''Champions'' (fully titled as ''Karate Tiger 10: Champions'') is a

1997 Events January * January 1 – The Emergency Alert System is introduced in the United States. * January 11 – Turkey threatens Cyprus on account of a deal to buy Russian S-300 missiles, prompting the Cypriot Missile Crisis. * January 1 ...

American

direct-to-video Direct-to-video or straight-to-video refers to the release of a film, television series, short or special to the public immediately on home video formats rather than an initial theatrical release or television premiere. This distribution strat ...

martial arts Martial arts are codified systems and traditions of combat practiced for a number of reasons such as self-defence; military and law enforcement applications; combat sport, competition; physical, mental, and spiritual development; entertainment; ...

action film The action film is a film genre that predominantly features chase sequences, fights, shootouts, explosions, and stunt work. The specifics of what constitutes an action film has been in scholarly debate since the 1980s. While some scholars such as D ...

, starring Louis Mandylor,

Danny Trejo Danny Trejo (, ; born May 16, 1944) is an American actor. Known for his Danny Trejo filmography, large body of work as a character actor, films in which he has appeared in have grossed over $3.7 billion worldwide. A native of Los Angeles, Tr ...

and

Ken Shamrock Kenneth Wayne Shamrock ( né Kilpatrick; born February 11, 1964) is an American retired professional wrestler and mixed martial artist. He is currently signed to WWE under a Legends contract, under the ring name Ken Shamrock. He is best known ...

. It was written and directed by Peter Gathings Bunche. It was released during the time in the 90s when direct-to-video action movies was going in a huge craze and selling well in the rental markets. It was Louis Mandylor's first starring role as an action star.

Plot

William Rockman (Mandylor) is a champion “Terminal Combat” fighter who retired from the sport after accidentally killing a young man while training. Five years after his retirement, Terminal Combat has been banned by the government and has gone underground. The “new” Terminal Combat is just that; one combatant in each match usually does not live to tell about the experience. When Rockman’s younger brother is killed in one of the underground matches by his old rival, the King (Shamrock), Rockman enters the tournament to exact revenge on the King, not knowing that the King and his wife, Daria, have been enslaved by Max Brito, the tournament’s greedy promoter (Trejo). When it becomes known that Brito intends to rake in huge bucks for a rematch between Rockman and the King (their last fight 5 years before had ended in a draw), and that he also intends to kill the King either inside or outside of the ring (and therefore keep Daria for himself as a concubine), Rockman, the King, and other tournament survivors band together.

Cast

* Louis Mandylor as William Rockman *

as Max Brito *

as The King * Lee Reherman as Steele Manheim * Bobbie Blackford as Sergeant Kimberly Pepatone * Harrison Young as Senator Able * Robin Joi Brown as Mary * Kimberly Rowe as Daria * Rich Rabago as Japanese Master

References

External links

IMDB Page
* 1997 films American action films 1990s English-language films 1990s American films English-language action films {{1990s-US-film-stub