Combat Sports
Combat Sports has a genre of photography that happens before any fighting starts — the weigh-in face-off, where two fighters stand nose to nose for the cameras. On Visie, that craft spans live event and campaign photography for marques like UFC, WWE, and Everlast, shot from a ringside position closer to the action than almost any other live sport allows.
This week's top Combat Sports projects
This week's top Combat Sports projects, carefully handpicked by Visie's expert curators, showcase the best in style and innovation.
Adidas · You Got This
The Adidas 'You Got This' campaign centers on the intensity of professional taekwondo, framing the competition experience from the mat to the sidelines. The footage captures the rituals and exchanges between athletes and their coaching staff within a high-stakes arena environment. Utilizing cinematic lighting and live-action techniques, the project maintains an action-oriented focus on the athletes' movements and interactions. Post-production and VFX were managed by FEATHER, emphasizing the scale of the sporting event.
Netflix · Hulk Hogan Real American Official Trailer
Netflix takes a deep dive into the complicated legacy of a pop culture titan with the official trailer for the documentary Hulk Hogan Real American. This project masterfully oscillates between the high-octane adrenaline of 1980s wrestling and the somber, reflective nature of contemporary sit-down interviews, successfully capturing the dichotomy of a man who became a global phenomenon. By weaving together iconic archival ring footage with crisp, modern-day studio capture, the edit leans into a sophisticated documentary narrative that feels both nostalgic and revelatory. The production employs a polished cinematic aesthetic, utilizing intentional slow motion to amplify the gravity of Hogan's professional highs and personal lows. Throughout the trailer, viewers witness the subject in diverse settings, moving from the intense environment of a private gym to a controlled studio space, all while maintaining a consistent visual language that elevates the piece beyond standard promotional fare. The integration of live-action techniques ensures that the transition between the raw grit of vintage arenas and the refined look of modern lifestyle production is seamless. Behind the scenes, the post production and VFX work by William McVay provide the necessary technical finesse to bridge these two eras, grounding the subject's mythic status within the nuanced reality of his later years for a compelling streaming platform release.
Project Rock · Chama
In the adrenaline-fueled world of elite combat sports, Project Rock captures the raw, unfiltered intensity of UFC champion Alex Pereira with the campaign titled Chama. Rather than opting for a polished, commercial look, this project leans into the high-pressure environment of the locker room, positioning the athlete amidst a chaotic whirlwind of media scrutiny, flashing strobes, and surging crowds. The visual narrative is built on the foundation of a cinematic live-action technique, utilizing low-key, atmospheric lighting that forces the viewer to focus on the singular, unwavering concentration of a fighter moments before the main event. By integrating dynamic, rapid-fire cuts alongside deliberate slow motion sequences, the work effectively mirrors the sensory overload of professional fighting, contrasting the quiet, white-taped discipline of the athlete against the surrounding frenzy. Executed with sharp creative oversight by 19th & Park, the film functions as a visceral study of focus within the fitness and sports industry. Every frame feels authentic to the grit of the locker room, stripping away the spectacle of the arena to highlight the internal pressure of performance. This piece succeeds by avoiding generic sports tropes, choosing instead to lean into a grounded, documentary-adjacent aesthetic that honors the intense psychological preparation required at the highest level of professional competition.
Project Rock · Built Under Pressure
The Built Under Pressure campaign for Project Rock serves as a visceral testament to the discipline required within the demanding fitness, sports and gaming sector. By centering on the raw physicality of mixed martial arts and boxing, the project transcends traditional athletic marketing to capture the gritty reality of endurance. The narrative unfolds through intense sparring sessions and heavy-duty strength training drills, utilizing a deliberate live-action technique that prioritizes authentic movement over polished artifice. A cinematic visual language dominates the production, bolstered by moody, high-contrast lighting that meticulously carves out the muscular forms of the athletes against an industrial backdrop. This aesthetic choice, punctuated by slow motion sequences, serves to emphasize every bead of sweat and calculated punch, grounding the high-energy exertion in a tangible, tactile reality. To provide a necessary sense of scope, the inclusion of an aerial urban landscape transitions successfully anchor the personal grit of the ring to a wider world of ambition and persistent challenge. Produced by 19th and Park, the campaign leans into a gritty, cinematic realism that rejects stylistic excess in favor of a focused, intense exploration of the human body under load. Every cut and camera angle works in concert to showcase the resilience inherent in the brand, creating an evocative experience that feels as heavy and permanent as the iron used in the training sessions.
