A back-alley brawler, trying to deal with his abusive childhood, is suddenly left in charge of his nine-year-old daughter that he has never met, all while trying to make the difficult transition from street fighter to legitimate Mixed Martial Arts champion.

SYNOPSIS:

Danny Dorado has had few successes in life and it has made him bitter. He’s had dead end jobs, dead end relationships, and a dead end life. The one thing that Danny is successful at is bar fighting. He is tough, and often picks up a few extra dollars by participating in back-alley brawling matches. The huge chip on his shoulder most certainly contributes to his fighting success.

His brother, Vince, is Danny’s opposite. He’s quite successful and about to marry his dream girl. At Vince’s wedding, drunken Vince's recklessness cause a man to be nearly killed. Knowing that Vince would be ruined if he had to take responsibility for the act, Danny quickly holds himself out as the perpetrator. Expecting only a few months behind bars, Danny is surprised to find himself in prison for 5 years.

In prison, Danny becomes even more embittered and tries to quietly do his time. But other inmates won’t allow this. Danny must fight. Another prisoner, the simple but bear-bodied Rip, befriends Danny. The two help each other survive prison.

On the day of his release, the drug-addled Katrina, a one-night stand from years ago, is waiting for him outside the gate. Katrina pulls a precocious 9-year-old Phoebe – their daughter who Danny has never even met - out of a car and tells Danny that it’s his turn to take care of her, then takes off.

Danny is unprepared and wants nothing to do with fatherhood. Phoebe has heard nothing but bad things about her “loser” father, and wants nothing to do with him.

Phoebe’s life has been hard. The neglect she experienced at the hands of Katrina has made her cynical and untrusting. Danny’s inept attempts at nurturing are met with wary indifference. His bitter toughness leaves little room for the needs of a nine-year-old child. A social worker, Cynthia, threatens to take Phoebe away. Danny is almost okay with the idea, but Phoebe’s tears cause him to reconsider. He agrees to take a more responsible role in Phoebe’s life in order to keep her out of a foster home. Romantic energy bubbles beneath the surface during Cynthia’s visits, which become more frequent than necessary.

Meanwhile, after hooking up with now-paroled Rip, Danny goes back to bar fighting, even though it’s forbidden by his parole officer. With Rip as his cornerman, he has graduated from mere bar fighting to the more organized, but just as brutal, Ultimate Fighting. Unfortunately, he cannot compete with the highly disciplined martial arts fighters he faces. He must learn to fight like them. But how?

In order to avoid leaving Phoebe home alone, Danny takes her to his fights. She befriends the fat and friendly Delmer, a boy around 12, who knows more about Mixed Martial Arts than half the fighters in the ring. Danny soon takes impromptu lessons from this weird kid. And he’s improving, but stll losing.

After a particularly demoralizing defeat, Delmer somehow manages to enlist the help of Rickson Gracie, the legendary, retired Ultimate Fighter. Gracie discovers Danny’s weak spot, and just in time, since the big championship fight is coming up soon, along with a huge payday for the winner. If Danny wins the money, he can finally properly care for Phoebe.

Danny’s parole officer also learns about the big fight. He shows up and waits in the wings. Danny is inspired by Phoebe’s presence, and wins. The joy is short-lived, however, because the parole officer promptly hauls Danny back to prison. But as he leaves, Delmer saves the day, getting Danny released. And Phoebe finally calls Danny daddy.