=ONT

HEROPE
S= Wr
it
tenbyL
ukeGr
ay

‘OnTheRo pe s’i
saha l
fho urs i
tcoma bouta nov e
rt hehi llbo xer
seeki
ngr e de mptionb yma kingal i
fec hangingc ome back. Wa l
ly
Saxonha di tall.Duringhi spr imehewa sabo xingc ha mpi ono f
thewo rld,a do re
db ymi lli
o nsa ndseena sthee pit
omeo fs port-
ingsucc ess.Ho we ver
,int hes paceo fteny e
a rs
,duet opo or
choicesa ndhi so wni rrat
icbe havi
our-he ’
slostever yt
hi ng .
Ours torybeginso nt hee veofWa ll
y’s37thbi rthda y,since
blowinga llhi smo neyo nba dinvestme nts(
Thev e
ryf lamma bl
e
Ma d,Ba dChe eseTo ast
ieMa ke r
)ande venwo rsecour tca ses,(Sui
ng
achildren’sc ha r
itya f
tersuf f
e ri
nginjur i
esinaf undr ai
singbo ut)
Wa ll
yha sbe enfo r
cedt omo veba ckintohiso l
dho us e-no w
occupiedb yhi sSona nde x- Wi f
eplushe rne wpa rtner,ahi ghly
accla
ime da ndg oodl ooki
ngAme ricanMMAf i
ghterwho ’sa sgrea
t
ofas te
pDa da shei sat a
nt riclover.
Wa ll
yy e
arnsf o
rt helifeheo nc eha d,thes uc ce
ss,themo ne y,thea dul at
io n. Howe ver,his
at
tempt
st oflameinterestforhi spho enix-esquer isestutt
era snobo dywa ntsa ny thingt odowi t
h
hi
ma nymo re.He’sbanne dfromt hegy m,hi sP Ra gentha sn’tbeenpa i
da ndhi sma nagero f16
ye
arswo n’tret
urnhi scalls
.Wo rstofa l
lher eal
iseshe ’
slo stther espe cto fe veryo neheho l
ds
dea
r–inc l
udinghi s9y earoldbo ySonny .Heno wha stoa skhi ms el
fque s t
io nshene verthought
hewould.Ha shes t
il
lg o
twha tittakestowi nba ckhi sfami ly?Hi sfans ?Hi sbe l
t?Andma ybe
mosti
mpo r t
antl
y-hi sdignity?
‘OnTheRo pes’wo uldbeag aghe av ysitco m wi tha n
emo tionalpunc hando verarchings toryt ha tse eso urpr ot
ag oni
st’
s
l
o ngr oadt ore dempt ion.Altho ughf ocus edo nabo x er,thes port
wo uldv erymuc hbet heba ckdr op/setti
ngo ft hes e ri
e s,(s
imi l
arto
ho wba seba l
lisin‘ Eastbound&Do wn’ )wi tht hehumo urbe ing
extractedfr omt hec ha ract
ersa ndt hes ituationst he yf ind
thems elvesin.Thes howwo ul dbel ooki ngt ot api ntot he
ma ss‘binge -
wa t
ching’ audienc ewhi chNe tflixha sg e ne r
ated
byi ncorpo rat
ingdr a ma t
iceleme nt
ss uc ha sc liff-
ha ng ersa nd
na rrat
ivetwi s
tst hrougho utbutk eepingi t’sc ome di cc ontent
andpa ce,soa sno ttobepr esenteda sa‘ dr ame dy’.
=ONT
HEROPE
S=======Char
act
ers
======
Wal
lySaxon-37
(
Dani
elIngs)
Focusingo nlyo n
himselfwa sa na tt
ribute
whicho nc ehe lpe dlif
t
Wa ll
yt ot het opo fthe
boxingwo rld.S uff
ering
froms elf-de lusiona nd
perpetua ll
yl ivingi nthe
past.No wt hec r o
wd
haves t
o ppe dc ha nting
hisname ,Wa l
lyr eali
ses
inorde rtoc ha ngehi s
cir
cums tanc eshene eds
tofi
r s
tc ha ng ehi mse l
f.

