MMAdrama a knockout

In these uncertain times, when the laws of the universe appear to be up for grabs, there’s one thing you can count on: the enduring appeal of martial-arts movies.

“Cagefighter” proves the point: The acting won’t win any Academy Awards and the story arc is predictable, but the neck-crushing fight scenes would have Oscar blacking out and tapping out.

The film starts with Reiss (reallife fighter Alex Montagnani) at the top of his MMA game. The British champ has just won his fifth light-heavyweight title, endorsements are rolling in, he’s in a relationship with a woman (Georgia Bradner) who adores him, and he has a healthy, happy newborn.

But calculating promoter Max Black (Gina Gershon) and Reiss’ manager, Reggie (Elijah Baker), have an idea for the next bout. Why not pit Reiss against the top pro wrestler, loudmouth American lout Randy Stone ( Jonathan Good aka real-life wrestler Jon Moxley) for an MMA pay-per-view payday big enough to lure Jeff Bezos into the ring?

Reiss has zero respect for pro wrestlers, but pride goeth before the fall — and the knee strike, the headlock and the takedown. For much of the movie then, Reiss trades MMA for emo as he broods, cries and questions his life choices. Until, of course, the magic word is uttered:

“rematch.”

Director Jesse Quinones, who specializes in sports-themed films such as “Calloused Hands” and the shorts “Cage Fighter” and “Secret Lives of Cage Fighters,” keeps everything moving swiftly, staging matches with a real-world intensity where every punch feels like a brick to the brain.

In addition to popcorn and a large beverage, viewers might want to order a CT scan.

Running time: 97 minutes Rating: Unrated cary.darling@chron.com

Screen Media Films Jonathan Good and Alex Montagnani fight it out.