UFC: Ultimate Knockouts 8 Blu-ray Movie

Rating summary

Movie		4.0
Video		4.0
Audio		3.5
Extras		0.5
Overall		3.0

UFC: Ultimate Knockouts 8 Blu-ray Movie Review

Punishing blows rule the day in this energy-packed compilation release.

Reviewed by Martin Liebman February 22, 2011

They leave no doubt by the way of the knockout.

The UFC Octagon. The place where fame is won, blood is lost, and pride may be dealt a blow more painful than the strongest punch. It's a place where men willingly enter to submit themselves to pain on the chance that their wounds will be rewarded with a victory, another step towards championship belts and, maybe someday, legend. These men spend their lives training to give and receive punishment, to deal blows maybe not more powerful than those of their opponents, but blows that are well-timed and smartly-placed that might just be enough in the heat of battle to win the day. Years of preparation and months of training come down to minutes or even seconds in the Octagon, and one hit -- the knockout -- can end not only a fight but a career. For all of the hard-hitting action inside the Octagon, for all the punches thrown, kicks dealt, and ground wars waged, it's that one single hit, that fleeting moment where one blow ends a fight at the speed of a fighter's fist or the swiftness of a competitor's kick that's what all fight fans live to see, winners hope to deal, and losers wish to avoid.

The other guy? Not so happy.

Veteran Ultimate fighting fans will find more value in UFC: Ultimate Knockouts 8 than will most newbies, but there's always the thrill of the knockout to entice viewers unfamiliar with the world of UFC -- the styles, its fighters -- to make this release potentially worthwhile for all types of audiences. This first-rate production cuts to the heart of its title and delivers a rapid-fire pace that sees one fighter after another succumb to the raw power of the knockout blow, but it doesn't quite capture what UFC is really all about; yes, there's a heart and soul to the sport that exists beyond the punches and kicks. This compilation video is more like a series of snapshots that foregoes the unique combination of grace and power -- not to mention fighter strategy -- that makes up the typical UFC fight. While the video does show some fights in their entirety, some begin midway through and some last but a few seconds, but they're all hard-hitting and tremendously exciting inside the bubble that is this release. Each fight -- however much of it is shown -- is given a introductory background that sets the stage and introduces the fighters, and even the foreknowledge of what's to come can't quell the raw power and intense action that is that fleeting moment when the knockout occurs.

If there's a downside to this release, it's that there's little in the way of sport or fighter history; fans more interested in what amounts to a UFC History course will be better served by beginning with the fantastic UFC: Ultimate 100 Greatest Fights release. That collection guides audiences through the sport's entire history, replays each fight in the collection in its entirety, and allows viewers to revel in the history of the sport and come to understand the essence of what the UFC is all about: the heart of the fighters and the will to win that, unlike some other sports, is combined with almost unparalleled sportsmanship and respect for the sport and for the opponent.  UFC: Ultimate Knockouts 8, in contrast, plays as something far more detached that focuses only a singular element of the entirety of the fight, albeit, arguably, the most energy-packed. Still, Ultimate Knockouts 8 delivers for the UFC fan who is already familiar with how the sport works exactly what it promises, a wonderful collection of hard-hitting, rapid-fire UFC action. Maybe best of all, the collection features a fantastic cross section of UFC talent; not every fighter featured enjoys the name recognition and notoriety of the sport's top talent, but this set does feature several fan favorites and historically important fighters including Shogun Rua, Josh Koscheck, Keith Jardine, Frank Mir, Chuck Liddell, Shane Carwin, and Junior dos Santos.

