Champion 2 ever get made? In January 2021, Lionsgate Entertainment released the original movie, Born a Champion, which follows a mixed martial arts fighter at the twilight of his career. The storyline takes place between 1991 and 2001, and builds to a climactic reveal that could be interpreted as a second installment tease. Moving forward, Born a Champion 2 may indeed happen, but the central focus will need a slight tweak (more on that below).
Born a Champion stars Sean Patrick Flanery (The Boondocks Saints) as Mickey Kelley, a Gulf War veteran who begins his MMA career during the early '90s. In Dubai, he forms a friendship with an American paralegal named Layla (Katrina Bowden), and later suffers what appears to be a career-ending injury while competing against an up-and-comer named Marco Blaine (UFC fighter Edson Barboza). Mickey and Layla eventually marry and raise a young son, but when clips of Mickey's past underground fights go viral during the early 2000s, he decides to resume his career and take on the man who defeated him years prior. Born a Champion includes a cameo from Jiu-Jitsu legend Renzo Gracie.
The Born a Champion final act highlights Mickey's mental and physical toughness, as he loses a loved one and nearly loses his sight upon returning to the ring. During the climactic fight, it's unclear if Mickey has enough physical strength to compete against a much young opponent. Like all great sports movies, though, Born a Champion includes a moment of redemptive glory and sets up a brand new storyline for the franchise to continue. Here's what to expect for Born a Champion 2.
Born A Champion 2 Release Date
Born a Champion released on January 22, 2021, so the producers (ESX Entertainment, Forrest Films) will likely track VOD numbers for several months while assessing how the film resonates with its target demographic. And even though Born a Champion includes some heavy melodrama at times, there's plenty to enjoy for casual moviegoers and MMA fans alike. If the film becomes a VOD hit, then expect a sequel to be prioritized for 2023. If general reactions are just lukewarm, then 2024 may be set as a tentative release date for Born a Champion 2, if at all.
Born A Champion 2 Cast
Born a Champion includes two big twists that affect the casting for Born a Champion 2. For one, Layla tragically dies in a car accident, so Bowden wouldn't return for a sequel unless it's for a flashback cameo role. Two, Born a Champion implies that Mickey died after his climactic fight from health complications, but the final moments show that he's alive and well... yet still very much blind. Given that the central storyline revolves around whether or not Mickey's final fight actually happened - at least from the general public's point of view - it makes sense that director Alex Ranarivelo and his co-screenwriter Sean Patrick Flanery would boost the character mythology by having their protagonist survive. For Born a Champion 2, all of the main supporting players would presumably return.
Born A Champion 2 Story Details
Born a Champion ends in 2001 with Mickey - now blind - training his young son. For the sequel, the narrative could jump ahead 20 years to the present and follow the younger Kelly's career as a prominent UFC fighter. Flanery could still return in a primary role, or it's possible he'll reprise his character through flashbacks. Whatever the case, the original film seems to set up a revised narrative, evidenced by a mid-movie moment when Mickey promises his son that he can train once the gloves "fit." The final moments show the father and son grappling together, which suggests a new lead will need to be cast for Born a Champion 2, potentially a real-life MMA fighter.