Plot: What’s it about?
Ever want to see some dude with a black belt in karate take on a brawling street fighter, just to see who would win? You know, drop all the rules and let the competitors battle it out until a winner emerges? If this sounds like something you’d be interested in, chances are you will love the Ultimate Fighting Championship which offers an exhibition much like what I described. The rules are minimal and serve to eliminate eye rakes and fish hooking, but on the whole you can do whatever you want in order to win. You can kick in the face, knock out their teeth, knee to the groin, whatever you need to rely on to secure a victory. In fact these usually banned practices are not only legal, but the fans and promoters encourage the use of them. This is no holds barred action at it’s best and the ways to win are limited to making your opponent submit or knock them unconscious, unless the referee or doctor stops the battle. Once the competitors enter the chain link fence surrounded octagon, it’ll be a war like no other…
This is the second release in Trimark’s series of Ultimate Fighting Championship titles and this one maintains the high caliber status of the original release. In my review of the first disc in this series I mentioned how the editing quality and overall production value of the series surprised me and this disc is more of the same. The menus and transition screens are basic and effective without being too flashy, much like the more successful warriors in these matches. The matches are shown from start to finish in most cases, though some begin in progress when the action has reached a fevered pitch. The selected bouts are good ones and show the fastest and most brutal fights this competition has to offer. If you’re looking for the more refined and technical battles then look elsewhere, this is the visceral and hard-core stuff. This is a terrific disc to watch with friends, but make sure they don’t run off when the blood starts to flow like wine.
This continues the high standards laid down by the first disc in the series and I hope to see more of this same level in the future. I’m not sure how many more can be released though, since there is a finite amount of material available until more events are held. Perhaps Trimark could release the entire events in order or seek out other similar competitions, such as foreign no holds barred events or shoot fighting. This is a terrific release that compliments UFC Hits Volume 1 and I feel both titles deserve a place in any no holds barred fan’s collection. While I am unsure of the future of this series and where it will head from here, I am pleased with the first two volumes and hope to see more very soon.
Video: How does it look?
UFC Hits Volume 2 is presented in a 1.33:1 or full frame transfer, which retains the original aspect ratio. The material found here was originally aired on pay-per-view television and the image looks much like that, but sharper and more defined. The compression is flawless and shows no artifacts at all and the source materials seem to be in great condition. Colors are bold and show no errors, contrast is complex and deep, and flesh tones seem warm and natural at all times. This is the best you can expect this type of material to look, so fans should be pleased with this release.
Audio: How does it sound?
This release uses a stereo track which sounds much like the original broadcast and never fails to offer an acceptable experience. This is just guys bashing each other to pieces so don’t expect audio dynamite from this one, but you’ll never miss a scream or kick’s impact thud. The announcers sound clear and crisp and never suffer from low volume or distortion.
Supplements: What are the extras?
This release contains two bonus fights in which you can control the camera angles, which is very cool and I hope to see more of this feature in the future. An eleven minute interview with Bas Rutten, one of the more successful fighters has also been included.
