Cannes: Salty Pictures Sets Martial Arts Drama ‘8 Limbed Dragon,’ Starring UFC Fighter Jingliang Li (Exclusive) (2025)

Hong Kong-based boutique studio Salty Pictures has revealed its next feature project, 8 Limbed Dragon, a martial arts action drama starring Chinese UFC fighter Jingliang “The Leech” Li in his acting debut. The project was unveiled Friday at the Cannes market, where The Leech is currently attending the 78th edition of the festival.

Inspired by Gao Tixia’s non-fiction novella Sheng Si Quan Dou and elements of Li’s own life story, 8 Limbed Dragon follows a Chinese sanda kickboxer who travels to Bangkok in search of a deeper mastery of martial arts. There, he comes under the tutelage of “Old Dragon,” a former Muay Thai champion with only one eye — a loss the aged fighter counts as the natural cost of winning. The film’s title references the eight “limbs,” or striking points, of Muay Thai — two fists, feet, knees, and elbows — regarded as the discipline’s signature.

Production is slated to begin later this year in Thailand, with Cod Satrusayang (producer of A Useful Ghost, showing in Cannes’ Critics’ Week section this year) and Desmond O’Neill (Cave Rescue) attached to co-produce.

Li, who was born in Xinjiang and transitioned from wrestling to sanda before rising to prominence in mixed martial arts, became a global name in 2014 when he knocked out David Michaud in his UFC debut. In a statement from Cannes, he framed the film as an extension of his fighting journey. “Having enjoyed both wins and losses throughout my career, I have a sense that my experience isn’t unique to me,” he said. “Anyone who has struggled and strived for their goals or their family are all like me. Through this film, I hope that people will find a connection to their heart and be able to walk more steadily along the path of life.”

Salty Pictures is led by Jonah Greenberg, former head of CAA China. In backing 8 Limbed Dragon, the studio aims to merge authentic MMA culture with dramatic storytelling. “8 Limbed Dragon is an engaging, action-packed ode to the roots of MMA, with The Leech bringing both authenticity through his own personal journey and experiences as a fighter to his big screen debut,” Greenberg explains. “A film with both human drama and a celebration of this exquisite form of martial art – we’re confident 8 Limbed Dragon will be a memorable debut.”