Tough Guys (2017)
10 years before the debut of the Ultimate Fighting Championship. In 1979, Bill Viola and Frank Caliguri dreamed up a contest pitting barroom bigmouths against wrestlers, martial artists, boxers, bouncers and brawlers, billed as no-holds-barred new type of competitive fighting. When the fights succeeded beyond their wildest expectations, they were swept up in a chain of events that ended in the first mixed-martial arts ban in the nation. “Tough Guys” chronicles the inception of Caliguri and Viola’s first bouts and the colorful, crazy cast of fighters who made them a hit as well as the politicians who brought it all crashing down. The film brings to life a moment when the national martial arts craze was building to a crescendo as the economies of Pennsylvania steel towns were plummeting to levels of unemployment never seen, breeding desperate men looking for a chance to prove their worth and make some money in the ring.
Cast
- Bill Viola - Himself
- Frank Caliguri - Himself
- Dann Carr - Himself
- Jacquet Bazemore - Himself
- Jimmy Cvetic - Himself
Keywords
sports, competition, wrestling, karate, mixed martial arts (mma), bouncer, fighting, pittsburgh, pennsylvania, boxing, tough man, brawlers
Trailer
Tough Guys TrailerFrequently Asked Questions
- What is Tough Guys about?
- 10 years before the debut of the Ultimate Fighting Championship. In 1979, Bill Viola and Frank Caliguri dreamed up a contest pitting barroom bigmouths against wrestlers, martial artists, boxers, bouncers and brawlers, billed as no-holds-barred new type of competitive fighting. When the fights succeeded beyond their wildest expectations, they were swept up in a chain of events that ended in the first mixed-martial arts ban in the nation. “Tough Guys” chronicles the inception of Caliguri and Viola’s first bouts and the colorful, crazy cast of fighters who made them a hit as well as the politicians who brought it all crashing down. The film brings to life a moment when the national martial arts craze was building to a crescendo as the economies of Pennsylvania steel towns were plummeting to levels of unemployment never seen, breeding desperate men looking for a chance to prove their worth and make some money in the ring.
- Who directed Tough Guys?
- Tough Guys was directed by W.B. Zullo, Henry Roosevelt.
- Who stars in Tough Guys?
- Tough Guys stars Bill Viola, Frank Caliguri, Dann Carr, Jacquet Bazemore, Jimmy Cvetic.
- How long is Tough Guys?
- Tough Guys has a runtime of 1h 16m (76 minutes).
- What genre is Tough Guys?
- Tough Guys is a Documentary film.
- Where was Tough Guys produced?
- Tough Guys was produced in United States of America.