The CW to Develop Female-Led MMA Drama

By Joe Otterson

LOS ANGELES (Variety.com) – The CW is getting into the mixed martial arts ring.

Variety has learned that the broadcaster is developing a one-hour drama about a young woman who begins training in MMA. Titled “American Fighter,” the series follows JoJo Raines, who has a dead end life in a dead end town, hanging out with her friends because there’s nothing else to do and venting her frustrations with her fists in fights of her own making.

That is until she gets into it with the wrong people and is assigned community service at the veteran’s rehabilitation hospital. There she meets a wounded vet who teaches her how to hone her aggression in the form of MMA fighting. Through her training, she begins to find a sense of purpose and even a possible future, as long as the rest of the problems in her life, and her own self-destructive behavior, don’t take her down first.

Tory Walker will write the script. Jeffrey Kramer of Juniper Place will executive produce with Elliot Webb also executive producing. CBS Television Studios, where Juniper Place is set up under an overall deal, will produce.

Walker previously wrote for the USA series “Psych” and also wrote the teleplay for the Lifetime movie “I Am Elizabeth Smart.” She is repped by Literate.

Kramer previously produced shows such as “Ally McBeal,” “The Practice,” and “Chicago Hope,” while Webb has produced the shows “Mob City” and “Alpha House.”