https://www.scmp.com/rss/500890/feed en https://assets.i-scmp.com/static/img/icons/scmp-meta-1200x630.png https://www.scmp.com Cat Nelson Cat Nelson Last weekend, I was riding the tram (I know – a dead giveaway that I’m new here and have a kid under five) when I noticed some old lettering on a building I’ve passed dozens of times. It was the name of a stamp company that occupied the space decades ago. There’s a lot of that in Hong Kong: traces of the past that fade into the background, until something makes you look again. In a way, this issue’s cover story picks up where last week’s feature on Hong Kong’s tiles left off. Both explore the... https://www.scmp.com/postmag/culture/article/3315180/week-postmag-art-deco-hong-kong-meditative-martial-arts-and-street-dance?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/postmag/culture/article/3315180/week-postmag-art-deco-hong-kong-meditative-martial-arts-and-street-dance?utm_source=rss_feed Sat, 21 Jun 2025 05:00:08 +0000 The name Emily Chong would not have been familiar to many people before her impressive win at ONE Friday Fights 80 last week. The teenager from Hong Kong beat Koko Ohara by decision at Lumpinee Stadium and says the win in her first fight was the culmination of a journey that began six years ago. Chong, who is a student at the University of Hong Kong, told the Post after the fight that she was now a professional Muay Thai fighter competing at the top level but that training started out as a... https://www.scmp.com/sport/martial-arts/muay-thai/article/3279633/one-championship-hong-kongs-emily-chong-has-impressive-debut-win-against-japanese-rival?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/sport/martial-arts/muay-thai/article/3279633/one-championship-hong-kongs-emily-chong-has-impressive-debut-win-against-japanese-rival?utm_source=rss_feed Mon, 23 Sep 2024 09:49:27 +0000 I was born in 1976, in Rio de Janeiro, and grew up in Leblon, a small neighbourhood where everyone knew each other. My mum worked for the government and my dad worked at the marina, which was run by the state. My brother, who is 11 years older than me, and my younger sister lived with us at home. I have many half siblings from my father’s previous relationships. We lived two or three blocks from the beach, and I spent a lot of time playing outside on the street and surfing. I was very sporty; I... https://www.scmp.com/magazines/post-magazine/long-reads/article/3262139/brazilian-jiu-jitsu-gym-owner-kiko-cacella-life-rio-his-short-mma-career-and-hong-kong-success?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/magazines/post-magazine/long-reads/article/3262139/brazilian-jiu-jitsu-gym-owner-kiko-cacella-life-rio-his-short-mma-career-and-hong-kong-success?utm_source=rss_feed Sun, 12 May 2024 23:15:12 +0000 Before discovering the power of exercise, Michelle Sum had many sleepless nights. She often suffered from insomnia, and taking a melatonin supplement – commonly used to help regulate sleep – did not help. But since she took up trail running, Muay Thai and Brazilian jiu-jitsu, Sum has been able to sleep the whole night through, without interruption. “Before sports, my sleep was often broken. I would spend nights awake with anxiety and insomnia,” says Sum, who lives in Hong Kong. “But going from... https://www.scmp.com/lifestyle/health-wellness/article/3259566/trouble-sleeping-more-exercise-could-be-answer-study-suggests-martial-artist-and-runner-attests-its?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/lifestyle/health-wellness/article/3259566/trouble-sleeping-more-exercise-could-be-answer-study-suggests-martial-artist-and-runner-attests-its?utm_source=rss_feed Fri, 19 Apr 2024 20:15:08 +0000 Sean Stolarczyk’s mixed martial arts journey started at the age of five in Iwakuni, Japan. The American was stationed overseas with his father, who was in the military, and the rest of his family. Since then, he has accumulated an impressive resume when it comes to martial arts. He competed in karate for both the junior and national team, and represented the US at the 2004 Pan American Games. He’s branched out over the years and competed in a number of disciplines: wrestling, judo, Brazilian... https://www.scmp.com/sport/martial-arts/mixed-martial-arts/article/3131089/hong-kong-mma-coach-sean-stolarczyk-teaches?