PatT err
y/ Terri- Mercedes
75(BobbyBal l) Saxon-34
Thet
ought
alki
n’,o
ld (Camil
laBeeput
)
school,le g
endary Shewa stherewithWa l
ly
boxingt raine
rP a
tTe rr
y thro
ught hickandt hin
lef
tWa l
ly’
ssi
dea f
tera butfel
louto flovewi t
h
huger owdur i
ngthe hima shiscareer
darkda ysofWa l
ly’s spi
rall
edo utofco ntr
ol.
career. Suchwashis She’
sno wmo ve
do nbut
infl
ue nceo nWa l
ly,i
t’s can’
tba r
et oturnhe r
doubt fulthefor
me r backonhe rex-Hus band
champc anri
setothe whenheha snobo dyels
e.
topo nc emo r
ewi t
ho ut
him. Br
ockPi
erc
e-30
Bert
haPri
ce-49
Atthepeako fphy si
cal
perfe
cti
ona ndhekno ws
(Cat
her
ineTat
e) it.
Seemingl
yWa ll
y’s
Alwa y
so nthel oo
ko utto superi
orine ve
r ywa y
.An
gether20%r egardles
sof MMAc hampi on,awi t
ty
wha tsheputshe rcli
ents inte
ll
ect
ual,agr eatst
ep
t
hr ough.He rcalcula
ted Da dandas ensati
onal
acti
onsha velostherma ny lover
.
fri
endso ve
rt heye a
rsbut
shereall
yc ouldn’tcarel
ess
.

SonnySax
on-
9
Respec
tfulandwe l
l
me ani
ng,helooksupto
hisDada ndnowhe ’sol
d
enough,yearnstose
ehim
‘
ho l
dtheg ol
d’inperso
n.
=ONT
HEROPE
S====Ser
ies1Ov
erv
iew====
•F uelledb yar ecentdo cume ntarye ntitl
ed‘ TheRise
andTr eme ndouslyBa dF a l
lofWa llyS axon’,the
forme rL ightHe avy we i
ghtCha mpi o no ftheWo rl
d
decide stos eeko uthi so l
dma nage rP atino rderto
ma keac ome backtowi nba ckhi sr espect.
•Hehe lpshi sSont a keo nas choo lbul l
y,whi ch
culmi na teswi t
hhi mf i
ght i
ngt hebul l
y’spa renton
thes cho olgrounds. Thise ndsupi nt hene ws papers
aft
ert hef ightc ontinue sintothes treeta ndWa ll
y
accident allypunc he sthepa rentint oas pe edingcar.
•Wa llyf i
ndshi ms e l
fha v i
ngt odoc ommuni t
yser-
vice–s urr oundedb ype oplewhowa nttoma kea
namef o rthe mselvesb ykno ckingo utthef orme r
champ .Al though,t hec ommuni tys erviceiso nly
9-5do ingf airl
ymo no t
o nouswo rk,thee xpe rie
nce
playso utl ikeahe ightene dS haws ha nkRe de mption
prisone nvironme nt .
•Pa t’
sba ckt obasicstra i
ninga ppr oa chbe ginstopayoffa
sWall
ycl
imbsther
anksoflo
w-l
eve
lboxi
ng.Fo
o t
ageo
fhim de
v-
ast
ating l
ypumme l
ingaf airl
yhi ghlyr ank edRo manianboxe
rgo
esvi
rala
sthepre
ssbegi
nst
owonderi
fthiscome
bac
kisthe
rea
lde al.
•It’ss oondi s
co veredt ha ttheRo ma nianbo xersuf-
fer
e df rom abo uto fa ppe ndi ci
tisduringt hebo utbut
continue dduet ohisuns wa yingpr i
de .Thi sexplai
ns
Wa ll
y’ sseeming lype rfectwi nbutWa l
ly’sc ampdi s-
missest hef a
cthi so ppo ne nt’
sa ppendixwa saboutto
bur s
ta sther easo nhewa sv ict
orious.Pa tclaimsWa ll
y
wa sfightingwi tha nS TD,butt hepr essdi dn’tseem
bother eda boutma kingabi gde alouto ft ha t
.
•Br oc kiss c
he duledt of i
ghti nabi gUF Cf ighti
nt he
USAme aningMe rce desa ndS onnyg owi thhi m.Wa ll
y
sudde nlyque stionswhe the rhec andot hisc omeback
witho uthi sfamily-a shea lwayspi c
tur edhi sSon
beingt herea shes too dtriumpha nt.

