https://www.scmp.com/rss/501170/feed en https://assets.i-scmp.com/static/img/icons/scmp-meta-1200x630.png https://www.scmp.com When Wang Tao ran away from home aged 17 to become a professional wrestler, he knew it would be a hard slog to succeed in China’s passionate but underdeveloped scene. Years later, he has endured family disapproval, countless side gigs and thousands of hours of brutal training to become China’s “Belt and Road Champion” – but the struggle is far from over. Despite a promising potential domestic market, the Chinese pro wrestling community has been battling for recognition and financial stability... https://www.scmp.com/sport/martial-arts/wrestling/article/3279560/no-pain-no-gain-chinese-pro-wrestlers-fight-recognition-and-way-make-living?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/sport/martial-arts/wrestling/article/3279560/no-pain-no-gain-chinese-pro-wrestlers-fight-recognition-and-way-make-living?utm_source=rss_feed Mon, 23 Sep 2024 09:30:07 +0000 It’s not an overstatement to say the world of professional wrestling has turned on its axis since the last time the Post caught up with Ho Ho Lun 2½ years ago. From promoting shows in his home city of Hong Kong, the 34-year-old former WWE star has found himself stuck in Japan for most of the coronavirus pandemic, honing his skills in the ring and the commentary booth with local promotion Dragon Gate, all while a wrestling revolution was taking place in the US in the form of the upstart AEW. With... https://www.scmp.com/sport/martial-arts/wrestling/article/3162147/hong-kong-pro-wrestler-ho-ho-lun-aew-debut-and?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/sport/martial-arts/wrestling/article/3162147/hong-kong-pro-wrestler-ho-ho-lun-aew-debut-and?utm_source=rss_feed Tue, 04 Jan 2022 22:12:12 +0000 Brock “The Beast” Lesnar has emerged the victor of a five-man WWE championship match in the US overnight, winning an event he wasn’t even supposed to be part of. Roman Reigns, WWE’s biggest star and cousin of Dwayne “The Rock” Johnson, was set to defend his WWE Universal Championship defence against former UFC champion Lesnar in Day 1’s headline attraction, but was scratched after testing positive for Covid-19. Organisers made a snap decision to throw Lesnar into the WWE Day 1’s Fatal 4-Way for... https://www.scmp.com/sport/martial-arts/wrestling/article/3161848/wwe-day-1-ex-ufc-champion-brock-lesnar-triumphs-fatal?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/sport/martial-arts/wrestling/article/3161848/wwe-day-1-ex-ufc-champion-brock-lesnar-triumphs-fatal?utm_source=rss_feed Sun, 02 Jan 2022 06:52:00 +0000 NBA star Rui Hachimura will carry Japan’s flag at the Tokyo Games, Japanese Olympic chiefs said – although fans might not be allowed into the stadium to watch the opening ceremony. The Washington Wizards forward will carry the flag along with 22-year-old two-time world champion wrestler Yui Susaki at the July 23 opener for the pandemic-postponed Games. But with concern growing again over rising coronavirus cases, organisers have said they may need to rethink attendance limits for Olympic events... https://www.scmp.com/sport/basketball/article/3140036/tokyo-2020-olympics-nbas-rui-hachimura-and-wrestling-world-champ?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/sport/basketball/article/3140036/tokyo-2020-olympics-nbas-rui-hachimura-and-wrestling-world-champ?utm_source=rss_feed Tue, 06 Jul 2021 09:52:04 +0000 Hikaru Shida has broken her silence after All Elite Wrestling fired Spanish commentator Willie Urbina for mocking her accent. Urbina made an insulting impersonation of the 32-year-old Japanese star during the Spanish language broadcast of Friday night’s episode of AEW Dynamite. Kanagawa-born Shida had just delivered her first in-ring promo in English thanking the crowd at Daily’s Place in Jacksonville, Florida, for their support after reaching the one-year milestone as women’s champion in the US... https://www.scmp.com/sport/martial-arts/wrestling/article/3135588/aew-hikaru-shida-proud-my-race-after-spanish?