Zhang Tie Quan - Chinese Fighter in MMA

[Scott Larson]

Zhang Tie Quan will be making his WEC debut at WEC 51: Aldo vs Gamburyan.

Here is his bio: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Zhang_Tie_Quan

Good to see a fighter with a CMA background in a high profile US MMA promotion.

[Frost]

Zhang Tie Quan will be making his WEC debut at WEC 51: Aldo vs Gamburyan.

Here is his bio: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Zhang_Tie_Quan

Good to see a fighter with a CMA background in a high profile US MMA promotion.

Not being an as$ but what of his styles do you consider CMA?

as far as i can see he has not studied what most people would call a CMA style, choyleefut, wing chun hung gar etc, but spent his life in the sports realm, with wrestling BJJ and sansau

He even lists his main styles as sanda and BJJ most of his wins come from his BJJ back ground

[Scott Larson]

Why wouldn't sanda be considered a Chinese style?

[Three Harmonies]

Sanda is not a "style" per se, but rather a sport with a certain rule set. A TKD guy could fight Sanda.

Zhang is mongolian anyways, so I doubt he is going to be doing much of anything Chinese.

JAB

[Scott Larson]

I guess I was just looking at it from a general perspective. I know he's not doing a classical Chinese martial art, but if he does well, I think people in the US will consider Chinese style methods to have merit.

I meant Chinese martial arts in a broad sense.

Also, I am curious to find out what type of wrestling he trained in.

[Lucas]

for the inner mongolian wrestling championship, do we know if that is style specific, in that only people trained in classic mongolian wrestling can enter? or can any wrestler enter that competition.

also where does his sanda striking background come from? at what academy did he train for his sanda striking?

he has a nice record.

[Three Harmonies]

Scott
People in the US will consider CMA valid when the overwhelming majority of CMA practitioners are able, and willing, to show their hand to hand methods; even if just sparring.
The community as a whole has to be the rule, not the exception.
I wish Zhang luck regardless of his background! Good to see some Chinese in serious MMA!

Cheers for sharing,
JAB

[Scott Larson]

I agree, 3Harms.

Hopefully this will inspire the CMA community to do so.

[Frost]

the only thing that will inspire the CMA community is if TCMA trained guys stop holding up people who have no real background in CMA as torch bearers simply because of their ethnicity and enter the cage themselves.

[Three Harmonies]

QFT Frost!

[Scott Larson]

the only thing that will inspire the CMA community is if TCMA trained guys stop holding up people who have no real background in CMA as torch bearers simply because of their ethnicity and enter the cage themselves.

Has this happened before?

[omarthefish]

I guess I was just looking at it from a general perspective. I know he's not doing a classical Chinese martial art, but if he does well, I think people in the US will consider Chinese style methods to have merit.

I meant Chinese martial arts in a broad sense.

Also, I am curious to find out what type of wrestling he trained in.
If he's Mongolian with a "Mongolian Wrestling" background then obviously he's trained in Shuai Jiao. Same for Sanda. Most Sanda competitors train in pretty classical Shuai Jiao and the Mongolians in particular are famous for it. That's what "Mongolian Wrestling" is. It's a particular style of Shuai Jiao so I'd expect this guy to have some pretty decent throws.

Edit: Just did some digging.
As expected, he started out in Shuai Jiao in the mid 90's and then in 2005 started BJJ in Beijing.

[GeneChing]

More on Zhang Tiequan


UFC announces Asia expansion, signs China fighter (http://www.google.com/hostednews/ap/article/ALeqM5i3gHfnGbNAD8_UkDiq84H4tl9a7gD9HSURGG0)
(AP) – 1 day ago

BEIJING — The Ultimate Fighting Championship says it's expanding its brand to Asia and has signed a fighter from China as part of the plans to establish its presence in the world's most populous region.

The company announced Sunday that former NBA Asia executive Mark Fischer will head the UFC's new regional office.

The UFC says it has signed a fighter from China's Inner Mongolia region as part of its strategy for attracting new fans in Asia. Tiequan Zhang is expected to debut next month as a lightweight in World Extreme Cagefighting, a sister organization of UFC that features smaller fighters.

Fischer said UFC's Asia expansion is in its early stages but the company is focusing on China as a long-term market.

[GeneChing]

Zhang made USA Today (http://ezine.kungfumagazine.com/forum/showthread.php?p=1043100#post1043100).