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/sport/martial-arts/mixed-martial-arts/article/3131089/hong-kong-mma-coach-sean-stolarczyk-teaches?utm_source=rss_feed Tue, 27 Apr 2021 00:00:10 +0000 Asian-American directors don’t usually make martial arts films, which is why The Paper Tigers, directed by Vietnamese-American filmmaker Tran Quoc Bao, comes as a pleasant surprise. Set in modern-day Seattle, the film blends themes from classic Hong Kong martial arts films with American martial arts culture. The story follows three ageing martial artists (played by Ron Yuan, Alain Uy and Mykel Shannon Jenkins) as they try to find their former master’s killer while struggling with the everyday... https://www.scmp.com/lifestyle/entertainment/article/3105781/kid-tran-quoc-bao-made-backyard-jackie-chan-videos-corey?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/lifestyle/entertainment/article/3105781/kid-tran-quoc-bao-made-backyard-jackie-chan-videos-corey?utm_source=rss_feed Sat, 17 Oct 2020 21:15:12 +0000 Legendary Hong Kong martial artist Bruce Lee is credited with many things. He remains a movie star hero thanks to films like Fist of Fury and Enter the Dragon. The wisdom of his sayings and his book Tao of Jeet Kune Do have seen him labelled a philosopher. His yellow and black tracksuit from Game of Death remains an iconic fashion piece that has inspired looks from Quentin Tarantino’s Kill Bill to Onitsuka trainers (and even a local restaurant speciality). And of course, he is heralded as a... https://www.scmp.com/magazines/style/celebrity/article/3102595/why-bruce-lee-might-really-be-father-mma-ufc-president?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/magazines/style/celebrity/article/3102595/why-bruce-lee-might-really-be-father-mma-ufc-president?utm_source=rss_feed Wed, 23 Sep 2020 01:00:24 +0000 https://www.scmp.com/sport/series/3099895/martial-arts-hong-kong?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/sport/series/3099895/martial-arts-hong-kong?utm_source=rss_feed Tue, 08 Sep 2020 06:21:29 +0000 The South China Morning Post has discovered that modern mixed martial arts was being practised on the streets (and more often the rooftops) of Hong Kong long before Rorion Gracie, Art Davie and John Milius’ brainwave to organise a formal competition among practitioners of various disciplines and call it The Ultimate Fighting Championship. A group, consisting of sports administrators, martial arts teachers and local law enforcement, had the idea to mix the disciplines in crowd-drawing contests,... https://www.scmp.com/sport/martial-arts/article/3088741/how-bruce-lee-and-street-fighting-hong-kong-helped-create-mma?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/sport/martial-arts/article/3088741/how-bruce-lee-and-street-fighting-hong-kong-helped-create-mma?utm_source=rss_feed Fri, 12 Jun 2020 04:46:53 +0000 Memories of the life and times of Bruce Lee will be rekindled for the martial arts master’s legions of fans this Sunday (US time), and his full story will be introduced to a whole new generation, with the screening of the documentary Be Water as part of ESPN’s 30 for 30 series. UFC boss Dana White will be among those with eyes fixed to a screen. “There is a mystery that surrounds Bruce Lee and I think that he has almost become like this superhero to people,” said White, while shooting a video to... https://www.scmp.com/sport/martial-arts/mixed-martial-arts/article/3087888/espns-bruce-lee-30-30-be-water-returns?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/sport/martial-arts/mixed-martial-arts/article/3087888/espns-bruce-lee-30-30-be-water-returns?utm_source=rss_feed Sun, 07 Jun 2020 03:10:26 +0000 Conor McGregor, Khabib Nurmagomedov, and Jon Jones are three of the top pound-for-pound athletes competing in mixed martial arts today. The pound-for-pound concept means ranking fighters according to talent, potential, accomplishments, recent level of competition, and victories. Pound-for-pound lists tend to create arguments, and this ranking will be no different. Conor McGregor is the first name on the list at No.15. The Irishman has only won one fight since 2016, but his level of competition... https://www.scmp.com/magazines/style/news-trends/article/3075938/how-do-ufc-stars-conor-mcgregor-khabib-nurmagomedov-and?