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/sport/martial-arts/wrestling/article/3135588/aew-hikaru-shida-proud-my-race-after-spanish?utm_source=rss_feed Tue, 01 Jun 2021 05:46:12 +0000 WWE superstar John Cena issued an apology to Chinese fans after calling Taiwan a country in a movie promotion interview. The 44-year-old American, who made the comment on Taiwanese broadcasting network TVBS during a promotional tour for the Hollywood blockbuster Fast & Furious 9, posted a video message on Sina Weibo clarifying his comments, though he did not directly mention Taiwan or its relationship with China. “Hi China, I’m John Cena. I’m in the middle of Fast and Furious 9 promotions. I’m... https://www.scmp.com/sport/martial-arts/wrestling/article/3134752/wwe-superstar-john-cena-very-sorry-chinese-fans?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/sport/martial-arts/wrestling/article/3134752/wwe-superstar-john-cena-very-sorry-chinese-fans?utm_source=rss_feed Tue, 25 May 2021 07:25:51 +0000 A Japanese sumo wrestler has died after landing on his head during a bout last month in a horrifying injury that caused shock waves and calls for reform in the sport. Hibikiryu, a lower-tier wrestler whose real name was Mitsuki Amano, died of acute respiratory failure on Wednesday at a Tokyo hospital, the Japan Sumo Association said in a statement. “May his soul rest in peace, and we express our heartfelt gratitude towards his contribution” to the sport, the statement said. The 28-year-old was... https://www.scmp.com/news/asia/east-asia/article/3131752/japanese-sumo-wrestler-hibikiryu-dies-after-suffering-head?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/asia/east-asia/article/3131752/japanese-sumo-wrestler-hibikiryu-dies-after-suffering-head?utm_source=rss_feed Fri, 30 Apr 2021 07:04:50 +0000 The possibilities for cross promotion seem endless after ONE Championship announced last week it will premiere a new series of events following All Elite Wrestling on prime time US television network TNT. AEW has forged a significant audience on Wednesday nights with it’s signature Dynamite weekly show, and will now lead in to the Asian martial arts organisation’s ONE on TNT episodes – starting with April 7’s huge card featuring the legendary Demetrious Johnson and Eddie Alvarez. The... https://www.scmp.com/sport/martial-arts/mixed-martial-arts/article/3120203/one-championships-vitor-belfort-calls-chris?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/sport/martial-arts/mixed-martial-arts/article/3120203/one-championships-vitor-belfort-calls-chris?utm_source=rss_feed Tue, 02 Feb 2021 07:43:32 +0000 While the world rages at Disney’s live action retelling of the tale of Chinese warrior princess Mulan, the filmmaker’s focus should perhaps have been aimed on another female fighter entirely. Rather than folk fable, Mongolian warrior princess Khutulun was quite real and had the body count and fearsome reputation to prove it. She was the daughter of Kaidu Khan and great-great-granddaughter of Genghis, a cousin of Kublai Khan who would found China’s Yuan dynasty. Khutulun was a feared fighter, who... https://www.scmp.com/sport/martial-arts/wrestling/article/3100842/forget-mulan-meet-khutulun-mongolias-undefeated?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/sport/martial-arts/wrestling/article/3100842/forget-mulan-meet-khutulun-mongolias-undefeated?utm_source=rss_feed Wed, 09 Sep 2020 09:00:12 +0000 Imagine you are a hungry teenage wrestler from Moscow – training alone in the gym, as you have done since the age of six – grinding towards that MMA dream of yours. Then wrestling stars-turned-MMA legends Daniel Cormier and Muhammed Lawal suddenly stroll in. “DC” and “King Mo” – alongside the rest of the US wrestling team – are in town for a grapple against some of Russia’s notoriously high-level and unbreakable wrestlers, of which there are many. The problem is, “Mo” & Co. do not speak Russian,... https://www.scmp.com/sport/martial-arts/mixed-martial-arts/article/3087680/mma-how-boy-moscow-became-fulcrum-russian-us?