Ring of Champions

Part travel, part personal journey, and part glory, chronicling the best and worst moments of Jeremy Kimball's MMA career. This rare and intimate episode, shot in Colorado Springs, packs more than punches.

You've seen them in the ring as some of the world’s meanest fight champions, but who are they in real life, and what brought them to fight on the world MMA and Kickboxing stages? This episode features the life and struggles of Samo Petje.

We visit Dion "The Soldier" Staring, in Arnhem in the Netherlands, an older fighter still very much in his drive. We see the rigorous training he undergoes to stay in top condition, meet his parents, and visit war memorials.

We travel to Portland, Oregon in the United States and meet Ben Egli and his family, along with his guru coach on the road to Ben defending his title.

Ahmed Vila is a young Bosnian MMA champion. We visit his home in Sarajevo, see how the post-war city has shaped him. Along the way we visit his wife, and family, and get to know the young spirit he embodies and takes into his sport.

In Zurich Switzerland, we meet Shkodran Veseli, his family and his bad-ass coach, Muki. Shkodran takes us on the journey that got him to his titles, and how he trained to get them.

Mr Cool, from the Netherlands, Eyevan Danenberg, is the epitome of cool. From latin dance, or having a major event at Ajax stadium. But in the ring he dominates. We go behind the scene, to find out what makes this gentle giant into a ferocious warrior.

Darko Stosic is Serbia's best current MMA champ. We follow his injury recovery, see his humble beginnings, meet his family and review his heavyweight title win and defense, as an unstoppable force meets an immovable object, Dion Staring.

Pavel Zhuravlov is a super-heavyweight kickboxing champ. As tough as can be. We follow this machine of a man, explore his military past, and learn of his delicate side through his concerto piano playing and close relationship with his wife and daughter.

When the Scorpion is threaten, it defends, killing its prey with every strike. Kickboxing champ Mladen has taken 'Scorpion Sting' as his nickname because of his deadly kicks, but behind this warrior is a gentle heart and soul.

Nikita left his life in Ukraine to pursue the American dream. He has achieved that goal and picked up some championship belts along the way. But moving so far from home comes at a price for a family man like Nikita.

Throughout the season you've met the champions and seen what drives them to glory, but you've yet to see them fight each other. Find out what happens when they go head-to-head, and what they REALLY think of each other behind the scenes.