The following 30 fights are included:

Chuck Liddell vs. Shogun Rua
Krzystof Soszynski vs. Andre Gusmao
Drew McFedries vs. Xavier Foupa-Pokam
Rashad Evans vs. Lyoto Machida
Mike Ciesnolevicz vs. Tomasz Drwal
Brocks Lesnar vs. Frank Mir
Anderson Silva vs. Forrest Griffin
Tim Hague vs. Todd Duffee
Nate Marquardt vs. Demian Maia
Keith Jardine vs. Thiago Silva
Tyson Griffin vs. Hermes Franca
Josh Koscheck vs. Frank Trigg
Rich Franklin vs. Vitor Belfort
Antoni Hardonk vs. Pat Barry
Anthony Johnson vs. Yoshiyuki Yoshida
Alexander Gustaffson vs. Jared Hamman
Marcus Davis vs. Ben Saunders
Luiz Cane vs. Rogerio Nogueira
Mike Pyle vs. Jake Ellenberger
Junior Dos Santos vs. Gilbert Yvel
John Howard vs. Dennis Hallman
Marcus Jones vs. Matt Mitrione
Roy Nelson vs. Brendan Schaub
Matt Serra vs. Frank Trigg
Brendan Schaub vs. Chase Gormley
John Howard vs. Daniel Roberts
Junior Dos Santos vs. Gabriel Gonzaga
Minotauro Nogueira vs. Vain Velasquez
Keith Jardine vs. Ryan Bader
Frank Mir vs. Shane Carwin

UFC: Ultimate Knockouts 8 Blu-ray Movie, Video Quality 

UFC: Ultimate Knockouts 8 enters the Octagon with a quality 1080i, 1.78:1-framed transfer that's sourced from original HD video footage of the fights. Fine detail is quite good throughout; whether the tattoos lining the fighters's arms, legs, chest, or back; the varied sponsor logos and advertisements seen on the mat and the fighters's trunks; or the dried blood, sweat, seams, and stains as seen on the mat during every fight; the Blu-ray disc delivers all of the fine details necessary to bring both the Octagon and its combatants to life. Colors, too, are vibrant and steady. Whether the various advertisements on the mat -- Bud Light, Burger King -- or the varied and bright shades seen on the fighters's trunks, there is neither a lack of color nor an absence of brilliance to any given hue. Anchor Bay's image is sharp, deep, and crystal-clear all around, whether smack-dab in the middle of the Octagon or out into the furthest reaches of fans disappearing into the blackened background. UFC: Ultimate Knockouts 8 is of the same high quality fans have come to expect from the UFC/Anchor Bay collaboration.

UFC: Ultimate Knockouts 8 Blu-ray Movie, Audio Quality 

UFC: Ultimate Knockouts 8 arrives on Blu-ray with a simple yet satisfying Dolby Digital 2.0 soundtrack. These sorts of tracks are almost critique-proof provided they accomplish all they set out to accomplish, and this one does just that. The spoken word -- the heart and soul of this presentation -- is strong and clear as it spills from the center channel, whether introductions to the fights or the play-by-play and color commentary heard over the bouts. The track's music, too, enjoys fine clarity and a decent sense of space across the front half of the soundstage. Background crowd noise spreads out nicely across the front three speakers, and while listeners will never feel like a part of the crowd or a spectator right outside the Octagon, the "oohs" and "aahs" heard over the replays and general hooting and hollering during the "live" fights add a nice touch and sense of realism to the experience. This is a very simple audio presentation, but it handles the material quite well and is more than adequate for this sort of release.

UFC: Ultimate Knockouts 8 Blu-ray Movie, Special Features and Extras 

UFC: Ultimate Knockouts 8 features only promos for UFC-branded merchandise and Total TKOs (1080p, 6:54), a small montage of fight-ending blows.

UFC: Ultimate Knockouts 8 Blu-ray Movie, Overall Score and Recommendation 

UFC: Ultimate Knockouts 8 is an fine compilation video, but it will be best enjoyed as companion piece in the collection of the longtime UFC fan rather than as a newbie's first foray into to the world of Mixed Martial Arts and the Ultimate Fighting Championship. Ultimate Knockouts 8 delivers on the promise of its title, showcasing 30 of the hardest-hitting, bruise-inducing, blood-spilling, and bone-crunching knockouts from the world of UFC. Fans who want to cut to the chase and relive not the entirety of every fight but rather revel in the power of some of the sport's best fighters as they deliver the ultimate fight-stopping blow will want to pick up this release right away. Anchor Bay's Blu-ray features a high quality 1080i video presentation, a minimal but effective and clear 2.0 audio track, and a few more knockouts masquerading as extras. Recommended to UFC fans.