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/magazines/style/news-trends/article/3075938/how-do-ufc-stars-conor-mcgregor-khabib-nurmagomedov-and?utm_source=rss_feed Thu, 19 Mar 2020 22:00:20 +0000 Hong Kong has a new Brazilian jiu-jitsu (BJJ) black belt to celebrate after Shaun Kiatvongcharoen was proudly promoted in Beaverton, Oregon. The 25-year-old Hong Kong-raised, Impact Jiu Jitsu-trained grappler did not leave much doubt in the mind of his professor, having dominated the Oregon Championship in November last year – earning two gold medals each in the gi and no-gi brown belt and elite categories, respectively. Called “Hong Kong Shaun” by Oregonians, he had nine matches – snatching... https://www.scmp.com/sport/hong-kong/article/3064770/hong-kong-shaun-kiatvongcharoen-promoted-brazilian-jiu-jitsu-black?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/sport/hong-kong/article/3064770/hong-kong-shaun-kiatvongcharoen-promoted-brazilian-jiu-jitsu-black?utm_source=rss_feed Wed, 04 Mar 2020 02:00:10 +0000 Ip Man star Donnie Yen Ji-dan will donate HK$1 million to medical staff working on the frontline in the fight to eliminate the coronavirus. And he believes China will win the battle. Yen has been in the news lately with his finale of the Ip Man franchise bringing the curtain down on a highly successful series. His latest movie release, Enter the Fat Dragon, has also received positive reviews, giving him a solid foothold in the martial arts movie industry this year. The 56-year-old Hong Kong... https://www.scmp.com/sport/martial-arts/article/3051414/china-will-win-coronavirus-battle-ip-man-star-donnie-yen-donates?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/sport/martial-arts/article/3051414/china-will-win-coronavirus-battle-ip-man-star-donnie-yen-donates?utm_source=rss_feed Wed, 19 Feb 2020 09:50:54 +0000 As Conor McGregor prepares for his comeback fight against Donald “Cowboy” Cerrone, it’s safe to assume this isn’t exactly the fight everyone was waiting for when it comes to “The Notorious”. Cerrone feels like a place holder, a prequel, a warm-up, as McGregor could then go a number of ways (if he wins), most probably towards Jorge Masvidal and his ‘BMF’ belt or a title shot against Khabib Nurmagomedov or Tony Ferguson for the UFC lightweight crown. With visions of “what if” fights in mind, let’s... https://www.scmp.com/sport/martial-arts/mixed-martial-arts/article/3044835/bruce-lee-vs-conor-mcgregor-imagining-mma?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/sport/martial-arts/mixed-martial-arts/article/3044835/bruce-lee-vs-conor-mcgregor-imagining-mma?utm_source=rss_feed Mon, 06 Jan 2020 09:21:14 +0000 Win one Hong Kong Muay Thai championship, good on you, but it could have been a fluke. Win and defend it once, and certainly a few more heads will turn. Win three consecutive championships in as many years, however, and you finally gain the unwavering respect of the regional Thai kick-boxing scene. “You can win it, defend it twice, but you can't hold the belt hostage. It's at most three times,” explained Michael Dacuno, the three-time Hong Kong 54kg champion who did exactly that. According to... https://www.scmp.com/sport/martial-arts/mixed-martial-arts/article/3040171/hong-kong-muay-thai-champion-michael-dacuno?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/sport/martial-arts/mixed-martial-arts/article/3040171/hong-kong-muay-thai-champion-michael-dacuno?utm_source=rss_feed Mon, 02 Dec 2019 04:25:59 +0000 Bruce Lee is fondly considered the “godfather of mixed martial arts”. And a recently unearthed, rare phone call helps show just why he was so ahead of his time. Speaking to his friend and martial arts student Dan Lee, around the time he was looking to leave Hollywood for Hong Kong after growing frustrated with his lack of opportunities in the US, Lee outlined some of his major philosophies on the effectiveness – or lack thereof – of traditional martial arts. “You saw the tai chi, the self... https://www.scmp.com/sport/martial-arts/kung-fu/article/3038740/bruce-lees-disgust-fake-martial-arts-cowards-revealed?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/sport/martial-arts/kung-fu/article/3038740/bruce-lees-disgust-fake-martial-arts-cowards-revealed?utm_source=rss_feed Thu, 21 Nov 2019 06:40:11 +0000 Blood. Sweat. Tears. Over the past two years, Ramona Pascual has had enough to last a lifetime. Come Friday, though, and Pascual finally gets to step back inside the cage and do what she loves most. She gets to fight. “After all I have been through, it really feels like the biggest moment of my career,” says the 31-year-old. “There were so many hard times, thinking it was all over and I would never fight again. In some ways for me just getting in there is a victory. But you know I am still... https://www.scmp.com/sport/martial-arts/mixed-martial-arts/article/3037656/hong-kongs-ufc-academy-star-ramona-pascual?