History Main / BrutalBrawl

** In ''Film/TheMatrixRevolutions'' Smith and Neo have a confrontation in the real world, due to Smith infecting a human member of the resistance, which allows Smith to possess the guy. Unlike the flashy, stylized martial arts confrontations that the series is known for (which all take place inside the virtual world of the Matrix) this one is notably just two men wrestling and trying to smash each other into any hard surface or grab anything that can be used as a weapon.

* ''Film/Ravenous1999'': An elaborate ending with Boyd and Colonel Ives fighting across burning rooftops was scrapped in favor of them beating the hell out of each other. Since both men are now superhuman cannibals, it takes a while.

* ''Film/TotalRecall'': The fistfight between Melina and Lori. Rather than catfighting (as the original plan was) both actresses throw brutal punches and kicks.

* ''Series/TheLordOfTheRingsTheRingsOfPower'': In Armenelos, Halbrand is accosted by a GangOfBullies from whom he steals a blacksmith crest. Their boss catches up on what happened and decides to teach him a lesson. Halbrand warns them to not attack him, but their boss doesn't listen and hits Halbrand on the nose. What follows is a brutal beating from an angry Halbrand. He launches himself at the 4 men screaming and {{Curb Stomp}}ed them so quickly that none of them managed to land a single punch on him. He break the arm of one of them and knocks their leader's head against a wall.

As in RealLife fights, the goal is usually to put your opponent down as quickly as possible, the loser often being the recipient of a NoHoldsBarredBeatdown. Usually the last stage of a CombatBreakdown, and often leads to a SurprisinglyRealisticOutcome, as participants may be injured and weakened afterwards (and can also become a case of ViolenceIsDisturbing, when viewers see the realistic aftereffects of a Brutal Brawl).

* Pretty much all of the fights in ''Film/{{Logan}}'' are this, especially its RRatedOpening scene, in which Logan is beaten close to death on account of being outnumbered and slightly inebriated. When he finally does start fighting back, it quickly becomes a CurbStompBattle as he brutally slices apart and impales four or five of his attackers with his claws. This adds to the movie’s more [[SurprisinglyRealisticOutcome grounded nature]] compared to other superhero movies before it since it makes it obvious everyone in the fight is struggling, even the fighter with the advantage.

* ''WebVideo/EverymanHybrid'' ends with a fight like this, between [[spoiler:Vinny and Evan]]. It's portrayed as a brutal, emotionally charged fight-to-the-death with both characters consumed by rage, fear, and murderous hatred. Rather than anything flashy or stylistic, the characters are just wailing on each other, using [[GoodOldFisticuffs fists]], [[BoulderBludgeon rocks]], and [[TheLastOfTheseIsNotLikeTheOthers a knife and shotgun branded with a god-killing sigil]]. It lasts for an entire episode, and [[spoiler:ends with both Vinny and Evan dead]] after the long, agonizing fight. [[spoiler:Luckily, [[NoAnimosityInTheAfterlife things get better after that.]]]]

* The iconic [[HallwayFight corridor battle]] in ''Film/{{Oldboy}}'' somehow manages to combine this trope with OneManArmy, to ''[[SugarWiki/MomentOfAwesome incredible]]'' effect.

* Played for laughs in ''Film/ItsAMadMadMadMadWorld'': Pike is tied up by two nerdy mechanics who think he's an escaped lunatic. He attacks them in a cartoony brawl that manages to destroy their entire garage (which appears to be made of balsa wood, sugar glass and thin sheet metal).

* ''Series/TheLordOfTheRingsTheRingsOfPower'': In Armenelos, Halbrand is accosted by a GangOfBullies from whom he steals a blacksmith crest. Their boss realizes that Halbrand stole his crest and proceed to beat him. Halbrand warns them to not attack him, but their boss doesn't listen and hits Halbrand on the nose. What follows is a brutal beating from an angry Halbrand. He launches himself at the 4 bullies screaming and {{Curb Stomp}}ed them so quickly that none of them managed to land a single punch on him. He break the arm of one of them and knocks their leader's head against a wall.

* Music/JohnnyCash: "A Boy Named Sue" narrates how he's always been wandering and fighting because of the feminine name his DisappearedDad bestowed on him. When he finally catches up with the old man in a saloon... well, the page quote shows what happens next.

* Creator/JohnnyCash: "A Boy Named Sue" narrates how he's always been wandering and fighting because of the feminine name his DisappearedDad bestowed on him. When he finally catches up with the old man in a saloon... well, the page quote shows what happens next.

-> ''Well, I hit him hard right between the eyes''

->''Kicking and a-gouging in the mud and the blood and the beer''

* ''Film/MortalKombat2021'': Unlike the film's flashier duels, Sonya vs. [[spoiler:Kano]] takes place in Sonya's cramped house and features the two kombatants smashing each other into walls, counters and windows, forgoing martial arts for pure fisticuffs. Sonya wins by giving [[spoiler:Kano]] the most humiliating Fatality ever: death by garden gnome.

''And he went down, but to my surprise''
''He come up with a knife and cut off a piece of my ear''
''Then I busted a chair right across his teeth''
''And we crashed through the walls and into the street''
''Kicking and a-gouging in the mud and the blood and the beer''

* ''Film/{{Red}}'' is like this in most fights, since Frank Moses is a retired CIA special operative. His battle with Cooper in CIA headquarters is especially brutal, since both characters are {{combat pragmatist}}s (and Moses trained the guy who trained Cooper). The two of them just smash each other with whatever they can get their hands on, with no regard to finesse at all.

* ''WebVideo/EverymanHybrid'' ends with a fight like this, between [[spoiler:Vinny and Evan]]. It's portrayed as a brutal, emotionally charged fight-to-the-death with both characters consumed by rage, fear, and murderous hatred. Rather than anything flashy or stylistic, the characters are just wailing on each other, using weapons like knives and [[BoulderBludgeon rocks]]. It lasts for an entire episode, and [[spoiler:ends with both Vinny and Evan dead]] after the long, agonizing fight. [[spoiler:Luckily, [[NoAnimosityInTheAfterlife things get better after that.]]]]

No flashy martial arts. No sophisticated weaponry or tactics. Just GoodOldFisticuffs, a lot of CombatPragmatism and a healthy dose of ItsPersonal.