https://www.scmp.com/rss/501169/feed en https://assets.i-scmp.com/static/img/icons/scmp-meta-1200x630.png https://www.scmp.com In front of a secluded temple in southwestern China, Duan Ruru skilfully executes a series of chops and strikes, practising kung fu techniques she has spent a decade mastering. Chinese martial arts have long been considered a male-dominated sphere, but a cohort of Generation Z women such as Duan are challenging that assumption and generating publicity for their particular school of kung fu. “Since I was little, I’ve had a love for martial arts … I thought that girls learning martial arts was... https://www.scmp.com/sport/martial-arts/kung-fu/article/3301899/kung-fu-fighting-girls-fast-lightning-put-fresh-spin-ancient-chinese-art?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/sport/martial-arts/kung-fu/article/3301899/kung-fu-fighting-girls-fast-lightning-put-fresh-spin-ancient-chinese-art?utm_source=rss_feed Tue, 11 Mar 2025 12:00:15 +0000 To celebrate what would have been Bruce Lee’s 82nd birthday on November 27, here are a few things you might not know about the man, the myth and the legend. 1. He planned to make more period films Bruce Lee planned to make more period films after his 1972 film Fist of Fury. Lee’s Way of the Dragon (1972), Game of Death (1972) and Enter the Dragon (1973) were all set in the then present day, but Fist of Fury was set in Japanese-occupied Shanghai in the early 20th century. According to Carl Fox,... https://www.scmp.com/lifestyle/entertainment/article/3200852/happy-birthday-bruce-lee-7-things-about-martial-arts-icon-you-may-not-know-his-love-samurai-films?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/lifestyle/entertainment/article/3200852/happy-birthday-bruce-lee-7-things-about-martial-arts-icon-you-may-not-know-his-love-samurai-films?utm_source=rss_feed Sat, 26 Nov 2022 21:15:12 +0000 Revenge-focused kung fu action game Sifu has become a breakout hit in 2022, selling nearly one million copies since its release in February. What’s more, the game has earned praise for its fighting complexity as well as the respect it shows to a Chinese art. But if the game is accurate in depicting the specific kung fu fighting style known as pak mei, that’s a debt owed to Benjamin Colussi. The Paris resident and kung fu master has seen too many films and games with an inaccurate approach to... https://www.scmp.com/lifestyle/entertainment/article/3169190/french-kung-fu-master-whose-moves-made-sifu-action-game?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/lifestyle/entertainment/article/3169190/french-kung-fu-master-whose-moves-made-sifu-action-game?utm_source=rss_feed Fri, 04 Mar 2022 11:45:45 +0000 American martial arts master Robert Wall, who starred with the legendary Bruce Lee in Way of the Dragon, Enter The Dragon and Game of Death, has died at the age of 82. Wall was a 9th degree Tang Soo Do black belt under Chuck Norris, whom he trained with and also starred alongside in iconic US television series Walker, Texas Ranger. “Bob was the greatest husband and father,” read a statement provided by Wall’s family to TMZ Sports. “Family was everything to him. He lived a remarkable life and... https://www.scmp.com/sport/martial-arts/kung-fu/article/3165535/martial-arts-master-bob-wall-who-starred-bruce-lee-way?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/sport/martial-arts/kung-fu/article/3165535/martial-arts-master-bob-wall-who-starred-bruce-lee-way?utm_source=rss_feed Tue, 01 Feb 2022 20:05:36 +0000 Bruce Lee would have celebrated his 81st birthday on November 27, and since his untimely death in 1973 at the age of 32, speculation as to how he died has spawned numerous conspiracy theories. These rumours took a darker turn in July this year when more than 40 letters were unearthed that implied the martial arts legend was a secret drug user. British tabloids The Sun and Daily Mirror reported that the handwritten letters to Hollywood actor and Fist of Fury co-star Robert “Bob” Baker suggest he... https://www.scmp.com/lifestyle/entertainment/article/3158261/what-killed-bruce-lee-drug-rumours-add-mystery-surrounding?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/lifestyle/entertainment/article/3158261/what-killed-bruce-lee-drug-rumours-add-mystery-surrounding?utm_source=rss_feed Sat, 04 Dec 2021 10:15:09 +0000 Jackie Chan admired Bruce Lee, and said he learned some valuable lessons about fame from him. Read what Chan really thought about Lee in this unpublished interview with Post journalist Richard James Havis from 1997. Richard James Havis: How did you come to work as a stunt double on Lee’s Fist of Fury? Jackie Chan: At that time, my career was not doing very well. There was a lot of competition for stunt coordinators in Hong Kong. Almost every time a director did a new movie, they used the same... https://www.scmp.com/lifestyle/entertainment/article/3150677/revealed-martial-arts-star-jackie-chan-bruce-lee-everyone?