Vintage style vs style bouts: Hong Kong Kung Fu vs Japanese Karate
There are some real jaw-droppers on this week’s What The Fight. Prepare to be amazed.
Yeah, we know. The week started with the whole slap thing, which we’ve already covered more than we perhaps should have. But that’s enough. It ends here. We won’t cover that today.
We’ll begin, as usual, with Jerry over at Fight Commentary Breakdowns. This one is really special, as it’s a series of Kung Fu vs Kyokushin matches from 1975. It’s so good, and I’m a sucker for all sorts of classic clashes like this. Not really much to add, just watch it immediately. This is extraordinary:
As a bit of a bonus, I sat down for another chat with Jerry on his other channel as well. We covered an Indian MMA bout that was surprisingly thrilling, as well as a Tai Chi push hands demonstration, among other things.
Did you miss Dambé content? I know I did. But African Warriors has us covered, starting with a riveting standoff that explodes into a totally surreal finish out of nowhere. It needs to be seen to be believed:
This next bout pulls out all the stops with everything that makes Dambé so exciting. Showdowns, flurries, micromovements, feints, and devastating strikes. But this one goes above and beyond with another magnificent finish out of nowhere.
Seriously, blink and you’ll miss it:
Told you. It’s mind-bending.
Next up, DEFEND FC is back with more action. This time it’s billed as a Turkey vs Moldova, Boxer vs MMA fighter bout. While I’m not a fan of the whole country vs country format for this, the talent is undeniable here. These guys have a higher bar than usual and the outdoor MMA situation works a lot better than it would seem at first glance.
You’d be forgiven for thinking that this much freedom of movement would lead to guys running around or something. But no, it’s two guys getting in each other’s space while fighting smart. You can’t ask for too much more than that from guys that are clearly amateurs yet still well-trained.
It goes a bit long-ish, but the finish is worth it.
Next up, a pair of Lethwei battles. This first one is from Myanmar, and it’s ruthless. Grueling pace, lot of damage delivered. Plenty of respect between combatants.
We’ve also got this bout from Japan where it’s competitive until someone springs the Jack-in-the-box and the lights go out:
And here’s a compilation of Muay Thai headkick knockouts courtesy of Radikal Videos.
Finally, Judo Highlights brings us a wild Japanese Judo tournament from last year. Technique and tenacity are on display throughout. It’s lovely:
Finally, a relic of martial arts fraud and failure, Ashida Kim. Straight from one of his infamous training videos, here he is demonstrating ninja technique. Marvel at his deadliness, no can defend:
Believe in the power of forgiveness. Tony Hawk certainly does.
And remember - you might think you can fight, but there are many guys like you all over the world.