•Wa l
lyg et
sgi ventheoppo rt
unitytof i
ghtonthelowercardf oraTVe v
ent…i t’st hefirstti
meo neo fhisma tc
he shas
beentelevisedintheUKf oryears.Whe ninpreparat
ionforthedue lsomebodya ppr oa
c heshimf romt hec r
iminalun-
derworlda skinghimt odro pthefightinreturnof£100,000whi chWa ll
ydecline s.Howe ve
rlaterthatwe ekPattel
ls
him he’ssicka ndinne edofa nope ra
tionthattheNHSdo esn’tcoverandhec an’ta f
ford.Ag ai
nstPat’
swi shesWa ll
y
reacheso uttotheg angst
ersbutthe ytel
lhim hisopport
unityha spass
eda ndthe y’vea l
r eadyagreedwi thWa ll
y’soppo-
nenttot hrowt hefight.
Wa llyisi
ni t
ial
lyhappywi t
hthisashe ’sguara
nteedawi ni nhisbi gcome backf i
ghtwhic his
get
tingbi gpubl i
cit
y–a ndno wwi t
hhi m knowinghewi l
lwi n,ital
lowshimt og e tafriendt oputabe to nhimi norder
togenera t
ethemo neyne e
de dforP at
’soperat
ion.
•Justbeforethef ight ,theg angstersa tt
emptt ogiveWa lly£5, 000t ohi t
hisopponentha rdint he4thr o undt oma keitl
oo kbe li
eva blea st ha t
’st he
roundwhi cht heirbe tisplacedo n. Whe nthe4thr o undbe gins … Wa l
ly
seest
hec rowdc heer inghi mo na ndde cideshedo esn’twa nttowi nt hi s
wa y–hisfami lyha vee ve
nma det hee f
forttotra
ve lbac ktos eehi sbig
mo ment.Ther e’
sno thinghewa ntsmo r
et hanforhi sSo nt of i
na ll
ys eehi m
winabo xingma tchl ive–butno tlikethis.Sother oundi se ss
e nti
a ll
y
Wa ll
ytryi
ngt oa vo i
dhi tt
inghiso ppo nent,atact
ict hatP atc hee r
sbutt he
comme ntatorsa ndc r owda repuz zledb y.
•Thec hancef orhi so pponent’sa ndt heg angst
er’swi ndfa llisg one ,whi ch
i
nfuriat
eshiso ppo ne ntwhounl eashe sfuryo nWa llya sthef i
ghtt ur ns
veryreal
.
•Af t
erane xhi l
a r
a t
ings e
r i
eso fro unds,thes er
iesc li
ma xeswi tht hef ina l
shotbei
ngaz oo mo uto fWa llyha v enbe enkno c
ke ddo wno ntot hec a nv a
s
i
nt he9thr ound( mi rroringthee ndi ngo fthefirs
ts cenes ho ti nE pisode
1).Asther e
fer eeco unt sthes c
r eent urnst obla
cka ndt hea udi enc ewi ll
fi
ndo utinthes e c
o nds er
iesifWa llyma kesi
tbackupo rno t.
=ONT
HEROPE
S======Ser
ies2Ov
erv
iew==
•Thes e
r i
essta
rtswi t
ht hee ndo fthe9thr oundi n
Wa ll
y’scome backfight.Weo penupwi t
hE l
v is
’s‘
IfICan
Dream’ playi
ngo vert het opa swes eeWa ll
ydi dg etup
andhewi nsitviaKOi nt he10t hr ound.Alt
ho ughno
ti
tl
eswe reo ntheline,i t
’sav eryg oodv i
ctor
ya ndwi ns
Wa ll
ys omec re
dibilit
ya ga i
n.
•Wa l
lyisreveli
ngi nt her eacti
ont ohisfi
ghta nd
alt
hought empt e
db ydr i
nka nddr ugs,unli
kei nhispast ao
xn
heno wc hoosestoa voidt hatpath. Thiscome backisfo
r W yS
/20
5/12
0
realando ncehe al
edhe ’
sr eadytog ets
tra
ightba ckint
o
theaction.
•De spi
tethi
s–Wa ll
yf ai
lsarando m drugstestandisbannedfrom boxi
ngf o
r6mo nt
hs.
Wa l
lyisi
ndisbel
iefandit
’s
rev
e a
ledthathetes
tedposit
iveforaba nnedsubstancefoundinar e
c ove
rysupplementgi
ventohiminnocentl
ybyBr o
ck.
•Wa ll
yisconvi
ncedBr oc
kdidt histohimo npur pos
eo utofje
a l
ousyandc hal
le
ng e
shimtoanMMAf ight
,asportwhich
heisnotbannedin.
•AfterweeksofgoadingBrock,theMMAf i
ghterfi
nall
ya cc
eptsWa l
ly’
srequest
.Wa ll
yget
sabso
lute
lydest
royedinthe
MMAf i
ghtandthe‘conte
st’f
inishesveryquickly
.