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/lifestyle/entertainment/article/3150677/revealed-martial-arts-star-jackie-chan-bruce-lee-everyone?utm_source=rss_feed Sat, 02 Oct 2021 21:15:08 +0000 Movie director Quentin Tarantino has returned to his dispute with Bruce Lee’s daughter Shannon over how he portrayed her father in his film Once Upon a Time in Hollywood in an appearance with radio talk-show host Joe Rogan. There was a lot of controversy around a fight scene in the film between Lee, played by Mike Moh, and a fictional stuntman, Cliff Booth, played by Brad Pitt. During the scene, which occurs on the set of The Green Hornet, Lee is portrayed as boastful, claiming he could cripple... https://www.scmp.com/lifestyle/entertainment/article/3139365/bruce-lee-disrespected-stuntmen-quentin-tarantino-alleges?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/lifestyle/entertainment/article/3139365/bruce-lee-disrespected-stuntmen-quentin-tarantino-alleges?utm_source=rss_feed Wed, 30 Jun 2021 15:26:28 +0000 It’s official – Warrior will be back for a third season, and likely beyond, after finding huge success since moving from the now-defunct Cinemax to HBO Max. And Hong Kong born-and-raised actor Jason Tobin – who stars as Young Jun, in one of the martial arts crime drama’s most pivotal roles – is relieved in more ways than one. “No one stopped pushing,” Tobin told SCMP MMA after the renewal was announced in late April. “Jonathan Tropper our show runner, Shannon Lee and Justin Lin our executive... https://www.scmp.com/sport/martial-arts/kung-fu/article/3132206/warrior-star-jason-tobin-hails-season-three-renewal-hbo?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/sport/martial-arts/kung-fu/article/3132206/warrior-star-jason-tobin-hails-season-three-renewal-hbo?utm_source=rss_feed Tue, 04 May 2021 08:53:53 +0000 American Jake Pinnick hails from a small town in the state of Illinois called Kewanee. It’s a perfect slice of Middle America, with fewer than 13,000 residents in a farming community about two and a half-hour’s drive west from Chicago. Pinnick said when he told friends and family he wanted to go to the Wudang Daoist Traditional Kungfu Academy in China to train martial arts, the response was typical. “I don’t think anyone really believed me,” said the 30-year-old. “No one really laughed at it,... https://www.scmp.com/sport/martial-arts/kung-fu/article/3131386/kung-fu-way-jake-pinnicks-journey-small-town-america?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/sport/martial-arts/kung-fu/article/3131386/kung-fu-way-jake-pinnicks-journey-small-town-america?utm_source=rss_feed Thu, 29 Apr 2021 00:00:16 +0000 Newlyweds JuJu Chan and Antony Szeto are constantly fighting. To be precise, they’re practising their martial arts daily and vigorously. Szeto is a veteran of action-film making who coordinated the stunts for The Meg (2018) and worked on Ghost In The Shell (2017), and directed the Jackie Chan-produced Wushu in 2008 and Fist Of The Dragon, produced by Roger Corman, in 2015. For her part, Chan kicked heads and raised eyebrows with featured roles in Netflix series Wu Assassins, and in the... https://www.scmp.com/lifestyle/entertainment/article/3114531/action-movie-star-couple-their-martial-arts-reality?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/lifestyle/entertainment/article/3114531/action-movie-star-couple-their-martial-arts-reality?utm_source=rss_feed Mon, 21 Dec 2020 20:45:13 +0000 Fresh off his defeat by Xu Xiaodong last weekend, beaten tai chi master Chen Yong made a video explaining the reasons he lost in a video that was dramatically longer than the 10-second fight. The pair finally fought their long-awaited bout in the mountains of Guangdong province last weekend, two years after Chen first challenged Xu. This was Xu’s return to the cage after an extended break because of China’s fight against the Covid-19 pandemic. When they did finally fight it lasted all of 10... https://www.scmp.com/sport/martial-arts/mixed-martial-arts/article/3112776/xu-xiaodong-tai-chi-master-blames-sunlight?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/sport/martial-arts/mixed-martial-arts/article/3112776/xu-xiaodong-tai-chi-master-blames-sunlight?utm_source=rss_feed Sun, 06 Dec 2020 09:56:57 +0000 Fresh from his winning return to the cage last week, controversial Chinese MMA star Xu Xiaodong has taken to exposing another kind of fraud: someone posing as him online. Xu, who has taken it upon himself to expose fraudulent kung fu masters by fighting them, posted on Twitter that a user claiming to be him on Douyin – the Chinese-language version of TikTok – was in fact an impostor. Writing in Chinese on Twitter on Saturday morning, “Mad Dog” Xu showed a picture of the account along with the... https://www.scmp.com/sport/martial-arts/mixed-martial-arts/article/3112711/chinese-mma-fighter-xu-xiaodong-follows-10?