Buddies Cal (Fred Williamson), J. (Jim Brown), Chuck (Jim Kelly) and Ralph even the score for a rip-off martial-arts tournament.
One Down, Two to Go is a 1982 American blaxploitation action drama film written and directed by Fred Williamson and starring Williamson, Jim Brown, Richard Roundtree and Jim Kelly. This is the third film to star Williamson, Brown, and Kelly, following Three the Hard Way and Take a Hard Ride. Williamson, Brown, and Roundtree would reunite nearly fifteen years later in Original Gangstas.
Chuck Wells (Jim Kelly) and his partner Ralph Dart (Richard Roundtree) are the owners of the International Martial Arts dojo which is located in Los Angeles. A martial arts tournament is taking place with a prize of $400,000. Chuck and Ralph have their best student enter the event. The organizer of the event Frank Rossi. Rossi is in alliance with mobster Gabe Mario who has put up half of the prize money. Rossi tries to fix the tournament so that the outcome will be the way he wants it. Chuck becomes aware of this and Rossi learns that he is in the know. He sends his henchmen out who shoot Chuck in the chest. However the shooting isn't lethal. The efforts of the organizers to rig the tournament aren't successful and the student from the International Martial Arts dojo wins the tournament. The prize money is promised to Ralph the next morning but Mario goes back on his word. In amongst this, Chuck manages to get to an alley behind a tavern where his girlfriend Teri works. He tells her and her co-worker to let Ralph know about the shooting and to contact his two associates in California, Cal and J. Cal (Fred Williamson) and J (Jim Brown) are a couple of tough cops who go after the mob that jinxed the martial arts tournament Peter Dane plays Rossi and Victoria Hale plays his wife Maria. Mario is played by Tom Signorelli.
In order to make the fights look more authentic during the fictitious martial arts tournament in the opening of the film they are in fact real and not staged, the winner of each fight got paid $500 and the loser $100.
One Down, Two to Go stands out as a significant film in the blaxploitation genre due to its unique blend of martial arts and crime drama, directed and led by Fred Williamson. The film features a potent combination of star power, as Williamson teams up with fellow action icons Jim Brown, Jim Kelly, and Richard Roundtree, who collectively brought intensity and charisma to 1980s action cinema. This film is notable not only for its gripping storyline involving a rigged martial arts tournament and mob betrayal but also for its authentic fight scenes. Unlike many movies of the era that relied on staged combat, the fights in One Down, Two to Go were genuine contests, with fighters receiving real payouts, enhancing the realism of the tournament scenes and engaging audiences with authentic martial arts action. Set in Los Angeles, the narrative follows the ownership of the International Martial Arts dojo by Chuck Wells (Jim Kelly) and Ralph Dart (Richard Roundtree), who face corruption and violence as they attempt to claim a $400,000 tournament prize. The film’s plot revolves around themes of loyalty, justice, and retaliation against organized crime influences represented by characters such as Frank Rossi and mobster Gabe Mario. This film is also part of a unique trilogy of projects starring Williamson, Brown, and Kelly, coming after Three the Hard Way and Take a Hard Ride, marking a rare collaboration that blurs the lines between blaxploitation and martial arts genres. Additionally, the reunion with Roundtree in Original Gangstas nearly 15 years later signals the lasting impact these actors had on the genre and their fans. For fans of martial arts action and blaxploitation films, One Down, Two to Go offers a mix of raw action sequences, memorable performances, and a compelling storyline of fighting corruption and crime. Its authentic fight scenes, coupled with the chemistry of its leading cast, distinguish it as a classic that still resonates with audiences interested in 80s cult action movies.
Met him years ago. Great guy