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/sport/martial-arts/mixed-martial-arts/article/3037656/hong-kongs-ufc-academy-star-ramona-pascual?utm_source=rss_feed Thu, 14 Nov 2019 04:16:54 +0000 While Bruce Lee’s daughter, Shannon Lee, has called the depiction of her father in Quentin Tarantino’s Once Upon a Time in Hollywood a “mockery”, there was indeed a real life “Cliff Booth” who clashed with him on the set of The Green Hornet in 1966. Tarantino has had to defend himself from criticism over a scene in his latest film, where Brad Pitt’s tough stuntman character gets the better of Lee, played by Mike Moh, in a fight in front of watching extras and crew members as they wait around on... https://www.scmp.com/sport/martial-arts/kung-fu/article/3022773/could-gene-lebell-beat-bruce-lee-meet-real-life-cliff?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/sport/martial-arts/kung-fu/article/3022773/could-gene-lebell-beat-bruce-lee-meet-real-life-cliff?utm_source=rss_feed Thu, 15 Aug 2019 01:00:10 +0000 Dan Inosanto, the man who helped Bruce Lee introduce the world to “nunchucks” and starred with the late martial arts superstar in Game of Death, weighed in on the Once Upon a Time in Hollywood scene debate involving his former training partner and great friend. A few days after Bruce Lee’s daughter, Shannon, lambasted acclaimed writer/director Quentin Tarantino for his portrayal of her late father in the Hollywood blockbuster, Inosanto joined in on the debate on the controversial scene that has... https://www.scmp.com/sport/martial-arts/kung-fu/article/3021137/bruce-lee-adored-muhammad-ali-and-would-never-show-set?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/sport/martial-arts/kung-fu/article/3021137/bruce-lee-adored-muhammad-ali-and-would-never-show-set?utm_source=rss_feed Fri, 02 Aug 2019 06:01:20 +0000 In Dragon: The Bruce Lee Story, there’s a scene where Bruce Lee, played by Jason Scott Lee, is watching a movie in a cinema with his future wife, Linda Emery, and Lee is squirming in his seat as laughter bellows around him. Lee and Emery are watching Breakfast at Tiffany’s and the late Mickey Rooney is playing a clumsy Asian whose exaggerated Japanese accent, false teeth and mannerisms leaves the future martial arts superstar upset at Rooney’s stereotypical depiction of a Japanese man. The... https://www.scmp.com/sport/martial-arts/kung-fu/article/3020886/how-once-upon-time-hollywood-should-have-ended-bruce-lee?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/sport/martial-arts/kung-fu/article/3020886/how-once-upon-time-hollywood-should-have-ended-bruce-lee?utm_source=rss_feed Fri, 02 Aug 2019 00:00:15 +0000 Bruce Lee’s daughter has hit out at Quentin Tarantino’s portrayal of her father in Once Upon a Time in Hollywood, saying he comes across as an “arrogant a******”. Tarantino’s latest film (be warned, spoilers lie ahead) sees Brad Pitt’s rugged stuntman character Cliff Booth get the better of Lee, played by Mike Moh, in a best-of-three-rounds fight on the set of television show The Green Hornet. Lee knocks Booth down in the first “round”, but Booth slams him into a car door in the second round.... https://www.scmp.com/sport/martial-arts/kung-fu/article/3020578/bruce-lees-legacy-flushed-down-toilet-quentin-tarantino?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/sport/martial-arts/kung-fu/article/3020578/bruce-lees-legacy-flushed-down-toilet-quentin-tarantino?utm_source=rss_feed Tue, 30 Jul 2019 03:27:03 +0000 Quentin Tarantino’s Once Upon a Time in Hollywood has been earning rave reviews, but some are annoyed by the film’s representation of martial arts legend Bruce Lee – and it’s understandable why. Lee, played by Mike Moh, steals the show with a memorable cameo, and it’s probably wise to say up front that spoilers lie ahead, if you’ve yet to make the trip to the cinema. Anyway, Lee gets into a fight with Brad Pitt’s Cliff Booth – the two actors are actually standing there and trading, not stuntmen... https://www.scmp.com/sport/martial-arts/kung-fu/article/3020348/why-quentin-tarantinos-use-bruce-lee-once-upon-time?