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/sport/martial-arts/mixed-martial-arts/article/3112711/chinese-mma-fighter-xu-xiaodong-follows-10?utm_source=rss_feed Sat, 05 Dec 2020 07:44:30 +0000 Where is the world’s first Bruce Lee statue? Perhaps Hong Kong? Not quite. While the city’s most famous son and his worldwide renown, even 47 years after his death in 1973, is in evidence in his statue on the Avenue of Stars in Tsim Sha Tsui, that was not the first. That statue, which stands at 2.5 metres tall and depicts Lee in a pose from hit film Fist of Fury, was sculpted in bronze by Cao Chong’en and unveiled on November 27, 2005, the 65th anniversary of Lee’s birth. Funded by the Hong... https://www.scmp.com/sport/martial-arts/kung-fu/article/3111412/bruce-lee-statue-when-mostar-beat-hong-kong-punch-24?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/sport/martial-arts/kung-fu/article/3111412/bruce-lee-statue-when-mostar-beat-hong-kong-punch-24?utm_source=rss_feed Thu, 26 Nov 2020 04:00:55 +0000 The best-known legacy of Bruce Lee, who would have turned 80 this Friday is of course his movies. But the martial arts legend also developed a unique way of fighting called jeet kune do, a Cantonese term which translates as something like “the way of the stopping fist” or more poetically, “the way of the intercepting fist.” There are many distinct styles of fighting in kung fu – hung gar, wing chun, and tai chi to name a few of the more famous ones. But the best starting point for understanding... https://www.scmp.com/lifestyle/entertainment/article/3111249/bruce-lee-80-martial-arts-legend-and-his-legacy-jeet-kune?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/lifestyle/entertainment/article/3111249/bruce-lee-80-martial-arts-legend-and-his-legacy-jeet-kune?utm_source=rss_feed Wed, 25 Nov 2020 16:15:15 +0000 Fresh off retiring from martial arts after being ridiculed online in videos spoofing hit films, disgraced tai chi master Ma Baoguo is set to make an appearance on the big screen. In an interview on Monday, Ma confirmed he would be playing an aged kung fu master in the upcoming film Young Kung Fu King and that he was confident in his acting skills. Ma also added that he expects the film to break box office records. “If you wait and see, it will definitely be popular,” he said, as per Sina’s own... https://www.scmp.com/sport/martial-arts/kung-fu/article/3111175/disgraced-chinese-tai-chi-master-ma-baoguo-comes-out?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/sport/martial-arts/kung-fu/article/3111175/disgraced-chinese-tai-chi-master-ma-baoguo-comes-out?utm_source=rss_feed Tue, 24 Nov 2020 09:23:18 +0000 Disgraced Chinese tai chi master Ma Baoguo has apparently walked away from martial arts after a resurgence in online ridicule over the weekend. The 69-year-old became an overnight celebrity in May when he was knocked down three times in 30 seconds in a fight with 50-year-old amateur boxer Wang Qingmin in Zibo, Shandong. Ma’s official Weibo account posted on Sunday for the first time since May, writing that “Ma has returned to a peaceful life, away from the martial arts circle of right and wrong.... https://www.scmp.com/sport/martial-arts/kung-fu/article/3110307/disgraced-chinese-tai-chi-master-ma-baoguo-walks-away?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/sport/martial-arts/kung-fu/article/3110307/disgraced-chinese-tai-chi-master-ma-baoguo-walks-away?utm_source=rss_feed Wed, 18 Nov 2020 03:38:57 +0000 Be Water, My Friend: The Teachings of Bruce Lee, by Shannon Lee, pub. Barnes & Noble. 3/5 stars Over the last few years there has been a move to elevate Bruce Lee from martial arts icon to philosopher. That is probably an exaggeration, although Lee was certainly a thoughtful and well-read young man – he possessed a library of around 2,500 books, including philosophical works by Thomas Aquinas, David Hume and René Descartes. Be Water, My Friend: The Teachings of Bruce Lee is a tenderly written... https://www.scmp.com/lifestyle/arts-culture/article/3107362/bruce-lees-daughter-shannon-turns-her-martial-arts-icon?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/lifestyle/arts-culture/article/3107362/bruce-lees-daughter-shannon-turns-her-martial-arts-icon?utm_source=rss_feed Wed, 28 Oct 2020 18:30:06 +0000 It’s been more than 16 months since Quentin Tarantino’s Once Upon a Time in Hollywood stirred up huge debate for its portrayal of beloved martial arts icon Bruce Lee. The late Hong Kong legend’s daughter, Shannon Lee, certainly wasn’t impressed, publicly calling out the American filmmaker and starting a war of words that rumbled on all summer. Asked if Tarantino had reached out to her after the furore calmed down, Lee laughed. “No, no, no,” she told SCMP MMA ahead of the release of her new book,... https://www.scmp.com/sport/martial-arts/kung-fu/article/3104277/quentin-tarantinos-bruce-lee-portrayal-still-leaves?