VANCOUVER — Insight Film Releasing has inked a deal with L.A.’s Grindstone Entertainment Group to produce and distribute four mixed martial arts action films. The movies, budgeted at around $2 million each, star top fighters from the Ultimate Fighting Championship, the world’s largest mixed martial arts promoter.

Insight Film Studios will produce the films, while its releasing division will hold worldwide distribution rights. American distributor Grindstone (Necessary Evil, Brotherhood of Blood) takes U.S. rights and will release through its deal with Lionsgate Home Entertainment. Entertainment One is distributing in Canada.

Tim Brown, president of Insight Film Releasing, calls the partnership with Grindstone ‘a perfect marriage.’

‘As a producer and distributor, [Insight is] always looking for that U.S. deal in place before we shoot, which Grindstone has,’ explains Brown. ‘And they were looking for a producing and distribution partner.’

The first picture slated for production is Death Warrior, which will shoot for a month in Vancouver beginning in January.

The film stars UFC fighters including Quebec-born Georges ‘Rush’ St. Pierre, Quinton ‘Rampage’ Jackson and Anderson ‘The Spider’ Silva as combatants who are forced by a millionaire to fight each other to the death.

‘We will be heavy on fighting, light on plot,’ says Brown.

A director has not yet been signed. Insight CEO Kirk Shaw will produce and Grindstone’s Barry Brooker and Stan Wertlieb will executive produce.

The movies are developed by Grindstone, which has also signed a deal with professional kick boxer and UFC trainer Hector Echavarria. He will star and executive produce the movies, choreograph the fight scenes, and is also a writer on several of the pictures.

Worldwide sales potential on mixed martial arts films is strong, adds Brown.

‘The awareness of UFC is overwhelming — they do huge numbers on pay-per-view and the fighters have a massive global following,’ he says. ‘These guys tour all over the world and sell out stadiums.’

Death Warrior has been presold to the U.K., Australia, the Middle East and South Africa, with other deals pending. The other three movies in the deal are King of the Cage, Devil Dogs and Yakuza.