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/sport/martial-arts/kung-fu/article/3020348/why-quentin-tarantinos-use-bruce-lee-once-upon-time?utm_source=rss_feed Sat, 27 Jul 2019 09:38:55 +0000 Stepping into Bruce Lee’s shoes on the silver screen is a daunting challenge – and the latest actor to do it has given some fascinating insight on the responsibilities that come with portraying such an Asian icon. Mike Moh plays Lee in Once Upon a Time in ... Hollywood, the latest opus from maverick filmmaker Quentin Tarantino, which has opened to rave reviews this week. The film features an all-star cast including Brad Pitt, Leonardo DiCaprio and Margot Robbie – but it is fifth degree taekwondo... https://www.scmp.com/sport/martial-arts/kung-fu/article/3020223/mike-moh-bruce-lee-and-pressure-playing-asian-icon-once?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/sport/martial-arts/kung-fu/article/3020223/mike-moh-bruce-lee-and-pressure-playing-asian-icon-once?utm_source=rss_feed Fri, 26 Jul 2019 07:50:13 +0000 The posters for Quentin Tarantino’s Once Upon A Time in Hollywood feature Leonardo DiCaprio, Brad Pitt and Margot Robbie. All we want to know about is Bruce Lee. The Oscar-winning American director’s latest opus hits big screens around the world today – from Hollywood to Hong Kong – and the fact it stars some of the film world’s biggest names has amped up the buzz. As has the fact that Tarantino has included a cameo from Hong Kong’s Little Dragon (as played by Mike Moh), who was flitting around... https://www.scmp.com/sport/martial-arts/kung-fu/article/3019984/once-upon-time-hollywood-bruce-lees-impact-thrust-back?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/sport/martial-arts/kung-fu/article/3019984/once-upon-time-hollywood-bruce-lees-impact-thrust-back?utm_source=rss_feed Thu, 25 Jul 2019 00:00:13 +0000 Bruce Lee is known as the “Godfather of MMA” but he was also a pioneer when it came to his training regime and diet – which included drinking a blend of raw hamburger meat. Biographer Matthew Polly’s Bruce Lee: A Life, which was released in paperback last month, details how Lee was the first martial artist to train like a modern athlete. The Enter The Dragon star reaped the benefits of strength and conditioning training 50 years ago, long before it became a habit of professional sports stars to... https://www.scmp.com/sport/martial-arts/kung-fu/article/3015409/bruce-lees-fitness-regime-and-diet-made-him-pioneer?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/sport/martial-arts/kung-fu/article/3015409/bruce-lees-fitness-regime-and-diet-made-him-pioneer?utm_source=rss_feed Thu, 20 Jun 2019 11:33:51 +0000 Sasha Palatnikov has said he wants to inspire a new generation of fighters in Hong Kong after making history for the city by winning the Angel’s Fighting Championship middleweight title. The 30-year-old became the first Hong Kong-born fighter to win a world title, securing a unanimous decision over Son Sung-won in Seoul on Monday night. “Man, winning this world title was the best feeling ever,” he told the Post. “You have to understand that I have been planning for this exact moment for the last... https://www.scmp.com/sport/mixed-martial-arts/article/3014082/now-world-champion-sasha-palatnikov-wants-make-more?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/sport/mixed-martial-arts/article/3014082/now-world-champion-sasha-palatnikov-wants-make-more?utm_source=rss_feed Wed, 12 Jun 2019 00:00:26 +0000 Sasha Palatnikov ground out a tough victory against South Korea’s Son Sung-won in Seoul on Monday night to make history as the first Hong Kong-born MMA world champion. The 30-year-old fighter, who trains out of the Hybrid MMA gym, took a unanimous decision against his taller, heavier opponent to become Angel’s Fighting Championship’s inaugural middleweight champion. The victory at Sindorim Techno Mart Grand Ballroom took Palatnikov’s record in MMA to 4-1. He has also previously fought in Hong... https://www.scmp.com/sport/mixed-martial-arts/article/3013913/sasha-palatnikov-makes-history-hong-kongs-first-mma-world?