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/sport/martial-arts/kung-fu/article/3104277/quentin-tarantinos-bruce-lee-portrayal-still-leaves?utm_source=rss_feed Mon, 05 Oct 2020 13:54:53 +0000 Shannon Lee may live in Los Angeles, but she knows just how big a place her father Bruce Lee still has in the hearts of the Hong Kong people. Such is the late martial arts icon’s legend, he became a figurehead of last year’s anti-government protests, with demonstrators adopting his “be water” mantra and philosophy to represent their guerilla strategy. “I mean, you know, I had nothing to do with that, that was all the adoption of the protesters and when I see things alike that I’m always amazed,”... https://www.scmp.com/sport/martial-arts/kung-fu/article/3104220/be-water-my-friend-bruce-lee-philosophy-heart-hong-kong?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/sport/martial-arts/kung-fu/article/3104220/be-water-my-friend-bruce-lee-philosophy-heart-hong-kong?utm_source=rss_feed Mon, 05 Oct 2020 09:30:07 +0000 Hong Kong martial arts actor Donnie Yen Ji-dan paid tribute to Hong Kong director Benny Chan Muk-Sing, who died over the weekend from cancer at the age of 58. “I will miss your smile, our creative exchanges and fatherhood stories. You will be greatly missed my friend. RIP,” he wrote on Facebook and Instagram. “Benny and I first worked on the TV series Kung Fu Master and Fist Of Fury, back in 1995-1997. Benny was the producer and director. I was fortunate to work with him again on our latest... https://www.scmp.com/sport/martial-arts/kung-fu/article/3098576/donnie-yen-pays-tribute-benny-chan-heartfelt-post-i-will?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/sport/martial-arts/kung-fu/article/3098576/donnie-yen-pays-tribute-benny-chan-heartfelt-post-i-will?utm_source=rss_feed Mon, 24 Aug 2020 06:05:06 +0000 The Chinese Wushu Association is cracking down on kung fu “masters” from overhyping themselves and bringing detrimental effects to traditional martial arts in China. The association published directives in a “proposal” on its website last week, saying also it would give “guidance” and help promote the various traditional martial arts disciplines.   In the past few years, practitioners have hyped fights for financial or personal gain, which has brought a lot of controversy. The CWA’s proposal,... https://www.scmp.com/sport/martial-arts/kung-fu/article/3093405/chinese-kung-fu-masters-told-clean-act-and-stop-bringing?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/sport/martial-arts/kung-fu/article/3093405/chinese-kung-fu-masters-told-clean-act-and-stop-bringing?utm_source=rss_feed Thu, 16 Jul 2020 05:37:00 +0000 Hong Kong martial arts actor Donnie Yen Ji-dan made a congratulatory post on his official Facebook page on July 1 in relation to Hong Kong’s Establishment Day. The 56-year-old Ip Man star posted a video montage of himself playing piano, with an accompanying caption. “Today is the celebration day for Hong Kong returned to motherland China 23 years,” he wrote. “Recalling such memorable night in 2017 where I had the privilege to performed with piano Maestro Lang Lang for Chairman Xi [Jinping] and... https://www.scmp.com/sport/martial-arts/kung-fu/article/3091681/donnie-yen-celebrates-hong-kongs-return-motherland-i-am?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/sport/martial-arts/kung-fu/article/3091681/donnie-yen-celebrates-hong-kongs-return-motherland-i-am?utm_source=rss_feed Fri, 03 Jul 2020 05:49:50 +0000 As Bruce Lee returns to the spotlight, Warrior and Fast and Furious 9 star Jason Tobin has weighed in on the Once Upon a Time in Hollywood debate, claiming director Quentin Tarantino simply “isn’t a fan” of the martial arts master. As part of SCMP MMA’s look at how Bruce Lee’s impact has spread across the sporting world following the screening of ESPN’s 30 for 30 Be Water on Sunday, Hong Kong’s Tobin appeared on the Post Fight Podcast to discuss his icon. “The bottom line is, Tarantino isn’t a... https://www.scmp.com/sport/martial-arts/kung-fu/article/3088046/quentin-tarantino-isnt-bruce-lee-fan-says-warrior-star?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/sport/martial-arts/kung-fu/article/3088046/quentin-tarantino-isnt-bruce-lee-fan-says-warrior-star?utm_source=rss_feed Tue, 09 Jun 2020 02:00:10 +0000 Bruce Lee altered the course of martial arts history when he walked out on to the auditorium floor at the inaugural Long Beach International Karate Championships on August 2, 1964. It would take the best part of a decade for Lee’s vision to seriously go global but those in the crowd that day knew they’d seen something very special. Ron Van Clief was there in California among them. “He was a maverick,” Van Clief said. “All the great fighters were there and it was a spectacular event. You know it... https://www.scmp.com/sport/martial-arts/mixed-martial-arts/article/3088028/espns-30-30-be-water-revisits-day-bruce-lee?