Never Say Never

The film opens with a video of two young boys fighting in an MMA bout, hinting at a hidden world of street-style competition. It is later shown that in 2011 Xiang Tenghui, a former MMA fighter, has been arrested for being responsible for that fight and is held for interrogation.

In 2001 in Longshan, Xiang Tenghui runs a sand mining operation with his friend Wang Feng. One night, his lorry is attacked by a gang of boys, forcing Xiang to reconsider his prospects.

Xiang visits local entrepreneur Wang Jingfu to secure backing for a children's fight club intended to produce champions and promote Wang Jingfu's product. He rounds up the gang of kids who previously attacked him, including Ma Hu and Su Mu, and offers them food and lodging in exchange for joining.

Weeks later, Wang Jingfu is arrested for peddling fake goods, halting funding for the club. Xiang is reluctant to continue, but the children want to train. It is revealed that Ma and Su have a paralyzed sister, contributing to Xiang's decision to keep teaching, though only as stage combat.

Xiang arranges for the club to perform inside a steel cage at a local bar. The initial display looks fake, prompting Xiang to push Ma and Su to perform with more effort. The staged performance devolves into a real brawl that captures the crowd's attention.

The club grows in popularity and is offered a chance to perform in the provincial capital. During a showcase, thugs disrupt a fight between Ma and Su, a real brawl erupts, Ma nearly stabs a thug, and Wang helps Xiang escape but is injured and arrested.

Xiang visits his family home and learns he was a provincial MMA champion who was stripped of the gold medal after a PED test. His coach tricked him into taking PEDs, and Xiang attacked the coach and was jailed for assault.

Having come to terms with his past, Xiang decides to change the club to train its members to fight for real rather than stage combats. The club continues training with a renewed purpose, aiming to produce legitimate champions.

In 2011 the club has grown significantly, even employing teachers for its members' education. A video of Ma and Su as children goes viral, leading CJ to offer contracts so the boys can compete in a national tournament. Xiang informs them he has the right to decide their futures, causing tension.

The viral video triggers public outrage and authorities move to shut down the club. Xiang faces growing pressure as the enterprise comes under official scrutiny for its methods.

A year later, Xiang is invited to a talk show to present his side of the story. He revisits Ma and Su and their sister, uncovering troubling details and hints of manipulation behind the club’s contracts. The appearance accelerates investigations into CJ and the club’s practices.

CJ is pressured to sever ties, and Ma and Su are released from their contracts. Su begins recovery from a leg surgery and regains the ability to fight, while Ma returns to his fighting path in the wake of the club's dissolution.

Two years later, Su fights for the FGP World Lightweight Championship against Connor from Brazil. After being outclassed in much of the bout, Su escapes a rear naked choke and lands a knockout in the final seconds of the second round to become champion.

In the epilogue, the government allows the club to run again. Ma, now released from prison, returns to MMA, and Xiang watches the scene from the stands, smoking a cigar as he walks away.