Oofos · OOfficial mOOvers - Alycia Baumgardner
Oofos presents the OOfficial mOOvers campaign, featuring world champion boxer Alycia Baumgardner in a cinematic look at the intersection of high-intensity training and active recovery. Produced by Greatergood, the spot follows the athlete through demanding boxing sessions and rigorous conditioning routines. The film transitions from the intensity of the ring to moments of physical restoration, highlighting the role of specialized recovery footwear in athletic longevity. The production utilizes natural light and golden hour sequences to capture the subject in both focused performance and post-workout recovery environments.
Boxer · Ray Beltran
Boxer provides an intimate look at the pre-fight preparation of professional athlete Ray Beltran. The documentary-style film tracks the methodical routine inside the dressing room, focusing on the specific choreography of hand wrapping and final coordination between the fighter and his corner team before the bout against Luis Ramos Jr. Produced by GREATERGOOD, the piece utilizes a live-action technique to capture candid moments of tension and focus. The visual approach relies on a clean, analogue-style aesthetic that highlights the physical reality of the sport, prioritising a raw, unscripted perspective of the preparation process.
AEW · Hero :60
AEW captures the high-energy spectacle of its professional wrestling events in the 'Hero :60' promotional video. This project leans into the intensity of the sport, using a fast-paced montage to juxtapose wide shots of packed arenas with high-contrast black-and-white portraits of the athletes. The piece employs sharp, rhythmic editing and immersive sound design to ground the viewer in the action of the ring. With production by GREATERGOOD, the video highlights the intersection of live-action technique and cinematic storytelling to showcase the brand's theatrical presence in combat sports.
AEW · Mashup :30
AEW presents 'Mashup :30,' a high-energy promotional spot capturing the physical intensity of professional wrestling. The piece cycles between live arena events, focused training sessions, and staged portraits against industrial backdrops. Produced by GREATERGOOD, the edit leans into a kinetic pace. Through the use of cinematic lighting and atmospheric smoke, the project captures the scale of the sport, blending match-day adrenaline with the raw grit of athletic preparation.
AEW · Mercedes :15
AEW's fifteen-second spot, Mercedes, captures the intensity of professional wrestling through a fast-paced sequence of training and performance. Produced by GREATERGOOD, the project moves between the atmosphere of a packed arena and the focused environment of a private gym. The film utilizes cinematic live-action techniques, incorporating slow motion and dynamic motion cuts to emphasize the physicality of the athlete. The narrative structure leans into a high-energy aesthetic, focusing on training drills and ring-side movement to profile the talent in a combat sports and sports gaming context.
AEW · Mashup :15
This 15-second spot for AEW captures the high-stakes environment of professional wrestling. The production, executed by GREATERGOOD, focuses on the kinetic energy of in-ring performance and the surrounding crowd atmosphere. The project utilizes a cinematic, live-action technique to translate the scale of the arena into a fast-paced sequence. Rapid-fire edits underscore the physical intensity of the grappling and striking sequences featured throughout the film.
Premier Boxing Champions · David vs Garcia
Premier Boxing Champions presents the promotional trailer for the high-stakes bout between Gervonta Davis and Ryan Garcia. The production leans into the intensity of combat sports, pairing cinematic training sequences with live-action ring footage to highlight the athleticism of both contenders. Technically, the film utilizes slow-motion capture and dynamic camera movements to build tension during face-offs and exchanges. Produced by William McVay, the narrative focuses on the energy of the professional boxing circuit, punctuated by stadium atmospheres and the physicality of the sport.
UFC · Ultimate Staredown – Fan Engagement Game
UFC presents the Ultimate Staredown, a fan engagement game designed to capture the intensity of fight night culture. The promotional video leans into the electric atmosphere of the octagon, transitioning between sweeping shots of global audiences and high-contrast, cinematic close-ups of fighters. The project utilizes a live-action technique to translate the scale of mixed martial arts events into a digital gaming experience. With creative direction from Kim Verbrugghe, the visuals highlight the raw tension and stadium lighting synonymous with the combat sports sector.
Explore other industries
Explore Visie's leading industries, projects, and the talented creatives representing them.