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/sport/martial-arts/mixed-martial-arts/article/3088028/espns-30-30-be-water-revisits-day-bruce-lee?utm_source=rss_feed Tue, 09 Jun 2020 00:00:15 +0000 Bruce Lee’s influence continues to resonate across the global sporting landscape but the connection the man had, and continues to have, within the NBA is among the remarkable aspects of his lasting legacy. It all started with the friendship the martial arts master forged with the great Kareem Abdul-Jabbar, but the likes of Shaquille O’Neal, Kobe Bryant, LeBron James and Kyrie Irving have all turned to Lee for inspiration. Abdul-Jabbar once revealed to the Post he thought Lee continued to... https://www.scmp.com/sport/martial-arts/kung-fu/article/3087983/how-bruce-lee-has-inspired-nba-kareem-abdul-jabbar-kobe?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/sport/martial-arts/kung-fu/article/3087983/how-bruce-lee-has-inspired-nba-kareem-abdul-jabbar-kobe?utm_source=rss_feed Mon, 08 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 Excitement is building for the latest in the ESPN 30 for 30 series in which director Boa Nguyen focuses the lens on martial arts superstar Bruce Lee. San Francisco-born Lee’s family, friends and students speak about his life and legacy in Be Water, a 144-minute documentary that was shown at this year’s Sundance Festival. Nguyen looks at the time following Lee’s return to Hong Kong from Hollywood in 1971 and the two years that followed, when he made the four films that have defined him. The... https://www.scmp.com/sport/martial-arts/kung-fu/article/3087691/bruce-lee-hong-kong-set-miss-out-be-water-espns-30-30?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/sport/martial-arts/kung-fu/article/3087691/bruce-lee-hong-kong-set-miss-out-be-water-espns-30-30?utm_source=rss_feed Fri, 05 Jun 2020 06:00:17 +0000 As cities across the US burn through the night, engulfed in protests that devolve into riots and looting, we invariably find ourselves back at square one when it comes to modern culture: we collectively preach inclusivity, tolerance and acceptance for all walks of life, be it race, sex, religion or sexual orientation. But the reality in 2020 is different. We are still a world divided by colour, marred by religious intolerance and unable to accept those who are different than us. The death of... https://www.scmp.com/sport/martial-arts/kung-fu/article/3087334/bruce-lee-30-30-espn-documentary-set-tackle-racism?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/sport/martial-arts/kung-fu/article/3087334/bruce-lee-30-30-espn-documentary-set-tackle-racism?utm_source=rss_feed Thu, 04 Jun 2020 05:37:11 +0000 Wang Qingmin, the amateur boxer who knocked out tai chi master Ma Baoguo this month, has said he was “scared” before the fight in his first interview since the bout went viral. The 49-year-old boxer put the 69-year-old traditional martial artist on the floor twice before delivering the knockout blow, all inside 30 seconds of the fight in Zibo, Shandong province, nine days ago. Speaking to local media in an interview that has been widely reported, Wang said he was “very uneasy” before the fight... https://www.scmp.com/sport/martial-arts/mixed-martial-arts/article/3086258/ma-baoguos-opponent-scared-koing-tai-chi?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/sport/martial-arts/mixed-martial-arts/article/3086258/ma-baoguos-opponent-scared-koing-tai-chi?utm_source=rss_feed Wed, 27 May 2020 02:48:25 +0000 Bang, bang, bang. Three punches in 30 seconds saw tai chi master Ma Baoguo knocked down – twice – and then out in his fight with an amateur martial artist 20 years his junior. The scenes have gone viral, racking up millions of views around the world as everyone jumps on the bandwagon to laugh at the hapless Ma and his belief that traditional Chinese martial arts are superior. Ma was the latest to find out that Chinese wushu might not be the way to go when it comes to a scrap. There have been a... https://www.scmp.com/sport/martial-arts/mixed-martial-arts/article/3085769/kod-tai-chi-master-ma-baoguo-may-think?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/sport/martial-arts/mixed-martial-arts/article/3085769/kod-tai-chi-master-ma-baoguo-may-think?utm_source=rss_feed Sat, 23 May 2020 05:45:59 +0000 The knockout of 69-year-old tai chi master Ma Baoguo by a former martial arts coach 20 years his junior in Shandong has been watched around the world, with fans in China and overseas ridiculing the older man for taking on the challenge. Ma was knocked down twice before being knocked out within 30 seconds and taken to hospital, where he recovered and has since left. However, footage from before the fight that shows a conversation between Ma and the fight referee shared on Chinese social media... https://www.scmp.com/sport/martial-arts/mixed-martial-arts/article/3085441/referee-asked-tai-chi-master-ma-baoguo-show?