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/sport/martial-arts/mixed-martial-arts/article/3087680/mma-how-boy-moscow-became-fulcrum-russian-us?utm_source=rss_feed Fri, 05 Jun 2020 07:00:15 +0000 There’s something beautifully immature about future National Football League Hall of Fame player Rob Gronkowski. He’s the Alpha male frat boy with the chiselled body of a Greek god who has Peter Pan syndrome. A physical beast who’s never had to do anything other that catch a pigskin and smash opponents with his 200 centimetre frame to ensure his livelihood. His character traits infantile, yet incredibly endearing, Gronk, a New York state native who crushes beers as much as he crushes defensive... https://www.scmp.com/sport/martial-arts/wrestling/article/3075066/new-england-patriots-legend-rob-gronkowski-wwe?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/sport/martial-arts/wrestling/article/3075066/new-england-patriots-legend-rob-gronkowski-wwe?utm_source=rss_feed Sat, 14 Mar 2020 00:00:09 +0000 Rocky “Soulman” Johnson, a WWE Hall of Fame wrestler who became better known as the father of actor Dwayne “The Rock” Johnson, has died. He was 75. WWE issued a statement on Johnson’s death on Wednesday night. Johnson and Tony Atlas became the first black world tag team champions in WWE history when they defeated The Wild Samoans on December 10, 1983. The statement didn’t provide details on the cause or location of Johnson’s death. “A loss for every fan of @WWE, Rocky Johnson was a... https://www.scmp.com/sport/other-sport/article/3046363/hall-fame-wrestler-rocky-johnson-dwayne-johnsons-father-dead-75?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/sport/other-sport/article/3046363/hall-fame-wrestler-rocky-johnson-dwayne-johnsons-father-dead-75?utm_source=rss_feed Thu, 16 Jan 2020 07:33:40 +0000 At WWE’s big NXT Takeover and Survivor Series events last weekend, the Chicago crowd was never going to stay quiet about its hometown hero. Especially now he is back on WWE programming. “CM Punk, CM Punk” chanted the All-State Arena in lulls of excitement, and moments of displeasure. The crowd even tried to torpedo Seth Rollins’ opening promo on Monday night’s episode of Raw with the same chant. “I tried to get CM Punk here, I’m sorry, he didn’t want to show up,” Rollins said, adapting smartly... https://www.scmp.com/sport/martial-arts/wrestling/article/3039621/wwe-cm-punk-vs-seth-rollins-more-pipe-dream-pipe-bomb?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/sport/martial-arts/wrestling/article/3039621/wwe-cm-punk-vs-seth-rollins-more-pipe-dream-pipe-bomb?utm_source=rss_feed Wed, 27 Nov 2019 11:47:28 +0000 During the turn of the 21st century, WWE was peak entertainment. Amid its “Attitude Era”, World Wrestling Entertainment, then known as the WWF, had re-branded itself as a more edgier form of professional wrestling with the likes of D-Generation X and “Stone Cold” Steve Austin. Amid a ratings battle with rivals WCW, WWE captured the imagination of the public everywhere and its stars were household names. Austin was an international celebrity and DX’s signature move had kids all over the world... https://www.scmp.com/sport/martial-arts/wrestling/article/3038981/wwe-now-relying-ufc-remain-relevant-bringing-mma-stars?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/sport/martial-arts/wrestling/article/3038981/wwe-now-relying-ufc-remain-relevant-bringing-mma-stars?utm_source=rss_feed Tue, 26 Nov 2019 09:44:07 +0000 Mark Hunt’s legal feud with the UFC is officially over after a US district court ruled against the former UFC heavyweight’s final claim against the promotion on Saturday. Last year, the 45-year-old Hunt (13-14-1) left the UFC after a long dispute over his fight with former heavyweight champion and current WWE champion Brock Lesnar (5-3) in 2016. Lesnar’s decision win was ruled a no contest after it was found that he tested positive in a United States Anti-Doping Agency (Usada) drugs test... https://www.scmp.com/sport/martial-arts/mixed-martial-arts/article/3039237/former-ufc-favourite-mark-hunt-rips-dana?