Benny “The Jet” Urquidez gets his well deserved documentary

Benny “The Jet” Urquidez, the man credited with introducing mixed martial arts to the world, will have his life story told in a documentary expected to be released in 2025. Already in production, the film is entitled “The Jet” and will be produced and directed by some big names in Hollywood.

Benny was born June 20, 1952, to a professional wrestling mother and professional boxing father, in Tarzana, California. He began his martial arts career at seven and received his first black belt at fourteen. Once witnessing a demonstration by Bruce Lee, Urquidez felt the desire to enter martial arts tournaments.  Although he trained in various disciplines, including karate, taekwondo, and kung fu, it was his kickboxing that brought him to worldwide fame. “The Jet” was given his nickname due to his lightning-fast kicks and impeccable timing. He dominated his opponents with a combination of speed, power, and precision.

Urquidez remained largely undefeated in his two-decade career with 63 wins, 57 of those victories coming by total knock-out. He earned the rare achievement of holding six world titles in five different weight divisions. In 2019, he was inducted into the International Sports Hall of Fame.

After competing, Urquidez has become a respected teacher. He holds a bachelor’s degree in physical education. His training methods not only focus on physical conditioning, but mental discipline and spiritual growth, the true essence of martial arts. in 2000, Urquidez co-founded the Los Angeles Film Fighting Institute. It was one of the first schools of its kind to teach the details and subtleties of stunt work. “The Jet” has also developed his unique martial art called “Ukidokan” which means “way of life.”

The upcoming documentary will bring to light the legend that “The Jet” truly is. Jennifer Tiexiera, an award-winning filmmaker, is directing this film. Actors Fisher Stevens and Keanu Reeves are co-producing. Stevens is known for outstanding television shows like Succession and The Blacklist. Reeves, on the other hand, can be seen in giant blockbuster titles like John Wick and The Matrix. Reeves has expressed much excitement for the new documentary. He has said “Benny is a true mentor and has had such a profound yet underappreciated impact on both cinema and martial arts. I’m very excited to share his story with the world.”

Luckily, Benny “The Jet” Urquidez is no stranger to TV and movies. Urquidez has acted in several films including two with Jackie Chan, Dragons Forever and Meals on Wheels. It is his final fight with Chan in Meals on Wheels which is considered to be one of the finest fights of Chan’s film career. “The Jet” also starred alongside friend and student, John Cusack, in Grosse Pointe Blank. While having small roles in Roadhouse and Street Fighter, as well, his main focus on those sets was to train Patrick Swayze and the majority of the Street Fighter cast for their stunts. As the box office numbers can attest, Urquidez certainly has an eye for fighting choreography.