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/sport/martial-arts/mixed-martial-arts/article/3085441/referee-asked-tai-chi-master-ma-baoguo-show?utm_source=rss_feed Thu, 21 May 2020 08:02:25 +0000 Ma Baoguo’s embarrassingly quick knockout in a tournament fight in Shandong last weekend is tough to watch. Ma, 69, is clearly way out of his league. He moves like any normal sexagenarian, a little slower and a little stiffer. In many ways, the fight looks more like an assault video than a competition. Ma, who claims to be a master of Hunyuan tai chi, was taking part in his first domestic bout, but as the viral video shows, it ends in complete disaster. A 49-year-old former martial arts coach,... https://www.scmp.com/sport/martial-arts/kung-fu/article/3085221/tai-chi-masters-embarrassing-ko-showcases-vacuum-china?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/sport/martial-arts/kung-fu/article/3085221/tai-chi-masters-embarrassing-ko-showcases-vacuum-china?utm_source=rss_feed Wed, 20 May 2020 09:00:10 +0000 Chinese MMA fighter Xu Xiaodong has rubbed salt in the wounds after seeing 69-year-old tai chi “master” Ma Baoguo get knocked out in half a minute. Ma was flattened in a farcical match-up with an amateur martial arts hobbyist 20 years his junior in Shandong last weekend. Footage of the fight has gone viral on social media. “Shanghai’s Ma Baoguo knocked out by an amateur after four seconds. That’s what a ‘traitor’ gets,” Xu tweeted. “Mad Dog” Xu, of course, has history with Ma. “In 2017, he... https://www.scmp.com/sport/martial-arts/mixed-martial-arts/article/3085218/chinese-mma-fighter-xu-xiaodong-mocks-tai-chi?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/sport/martial-arts/mixed-martial-arts/article/3085218/chinese-mma-fighter-xu-xiaodong-mocks-tai-chi?utm_source=rss_feed Wed, 20 May 2020 05:00:49 +0000 An elderly Chinese tai chi master’s attempt to defend his craft’s honour and his own reputation ended dismally again in a tournament in Shandong held over the weekend. In what was another “kung foolery” moment, 69-year-old Ma Baoguo was knocked down twice before he had his lights punched out for good when he fought a former martial arts coach twenty years his junior. Ma had made a name for himself on social media as he promoted what many observers called “kung fu fakery”. And not long ago, he... https://www.scmp.com/sport/martial-arts/mixed-martial-arts/article/3085102/gone-30-seconds-tai-chi-master-ma-baoguo?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/sport/martial-arts/mixed-martial-arts/article/3085102/gone-30-seconds-tai-chi-master-ma-baoguo?utm_source=rss_feed Tue, 19 May 2020 11:20:59 +0000 Chinese MMA fighter Xu Xiaodong’s rise to notoriety of course began with a 10-second pulverisation of tai chi “master” Lei Lei in 2017. Now “Mad Dog” is threatening to dish out another beating to him, after Lei Lei seemingly incited violence against the author of the Wuhan Diary. Award-winning Chinese novelist and poet Fang Fang has been hit by a nationalist backlash, accused of fuelling Western criticisms of China’s handling of the Covid-19 outbreak. Her diary, first published online detailing... https://www.scmp.com/sport/martial-arts/mixed-martial-arts/article/3080845/chinese-mma-fighter-xu-xiaodong-slams-tai-chi?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/sport/martial-arts/mixed-martial-arts/article/3080845/chinese-mma-fighter-xu-xiaodong-slams-tai-chi?utm_source=rss_feed Tue, 21 Apr 2020 06:41:49 +0000 It was never going to take too long for footage of another embarrassing style-vs-style challenge match to emerge from China. This time it was a Chinese World Taekwondo Federation black belt Huang Xiaolong, who is also trained in Muay Thai and karate, taking on a Chinese Muay Thai fighter in a match in Chengdu from back in 2009, but which has only recently gone viral on social media. Huang looks dazed after getting clipped straight away by a left hook from the Muay Thai fighter but manages to... https://www.scmp.com/sport/martial-arts/kung-fu/article/3051803/chinese-taekwondo-black-belt-challenges-muay-thai?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/sport/martial-arts/kung-fu/article/3051803/chinese-taekwondo-black-belt-challenges-muay-thai?utm_source=rss_feed Fri, 21 Feb 2020 09:34:56 +0000 A company run by Bruce Lee’s daughter is suing a Chinese fast food chain for allegedly using an image of the late martial arts film star without permission. Shannon Lee’s Bruce Lee Enterprises accuses restaurant chain Kungfu Catering Management of having used her father’s image for 15 years in a logo without paying intellectual property rights. The food chain responded on Thursday by saying the logo had long been authorised by Chinese authorities. “We’re confused that we are prosecuted many... https://www.scmp.com/sport/martial-arts/kung-fu/article/3043566/bruce-lees-daughter-sues-fast-food-chain-using-fathers?