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/sport/martial-arts/mixed-martial-arts/article/3039237/former-ufc-favourite-mark-hunt-rips-dana?utm_source=rss_feed Mon, 25 Nov 2019 08:24:25 +0000 Man-mountain and Instagram sensation the “Iranian Hulk” is set for his combat sports debut in Bare Knuckle Fighting Championship (BKFC) next year. The promotion announced the news after its Saturday event, and while there is no official date or opponent, BKFC confirmed it will happen and will be marketed under a seriously provocative banner. “He's literally our biggest signing we've ever had,” BKFC boss David Feldman told MMA Fighting post-event. “This guy is going to make his BKFC debut in... https://www.scmp.com/sport/martial-arts/mixed-martial-arts/article/3038248/iranian-hulk-fight-bare-knuckle-fighting?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/sport/martial-arts/mixed-martial-arts/article/3038248/iranian-hulk-fight-bare-knuckle-fighting?utm_source=rss_feed Mon, 18 Nov 2019 09:17:38 +0000 Jon Moxley got a lot off his chest when he left WWE for AEW. And now he’s launched another verbal barrage at his former employers. Speaking at the Starrcast IV wrestling convention in Baltimore last week ahead of AEW’s Full Gear pay-per-view, Moxley vented about the frustrations he experienced during his final year in the company after coming back from injury. “The whole time from when I came back to about the beginning of the year, I knew I was leaving. But I was p***** about it. I wasn't... https://www.scmp.com/sport/martial-arts/wrestling/article/3038047/aew-jon-moxley-says-wwe-made-me-walk-away-all-money?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/sport/martial-arts/wrestling/article/3038047/aew-jon-moxley-says-wwe-made-me-walk-away-all-money?utm_source=rss_feed Sat, 16 Nov 2019 08:35:53 +0000 CM Punk has made a shock return to WWE. Well, sort of. The former WWE champion – real name Phil Brooks – made a surprise appearance at the end of Tuesday night’s episode of WWE Backstage on US television network Fox’s FS1 channel. “It’s a simple as this, just when they think they got the answers, I change the culture,” Punk said, after walking into the studio to his old ring entrance music. “I’ll see you here next week.” A tweet from @WWEonFox said Punk will be “appearing periodically on the... https://www.scmp.com/sport/martial-arts/wrestling/article/3037503/cm-punk-returns-wwe-analyst-backstage-show-nearly-six?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/sport/martial-arts/wrestling/article/3037503/cm-punk-returns-wwe-analyst-backstage-show-nearly-six?utm_source=rss_feed Wed, 13 Nov 2019 05:55:50 +0000 Cody Rhodes’ barnstorming promo on AEW Dynamite this week is all the world of professional wrestling is talking about. Now even “The Rock” has weighed in. Hollywood icon and WWE legend Dwayne Johnson – who has been busy with MMA, crowning Jorge Masvidal the “BMF” champion at UFC 244 last weekend – gave Cody some props on Twitter after watching his electrifying performance. “Rhythm, cadence, tone, intent, passion, execution. Great promo, brother. You dropped that MF @codyrhodes,” Johnson... https://www.scmp.com/sport/martial-arts/wrestling/article/3036862/wwe-rock-praises-cody-rhodes-promo-aew-intent-passion?