Who uses music to help the former MMA fighter?
Former Division I collegiate wrestler Scott Voss is a 42-year-old bored and disillusioned biology teacher at the failing Wilkinson High School.  Budget cutbacks at the school jeopardize the continuation of its music program, which would result in its teacher, Marty Streb, being laid off.  Concerned for both his colleague and his students, Scott attempts to raise the $48,000 necessary to keep the music program alive.  He moonlights as a night instructor for an adult citizenship class, where student Niko asks him for outside tutoring.  When Scott arrives at Niko's apartment, he learns that Niko was a former mixed martial arts fighter.  While watching the UFC at Niko's apartment, Scott learns that the loser of a fight receives $10,000, which gives him the idea of raising the money by fighting and losing in MMA.
Scott, helped by Niko and Marty, begins with small unsanctioned bouts paying only $750 to the loser.  Niko begins training him in defense, later adding trainer Mark to teach offense, after Scott knocks out an opponent and realizes that wins give larger payouts, needing fewer fights to achieve his $48,000 goal. While Mark trains with Scott, Malia De La Cruz, one of Scott's students and a band member, helps Niko study for his citizenship test by putting the information into songs. Scott then begins fighting in small MMA fights and gradually gaining higher amounts of money for the school.
Malia De La Cruz