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/sport/martial-arts/kung-fu/article/3043566/bruce-lees-daughter-sues-fast-food-chain-using-fathers?utm_source=rss_feed Thu, 26 Dec 2019 10:01:43 +0000 Quentin Tarantino’s portrayal of Bruce Lee in Once Upon a Time in Hollywood has drawn ire from plenty of vocal critics in 2019 – and now you can add Donnie Yen to the list. The Hong Kong martial arts hero, 56, is on a whirlwind tour promoting Ip Man 4: The Finale, which is released worldwide on December 20. He was asked at a media day in Kuala Lumpur for his take on the Tarantino-Lee issue, which has divided film fans. Tarantino came under fire from Lee’s daughter, Shannon Lee, with actor Mike... https://www.scmp.com/sport/martial-arts/kung-fu/article/3041800/ip-man-4-star-donnie-yen-very-disappointed-quentin?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/sport/martial-arts/kung-fu/article/3041800/ip-man-4-star-donnie-yen-very-disappointed-quentin?utm_source=rss_feed Thu, 12 Dec 2019 08:05:25 +0000 Hong Kong martial arts superstar Donnie Yen has confirmed Ip Man 4: The Finale will be his final kung fu film. The highly anticipated fourth instalment of the hugely popular franchise will be released in cinemas on December 20, just over 10 years on from the release of the first Ip Man film. “As an actor and filmmaker, I have made so many movies, some that people love and some that people don’t love. On this challenging road, I filmed a number of kung fu films that are about the same,” Yen... https://www.scmp.com/sport/martial-arts/kung-fu/article/3039722/donnie-yen-confirms-ip-man-4-will-be-his-final-kung-fu?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/sport/martial-arts/kung-fu/article/3039722/donnie-yen-confirms-ip-man-4-will-be-his-final-kung-fu?utm_source=rss_feed Thu, 28 Nov 2019 05:06:56 +0000 It was probably inevitable that two of Chinese MMA fighter Xu Xiaodong’s vanquished “fake kung fu” opponents would eventually square off against each other. But that doesn’t make it any less entertaining. In what turned out to be a fairly one-sided battle, Lei Lei and Tian Ye recently went at it to see who was the better kung fu fighter. You may remember Lei Lei – he was the tai chi “master” who sparked “Mad Dog” Xu’s rise to fame after getting knocked out by him in 10 seconds. The video of that... https://www.scmp.com/sport/martial-arts/kung-fu/article/3038760/two-kung-fu-masters-demolished-chinese-mma-fighter-xu?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/sport/martial-arts/kung-fu/article/3038760/two-kung-fu-masters-demolished-chinese-mma-fighter-xu?utm_source=rss_feed Thu, 21 Nov 2019 08:28:12 +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 It's one of the most iconic moments in Bruce Lee’s career and fight fans will be able to relive it in the latest instalment of the hugely successful Ip Man franchise. Lee’s one-inch punch – where from a single inch away, the martial arts legend was able to muster an explosive blow that could knock opponents clean off the ground – comes to life again on the big screen. Lee demonstrated his prowess in Long Beach, California in August 1964 a few years before he became a TV star, playing Kato in the... https://www.scmp.com/sport/martial-arts/kung-fu/article/3037042/bruce-lees-one-inch-punch-kung-fu-moment-recreated-ip?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/sport/martial-arts/kung-fu/article/3037042/bruce-lees-one-inch-punch-kung-fu-moment-recreated-ip?utm_source=rss_feed Sat, 09 Nov 2019 10:39:45 +0000 Xu Xiaodong has been challenged by plenty of kung fu “masters” but they don’t normally back down before he makes them eat their words in the ring. So it was rare to see one such challenger give a sincere apology to the Chinese MMA fighter. Fifth generation iron palm kung fu master Sun Lei issued his challenge to “Mad Dog”, calling him out in a recent video on Chinese social media. “Xu Xiaodong, you recently are always talking smack about Chinese kung fu and iron palm kung fu. I am gonna... https://www.scmp.com/sport/martial-arts/kung-fu/article/3036896/kung-fu-master-says-sorry-backs-down-after-chinese-mma?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/sport/martial-arts/kung-fu/article/3036896/kung-fu-master-says-sorry-backs-down-after-chinese-mma?utm_source=rss_feed Fri, 08 Nov 2019 07:01:08 +0000 Manny Pacquiao and his new buddy Jack Ma have posted a joint video mocking Floyd Mayweather Jnr, with the Filipino boxing icon saying his friend was the “Real Money Team” while challenging the unbeaten American to another fight. Pacquiao posted a 27-second video of him sparring with Ma, the multi-billionaire Chinese co-founder of Alibaba, with Ma throwing punches at the Filipino star, who was holding mitts to the sound of rock music. Segments of the “spar” were sped up to give the video “more... https://www.scmp.com/sport/boxing/article/3034784/manny-pacquiao-posts-video-jack-ma-sparring-him-challenges-floyd?