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/sport/mixed-martial-arts/article/3013913/sasha-palatnikov-makes-history-hong-kongs-first-mma-world?utm_source=rss_feed Mon, 10 Jun 2019 13:34:12 +0000 Shannon Lee, daughter of martial arts superstar Bruce Lee, has criticised Quentin Tarantino for not consulting her about using her father in his new film. Asian-American actor Mike Moh plays the Hong Kong fighting legend in Tarantino’s Once Upon a Time in Hollywood, which is set for release in August. But Shannon Lee, who in charge of her father’s estate, says the Pulp Fiction and Reservoir Dogs filmmaker didn’t consult her or reach out to her about the character. “With Tarantino’s film, to not... https://www.scmp.com/sport/mixed-martial-arts/article/3013667/bruce-lees-daughter-upset-quentin-tarantino-didnt-consult?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/sport/mixed-martial-arts/article/3013667/bruce-lees-daughter-upset-quentin-tarantino-didnt-consult?utm_source=rss_feed Sat, 08 Jun 2019 06:16:39 +0000 Hong Kong-born MMA prodigy Sasha Palatnikov will be fighting for his first world title next week when he takes on South Korea’s Son Sung-won in Seoul at Angel’s Fighting Championship. He has arguably already come through the biggest fight of his life, though. The 30-year-old has compiled a 3-1 record in MMA since turning professional in 2017, having started out as an amateur a decade ago. But in the eyes of many, there is still an asterisk next to his name. “With my career, with MMA, it’s a... https://www.scmp.com/sport/mixed-martial-arts/article/3013658/mma-prodigy-sasha-palatnikov-fighting-become-hong-kongs?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/sport/mixed-martial-arts/article/3013658/mma-prodigy-sasha-palatnikov-fighting-become-hong-kongs?utm_source=rss_feed Sat, 08 Jun 2019 02:40:30 +0000 A watch once owned by martial arts legend Bruce Lee has been sold for HK$225,000 (US$28,700) at an auction held in Hong Kong – far exceeding its expected asking price. Pieces of Bruce Lee memorabilia are usually hot items and the Universal Genève Polerouter timepiece (circa 1950s) was described as a “very rare and historically interesting yellow gold-plated stainless steel wristwatch with sweep centre seconds”. It was sold to an unidentified buyer as item 860 of 82 lots during the Phillips &... https://www.scmp.com/sport/mixed-martial-arts/article/3012068/martial-arts-superstar-bruce-lees-watch-sells-huge-price?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/sport/mixed-martial-arts/article/3012068/martial-arts-superstar-bruce-lees-watch-sells-huge-price?utm_source=rss_feed Tue, 28 May 2019 04:02:30 +0000 Bruce Lee’s philosophy and his incredible martial arts are well documented, but what was Hong Kong’s most famous son like as a person? We all know Bruce Lee had a larger-than-life personality and his dynamic charisma complemented his unbelievable athleticism and breathtaking martial arts skills. But how about his character to those closest to him? Daughter Shannon Lee only knew her father for four years before his untimely death on July 20, 1973 but the executive producer of the HBO TV series,... https://www.scmp.com/sport/mixed-martial-arts/article/3011811/bruce-lee-genuinely-cared-about-people-around-him-and-was?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/sport/mixed-martial-arts/article/3011811/bruce-lee-genuinely-cared-about-people-around-him-and-was?utm_source=rss_feed Sat, 25 May 2019 12:44:59 +0000 Hong Kong’s reputation as the centre of the martial arts world was arrived upon mostly thanks to the exploits of its stars on the big screen as, firstly, Bruce Lee, Jackie Chan and Sammo Hung Kam-bo and then Jet Li Lianjie, Donnie Yen Tze-dan and others tore their opponents – and sometimes even each other – apart. But cinema is fiction whereas history itself is built on fact. Though their names might remain unknown to most outside martial arts communities, Hong Kong has produced and played host... https://www.scmp.com/sport/mixed-martial-arts/article/3011553/hong-kong-hard-knocks-fearsome-fighters-who-defined-era?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/sport/mixed-martial-arts/article/3011553/hong-kong-hard-knocks-fearsome-fighters-who-defined-era?utm_source=rss_feed Fri, 24 May 2019 00:00:11 +0000 A long-forgotten Hong Kong fight club has emerged from the shadows of history to lay a claim to being one of the inspirations behind the global renaissance of martial arts. “I guess you could say we were a forerunner,” said James Elms, a now-retired policeman who was one of those behind Hong Kong’s Full Contact Boxing promotion in the early 1980s. “You now see martial arts being taught in gyms everywhere and mixed martial arts especially seems to have captured the world’s attention and that’s... https://www.scmp.com/sport/mixed-martial-arts/article/3011476/how-martial-arts-death-led-hong-kongs-long-lost-fight-club?