The film stars Jean-Claude Van Damme, with a supporting cast of Leah Ayres, Forest Whitaker, Donald Gibb, Roy Chiao, and Bolo Yeung.

The film centers on Frank Dux (Van Damme), a United States Army Captain and ninjutsu practitioner who competes in an underground full-contact martial arts tournament called the Kumite in Hong Kong.

After arriving in Hong Kong, Dux befriends American Vale Tudo fighter Ray Jackson and their guide Victor Lin.

When they arrive at the Kumite arena, the officials are skeptical but eventually accept them after Dux proves his connection to the Tanaka clan by performing the Dim Mak death touch.

On the first day of the tournament, Dux earns the enmity of the ruthless Kumite champion Chong Li after breaking his record for the fastest knockout.

Initially frustrated by his inability to see, Dux clears his mind and recalls his training from Tanaka, who taught him to fight blindfolded, overcoming the handicap and defeating Li by making him utter the phrase "matté".

There was one guy who he introduced me to, named Richard Bender, who claimed to have actually been at the Kumite event and who swore everything Frank told me was true.

[10]On casting the lead role, producer Mark DiSalle said, "I wanted a new martial arts star who was a ladies' man.

[11] Promotional materials indicated that the Kumite which Frank Dux won in 1975 was held in the Bahamas, but producers opted to set the story in Hong Kong because the city was "exciting and not over-exposed" in American films.

[12] Other locations included The Peninsula Hotel, Causeway Bay, Hong Kong Trail, Victoria Peak, and Stanley Fort.

[citation needed] The film plays the song "Steal the Night" by Michael Bishop during a scene where Dux runs from Helmer and Rawlins.

[17] On June 26, 2007, Perseverance Records released a limited-edition CD of the soundtrack including, for the first time, the original film versions of the Stan Bush songs.

[4] Leonard Klady of the Los Angeles Times wrote, "Hacking through the jungle of cliche and reservoir of bad acting in Bloodsport [...] are some pretty exciting matches.

The site's consensus reads: "This is where it all began for the Muscles from Brussels, but beyond Van Damme's athleticism, Bloodsport is a clichéd, virtually plotless exercise in action movie recycling.

[9] According to Jean-Claude Van Damme, the film "helped give the martial arts genre a boost but also foretold certain things like the Ultimate Fighting Championship and the idea of pitting different styles against each other.

"[33] Retired professional mixed martial artist and kickboxer Mirko Cro Cop, inspired by Van Damme's performance in the film, began training in his parents' garage with his father's boxing equipment and weights.

[34] Bloodsport was an inspiration for the video game Mortal Kombat,[35] and Johnny Cage, one of the characters, is a parody of Jean-Claude Van Damme.

[37] In 2024, Capelight Pictures released The Last Kumite, a crowd-funded film "inspired by the likes of Bloodsport, Kickboxer and No Retreat No Surrender".