‘Paperweight’ Movie Delivers Raw Combat Sports Reality

Paperweight is out now on Amazon’s Prime Video as of September 5th, bringing viewers an unprecedented look into the world of professional MMA through an unconventional lens.

The compelling new documentary follows recording artist Andrew P. Oliver as he embarks on an audacious journey into professional combat sports, guided by UFC featherweight Westin Wilson. Loosely inspired by the 1960s film Paper Lion, where journalist George Plimpton joined an NFL team, Paperweight asks the provocative question: what happens when you take an average person off the street and put them in the ring with elite fighters?

From left: Westin Wilson, Andrew P. Oliver, Stephen “Wonderboy” Thompson

The film culminates in a comically lopsided showdown between Oliver—whose combat experience amounts to a single backyard fight—and UFC legend Stephen “Wonderboy” Thompson. Directors Andrew P. Oliver and Dan Johnson, who previously created the acclaimed 2024 documentary How To Break A World Record, capture the extreme contrast between viewer perception and reality in combat sports.

Shot primarily in Simpsonville, South Carolina, at Ray Thompson’s Upstate Karate with the Pitch Black Fight Sports team, Paperweight weaves together the worlds of music entertainment and professional fighting. The documentary showcases the discipline, preparation, and mental toughness required to step into the octagon while delivering an inspiring narrative about facing oversized challenges.

Produced by Forthright Records and distributed by Buffalo 8, this reality-journalism documentary promises to make viewers feel like they’re right there with the fighters, experiencing every moment of this wild journey.