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/sport/mixed-martial-arts/article/3011476/how-martial-arts-death-led-hong-kongs-long-lost-fight-club?utm_source=rss_feed Thu, 23 May 2019 06:59:41 +0000 This part of our series on the history of mixed martial arts in Hong Kong focuses on the establishing of the world’s first official MMA organisation, the Full Contact Boxing Association. In the early 1980s, a group of martial arts enthusiasts developed rules allowing fighters to use a wide range of techniques in bouts. For several years their events were among the most followed in the city – and a precursor to the mixed martial arts (MMA) scene that would eventually take the world by storm. The... https://www.scmp.com/sport/hong-kong/article/3011312/hong-kongs-full-contact-boxing-association-behind-scenes-founders?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/sport/hong-kong/article/3011312/hong-kongs-full-contact-boxing-association-behind-scenes-founders?utm_source=rss_feed Thu, 23 May 2019 00:00:18 +0000 It took Bruce Lee less than a minute to show the world what was possible when you mix martial arts. In the opening frames of Enter the Dragon – shot in 1973 – Lee and Sammo Hung Kam-bo meet in organized combat. Their characters throw everything they have at each other, until Lee brings the fight to an end with his own unique version of the “armbar.” It’s a fighting technique that was up until then, only commonly associated with the likes of jiu-jitsu and judo. By using it in this scene with Hung... https://www.scmp.com/arts/bruce-lee-and-his-starring-role-birth-modern-mixed-martial-arts/article/3011292?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/arts/bruce-lee-and-his-starring-role-birth-modern-mixed-martial-arts/article/3011292?utm_source=rss_feed Wed, 22 May 2019 09:17:24 +0000 A long-forgotten series of fights captured the Hong Kong public’s imagination during the nascent days of mixed martial arts. On reflection, and upon investigation, these fights each marked seminal moments in the sport’s development, as MMA evolved from the fringes of society to the global phenomenon that it is today. Here we remember three bouts that helped shift combat sports towards the birth of modern MMA. The first was a money-raising charity extravaganza. Hyped as a “death duel” but... https://www.scmp.com/sport/mixed-martial-arts/article/3011171/fights-brought-hong-kong-halt-three-contests-helped-shape?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/sport/mixed-martial-arts/article/3011171/fights-brought-hong-kong-halt-three-contests-helped-shape?utm_source=rss_feed Wed, 22 May 2019 00:00:19 +0000 It took Bruce Lee less than a minute to show the world what was possible when you mix martial arts. In the opening frames of Enter the Dragon – shot in 1973 – Lee and the great Sammo Hung Kam-bo meet in organised combat, with Hong Kong’s Chan Chung Koon Temple standing in for the famed Shaolin Temple of central Henan province. Their characters wear unusual gloves, tiny shorts, and they throw everything they have at each other, until Lee brings the fight to an end with his own unique version of... https://www.scmp.com/sport/mixed-martial-arts/article/3011101/grandfather-mma-bruce-lee-and-his-starring-role-birth?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/sport/mixed-martial-arts/article/3011101/grandfather-mma-bruce-lee-and-his-starring-role-birth?utm_source=rss_feed Tue, 21 May 2019 06:22:42 +0000 The South China Morning Post has discovered that modern mixed martial arts was being practised on the streets (and more often the rooftops) of Hong Kong long before Rorion Gracie, Art Davie and John Milius’ brainwave to organise a formal competition among practitioners of various disciplines and call it The Ultimate Fighting Championship. A group, consisting of sports administrators, martial arts teachers and local law enforcement, had the idea to mix the disciplines in crowd-drawing contests,... https://www.scmp.com/sport/mixed-martial-arts/article/3010993/how-bruce-lee-and-street-fighting-hong-kong-helped-create?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/sport/mixed-martial-arts/article/3010993/how-bruce-lee-and-street-fighting-hong-kong-helped-create?utm_source=rss_feed Tue, 21 May 2019 00:00:08 +0000