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/sport/martial-arts/wrestling/article/3036862/wwe-rock-praises-cody-rhodes-promo-aew-intent-passion?utm_source=rss_feed Fri, 08 Nov 2019 04:41:56 +0000 I’ll admit, I haven’t watched World Wrestling Entertainment in years. I think the last show I remember catching was Razor Ramon versus “The Heartbreak Kid” Shawn Michaels in a ladder match in 1994 and, from everything I’ve heard, I may have caught the WWE’s high-water mark. So to see a WWE YouTube clip of two former UFC heavyweight champions – Brock Lesnar and Cain Velasquez – “fighting” in a rematch made me cringe. The two squared off at the WWE’s Crown Jewel event in Saudi Arabia last... https://www.scmp.com/sport/martial-arts/wrestling/article/3036209/ufc-brock-lesnar-play-fighting-cain-velasquez-wwe-sign?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/sport/martial-arts/wrestling/article/3036209/ufc-brock-lesnar-play-fighting-cain-velasquez-wwe-sign?utm_source=rss_feed Mon, 04 Nov 2019 07:26:06 +0000 Chris Jericho became the first world champion of AEW on Saturday night in Chicago. But he has lost the title – quite literally, but not to another opponent – less than a day later. Former WWE legend Jericho won the belt by defeating “Hangman” Adam Page at the upstart wrestling promotion’s All Out pay-per-view at the Sears Centre Arena last weekend. Fans on social media at first thought the incident was a storyline for AEW, which launches its weekly television programme on US network TNT next... https://www.scmp.com/sport/martial-arts/wrestling/article/3025646/chris-jericho-reports-aew-world-title-belt-stolen?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/sport/martial-arts/wrestling/article/3025646/chris-jericho-reports-aew-world-title-belt-stolen?utm_source=rss_feed Wed, 04 Sep 2019 06:33:21 +0000 John Kavanagh believes he could have WWE superstar Becky Lynch ready to compete at a “high level” of MMA within a year if they worked together. The Raw women’s champion dropped by the SBG Ireland gym run by Conor McGregor’s coach in their native Dublin last month when WWE was in town for its European tour. Kavanagh said he does not think Lynch would ever make the switch to MMA, but has seen enough of “The Man” to know she would excel inside the cage. “She’s a fantastic athlete, I challenge... https://www.scmp.com/sport/martial-arts/wrestling/article/3015013/wwe-star-becky-lynch-would-do-very-very-well-if-she?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/sport/martial-arts/wrestling/article/3015013/wwe-star-becky-lynch-would-do-very-very-well-if-she?utm_source=rss_feed Tue, 18 Jun 2019 07:36:09 +0000 The latest episode of “Being The Elite” has given wrestling fans their first real insight into the partnership between AEW and Chinese promotion OWE. All Elite Wrestling’s SoCal Uncensored – Christopher Daniels, Frankie Kazarian and Scorpio Sky – flew in to Shanghai last month to visit Oriental Wrestling Entertainment’s training facility. OWE president Daniel Fu and vice-president Michael Nee introduced OWE’s young performers, who had prepared some demonstrations of their hybrid kung fu... https://www.scmp.com/sport/martial-arts/wrestling/article/3014712/aew-and-owe-will-set-wrestling-world-fire-scu-visit?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/sport/martial-arts/wrestling/article/3014712/aew-and-owe-will-set-wrestling-world-fire-scu-visit?utm_source=rss_feed Sun, 16 Jun 2019 10:14:00 +0000 To almost all who watched, All Elite Wrestling’s debut pay-per-view event “Double or Nothing” at a sold-out MGM Grand in Las Vegas went off without a hitch. But it was a bittersweet weekend for China’s Oriental Wrestling Entertainment. OWE are one of two official partners of AEW, the new upstart American promotion backed by billionaire Tony Khan that begins a US television deal with TNT later this year as they look to challenge WWE’s long-held supremacy. Three of OWE’s Japanese talents – CIMA,... https://www.scmp.com/sport/mixed-martial-arts/article/3012707/aew-double-or-nothing-owe-makes-all-out-plea-us-embassy?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/sport/mixed-martial-arts/article/3012707/aew-double-or-nothing-owe-makes-all-out-plea-us-embassy?utm_source=rss_feed Sat, 01 Jun 2019 04:21:28 +0000