•F eeli
nge mba rr
as sed,Wa l
lyt henc ha ll
eng e
sBr oc ktoa nuns anctio
ned
boxingma tch –butwhe ntheda yc ome shec al
lsito ff
,a shes ee
sho w
muc hi tcoulda ffe
c tS onnys eeinghi st wof atherfigur esgoa ti tagai
n.
•Me anwhi le,thewo rldo fbo xingisbe i
ngdo mina t
edb yaBul gari
an
Beastna me dKo s
tov,who sema nageme ntde ci
det os eeko utaf i
ghtwith
Wa ll
yS ax o
na stheybe li
evei tcouldbeaqui cka nde a s
ye arne r
.
•Wa llyisadv i
sedb ythepe oplea roundhi m,no ttog ot hroughwi th
theco ntest
. Kostovha sanni hil
a t
ede ve rybodyi nthedi v is
ion… but
Wa ll
yi sada ma nta shema yne verg eta nothersho tag ain.Ho we ver
withP atsti
llr ecoveringf rom hi sope ration,Wa llyfindshi ms el
fwi t
h
nobo dybe l
iev i
ngi nhi ma ndno bodyt ot rai
nhi m.
•Br ocks te
psupa ndo ff
erst oputt heirdi ff
erence sasidef ort heg o
odo f
thefa mil
ya ndt rainWa l
lyf orthef i
ght .
•Int hec li
ma xoft hes eries,Wa l
lygo es8r o
undswi tht hebe ast
… but
severelyinjuresligame ntsinhi sleg,hes howsi mme nsec har acterby
continuinga nda ltho ughhec omfo rt
a blyloseso npo ints… hema yno t
havewo nthet itl
ebutf orthef irstti
mei ny earsWa ll
ywi nst hena t
ion’
s
respectanda dmi r
a ti
o n.
=ONT
HEROPE
S=======F
urt
herSer
ies====
•Af tertheKo stovfight,Wa ll
y’sunabletowa l
kpr operlyf or
t
t
hene
inuet
xt4mo
oc ompe
nt
t
hs
e
… wo
,soe nt
r
er
ri
e
st
da bo
hewo
uthi
rldo
sag
fWhe
e,hewa
e l
cha
nt
i
st
rbo
oc
xi
o
ng Ser
n-
. ies3
•Af ilmc ompa nya ppro acheshimt oma k eaf i
lma bouthi s
life,starri
ngawe l
l-kno wna c
torpo rt
rayingWa ll
ywhot he
re alWa l
lycl
a sheswi th.S onny,now12,ha se xpresse da
de siretobeco mea na ctorr at
herthanaf ight era ndg e t
sc as t
topo rt
r a
yy oungWa ll
y.
•Af tertwoda y soff i
lmi ng,disast
erstri
ke sa sthedi rector
die s–l eavi
ngt hepr o ductioninjeopardy. Thequi ckly
br oughti nrepl aceme nta dmitsheha sli
ttlekno wl e
d geo f
bo xings othes tudiohe sitantl
ya cce
ptsWa ll
y’spl eat oco -
dire ctthefil
m,l e
adingt oma nyc omplic
a tionst hrougho ut .
•S o nnypl aysWa l
lydur ingf l
ashbacks c
e ne s
,i ncludingwhe naWa l
lyfirs
tme et
sayoungMe rc
edes
.Sonnyfa
llsfo
rtheac
tres
s
play i
ngt hescho o l
girlver s
iono fhisMo the r(Ano ddOe di pus-ysi
tuati
o n)andhisFat
herhel
pshisSonwinherheart
.
•Wa ll
yma ke spe acewi tht hefil
mc reat
o rsa nda tt
endst hepr emie
re.Thef i
lmisfai
reronhimthanhisegoa
llowedhimto
thinki twa s.
Ite ndso nt her ecentKo s
tovf i
ghtheha d,whe rehewe ntthedist
ancebutult
imat
elyf
ail
edtowinthetit
le
.
Re -seeinghowc losehewa ssparksthedr eamt hathec anne verle
tg o… hes t
il
lwantstohol
dthegol
do nemoretime.