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/sport/boxing/article/3034784/manny-pacquiao-posts-video-jack-ma-sparring-him-challenges-floyd?utm_source=rss_feed Sun, 27 Oct 2019 15:56:50 +0000 They are two of the most iconic action movie heroes over the past four decades so it was perfectly understandable that Arnold Schwarzenegger couldn’t resist sharing a snap with martial arts legend Jackie Chan on his Instagram account. Both Chan and Schwarzenegger have been in the news lately with the Hong Kong superstar receiving more awards and accolades in recognition of his 40-plus years of movie making, while the 72-year-old “Austrian Oak” and former California governor has been busy... https://www.scmp.com/sport/martial-arts/kung-fu/article/3034751/arnold-schwarzenegger-and-jackie-chan-share-photo?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/sport/martial-arts/kung-fu/article/3034751/arnold-schwarzenegger-and-jackie-chan-share-photo?utm_source=rss_feed Sun, 27 Oct 2019 09:06:07 +0000 Philippines boxing icon Manny Pacquiao dined with pal, Jack Ma, the Alibaba co-founder on Saturday in Hangzhou where he was presented with golden microphones by the former executive chairman of the e-commerce giant. And his evening with China’s richest man got even better when he did some FaceTime with none other than martial arts superstar, Jet Li Lianjie. Jinkee Pacquiao, wife of the eight-times division champion, posted pictures on Instagram from their latest meeting with Ma, having shared a... https://www.scmp.com/sport/boxing/article/3034721/manny-pacquiao-meets-jack-ma-again-and-they-facetime-jet-li-dinner?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/sport/boxing/article/3034721/manny-pacquiao-meets-jack-ma-again-and-they-facetime-jet-li-dinner?utm_source=rss_feed Sat, 26 Oct 2019 15:35:29 +0000 Remember “A Hu”, the Chinese MMA fighter who knocked out the fake wing chun “master” last weekend? Well it turns out he actually fought two frauds in one night, and remarkably, beat them both in 72 seconds. A Hu went viral after obliterating Xu Xiaodong’s old rival Ding Hao in a kick-boxing match, dropping him with a vicious head kick. But another video unearthed from Chinese social media reveals he pulled double duty and also took on a tai chi practitioner called Song De Cai the same day. You... https://www.scmp.com/sport/martial-arts/kung-fu/article/3034680/chinese-mma-fighter-knocks-out-two-traditional-martial?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/sport/martial-arts/kung-fu/article/3034680/chinese-mma-fighter-knocks-out-two-traditional-martial?utm_source=rss_feed Sat, 26 Oct 2019 05:56:36 +0000 I still remember my first ice hockey fight. All the movies I’d watched as a kid, where highly choreographed fight scenes looked like expertly planned dance routines, had horribly lied to me. By the time I realised I was in a fight, at the tender age of 16, it was already half over and I’d taken three or four solid shots to the face and my jersey had been pulled well over my head, rendering me blind. The experience was jarring: unfiltered chaos, blurred vision in one eye from an errant thumb... https://www.scmp.com/sport/martial-arts/kung-fu/article/3034175/its-time-admit-most-traditional-martial-arts-are-fake?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/sport/martial-arts/kung-fu/article/3034175/its-time-admit-most-traditional-martial-arts-are-fake?utm_source=rss_feed Thu, 24 Oct 2019 02:00:14 +0000 If you enjoyed seeing Chinese MMA fighter “A Hu” thoroughly destroy wing chun “master” Ding Hao last weekend, you’ll be glad to know this wasn’t the first time he’s exposed a kung fu fraud. Ding – who was also obliterated by Xu Xiaodong – taunted A Hu in the ring before being sent face first to the canvas by a head kick after just 72 seconds. But A Hu also fought against another traditional martial arts “master” in a kick-boxing match in August, taking on Tang Duoji, founder of the kung fu style... https://www.scmp.com/sport/martial-arts/kung-fu/article/3033981/drunken-kung-fu-chinese-mma-fighter-knocks-stumbling?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/sport/martial-arts/kung-fu/article/3033981/drunken-kung-fu-chinese-mma-fighter-knocks-stumbling?utm_source=rss_feed Tue, 22 Oct 2019 04:25:52 +0000 You would think the kung fu frauds who get royally embarrassed by Chinese MMA fighter Xu Xiaodong would learn their lesson. Alas, one of the wing chun “masters” came back for some more punishment. Ding Hao was one of Xu’s most memorable victims – dropped on his backside multiple times before the referee mercifully stepped in after a few minutes. He blamed his performance on not being fed enough rice by event organisers before the fight. The judges also somehow inexplicably scored the fight as a... https://www.scmp.com/sport/martial-arts/kung-fu/article/3033816/wing-chun-master-ding-hao-taunts-chinese-mma-fighter?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/sport/martial-arts/kung-fu/article/3033816/wing-chun-master-ding-hao-taunts-chinese-mma-fighter?utm_source=rss_feed Mon, 21 Oct 2019 03:37:13 +0000