•I no rde rtol osehi sprimado nnas ensit

ivity ,heo ncea gains e
e ks

Ser
ies4
outt heo lds cho oltrainingo fPa t
,whoe nc our ageshi mt og oba ck
tot hegr itt
yst rippeddo wnba sicsofbo xing . Thisseeshi mj oina
FightCl ub- esqueunde r
wo r
ldo fbrawling .
•Wa llywi nss uccessivef i
ghtsandbui l
dsmo me ntum,a i
mi ngto
ge to nef inals ho tatthet it
lethatiscurrent lyhe l
db yAme rican
fi
ght e rBo bCa ndy .
•Be foreWa l
lyg et
shi ssho t
,theBul garianbe a
stKo stovwi nshis
appe alisa ll
owe do uto fpr i
son. Havi
ngr elinqui shedt heti
tle,
Ko stovt a kesitba c
kwi t
he asea shema k esl ightwo rko fCa ndy.He
the nt ur nshisa tt
entiont oWa l
ly,whoha dbe ent auntingKo s
tov
andma kingfuno fhi mi ntheme di
awhi l
s thewa sincarcerated.
Hewa nt stogi v eWa l
lyo nelasttit
leshot–o nt hec onditi
ont hat
‘whe nhel oses,her eti
res’iswr it
tenintot hec ontract.
•Wi tht hef i
ghtbe inghe ldinKo s
tov’
sho me to
wn,Wa ll
ytr ai
nsi n
Bul ga ri
a nmo unt ainoust errai
nswi ththehe lpo fBr ockandP at
.
•Thec l
imaxo fse
ries4showsthroughwill,skilla
ndahe llo fal o to fgo odf ortune ,Wa l
lybe at
sKo sto va ndf inallywinst he
Championshi
pbe l
to ncemore
.Alt
ho ughhedo e
s n’
tneedto–hedo e sinde edde c i
det oreti
r eaft
erful fil
lingt hedr eamo f
havi
nghisSons e
ehi m wi
nthebelt
. Thela
stsho toftheseri
e ss ho wsabe atenWa ll
yba c
kho me,ablet oputane wspape rcut
outofhisrec
entti
tlewinni
ngpo s
eo nhisfrid
g e,ri
ghtnexttot hepi cturehi sSo ndr ewo fhi minas imi larstanc eforhi s
homewor k(f
romE piso
de1).

•Wa llyr ealisesr etir

e me nti sal o nel
ypl ace.Hef e
elsfrus
tra
tedthathespents
oma nyye
arsstr
ivi
ngtowi nthebe
lta
gain…
andy e tthemo me ntwa ss of leeting.Me anwhi le,Me rcedesandBrockgetmarri
ed,wi
thWa l
ly’
sbles
sing
.
•Wa llyi sno wt ryinghi sha nda tme diagigs,no newhi chheexcel
sa ta
ndunsurpri
si
ngl
yhec aus
esas oc
ialmedi
asti
r
comme ntatingo nwo me n’sbo xing .
•Af t
erhi sc omme ntsg ov i
ra lheg et
sc hal
leng edb y

Ser
ies5
fema lebo x erAl iciaRa yt oc o meo uto fret
ireme ntand
fi
ghthe ri nac ha rit
yma t
c h.(Al aBi l
li
eJ e
anKi ng/Bo bby
Riggst enni sma tch)Hea gr e
e s,buta fterafewr un-insin
thebui ldupt ot hef i
ghta ndg etti
ngt okno whi soppo -
nental itt
lemo r e,hebe ginst of alli
nl ovewi thhe r.As
thef i
ghta ppr oa chesWa l
lyc o nfesseshedo esn’tha veit
inhi mt olayo neg l
ov eo nhe r-s or espect
fullys te
ps
awa yf romt hec hallenge .
•Wa llye vent ua ll
ywi nst hea f f
ec t
iono fAliciaa ndthey
begint oda t
e .Het henbe co me she rma nagera ndhe lps
hero nhe rj our ne ytot het op .
•Thec li
ma xo ft hes erieswi llbehi m helpinghi s
fiancéewi nt hebe lt–a ndr ea li
singitwa sn’ttheg oldhe
nee dedt oho l
dt ofe e
lc o mpl ete,itwa she r
.