Tonight's fight

Event - WEC: ALDO vs. GAMBURYAN (http://www.wec.tv/index.cfm?fa=eventdetail.fightCard&eid=3645)
Date: Sep-30-2010 9:00 PM ET
Event Type: Versus - Live Event
Location: 1STBANK Center (formerly Odeum Colorado), CO

One of the sport’s pound-for-pound elite returns this fall to defend his title against one of the division’s most dangerous fighters. Featherweight champion Jose Aldo, universally recognized as the number one ranked lighter weight fighter in MMA, makes the second defense of his crown against judo ace Manny Gamburyan when World Extreme Cagefighting® invades the 1STBANK Center in Broomfield, Colo. on Thursday, Sept. 30.

In addition to the featherweight title fight, Denver native Donald “Cowboy” Cerrone will meet former lightweight champion Jamie Varner in a long-awaited grudge match. Plus, former bantamweight champion Miguel Angel Torres returns to the cage to take on the red-hot Charlie Valencia.

Tickets for WEC: Aldo vs. Gamburyan go on sale Saturday, July 31 at 10 a.m. MT and will be priced at $185, $135, $75, and $40. A special Internet ticket pre-sale will be available to WEC newsletter subscribers on Friday, July 30 starting at 10 a.m. MT. To access this presale, users must register for the WEC newsletter through wec.tv. Tickets will be available online at www.TicketHorse.com or by phone at 866.461.6556.

Tiequan Zhang Vs. Pablo Garza

Name: Tiequan Zhang
Height: 5' 8" (173 cm)
Weight: 155 (70 kg)
Record: 16-0-0

Name: Pablo Garza
Height: 6' 1" (185 cm)
Weight: 145 (66 kg)
Record: 9-0-0

May not be broadcast.


Tiequan Zhang "The Mongolian Wolf" (http://www.wec.tv/TiequanZhang)

Age: 25
Height: 5' 8" (173 cm)
Weight: 155 lbs. (70 kg)
Overall MMA Record (W-L-D): 16-0-0

Training: Normally 10am-12pm group training and sparring, 3pm-5pm running for cardio and weights; every weekend mountain running.

Thoughts on opponent, Jason Reinhardt?
Only the best fighters can fight in WEC and UFC. I think he is a very strong wrestler and black belt, but I have my advantages as well.

When and why did you start training for fighting?
I started training Sanda at 1999, because I always like new challenges and to conquer. It's exciting.

What ranks and titles have you held?
URCC middleweight champion, UMAC welterweight champion, Legend FC "Submission of the Night" honor, Undefeated.

Do you have any heroes? Genghis Khan

What is your favorite technique? Punches

What, other than WINNING, are you using for motivation for the fight? To be lightweight champion!
http://media.ufc.tv/method=get&rs=46&q=100&x=11&y=2&w=160&h=240&ro=0&s=tiequan-zhang-09-29-10-20-58-2-735.jpg

[GeneChing]

Any video anywhere?

Things We Learned: WEC 51 (http://www.heavy.com/mma/mma-commentary/2010/10/things-we-learned-wec-51/)
October 2, 2010 | Author: E. Spencer Kyte
...
Tie Quan Zhang made his WEC debut a winning one on Thursday night, submitting Pablo Garza in the first round to remain unbeaten and hand the former TUF candidate his first professional loss.

[Scott Larson]

Edited because link has malware.

[meltdawn]

back in June he fought in Legend 2 and got a guillotine in 30 seconds.

Zhang Tiequan (http://www.legendfc.com/fighters/index.php?fighterId=33)

he looked the oldest and most non-descript of all the China Top Team fighters, but in training and the ring he was calm, focused and truly an athlete.

third from the right.

http://img59.imageshack.us/img59/4048/dsc00073hq.jpg (http://img59.imageshack.us/i/dsc00073hq.jpg/) Uploaded with ImageShack.us (http://imageshack.us)

[GeneChing]

I'm changing the title of this thread from "Zhang Tie Quan - Chinese fighter in WEC" to "Zhang Tie Quan - Chinese Fighter in MMA". Syn7 also brought this up on the China MMA thread (http://ezine.kungfumagazine.com/forum/showthread.php?p=1080440#post1080440).


Sat Feb 26 08:22pm EST
China's Zhang opens UFC 127 Facebook fights with a win (http://sports.yahoo.com/mma/blog/cagewriter/post/China-s-Zhang-opens-UFC-127-Facebook-fights-with?urn=mma-326812)
By Steve Cofield

http://a323.yahoofs.com/ymg/ept_sports_mma_experts__28/ept_sports_mma_experts-436756120-1298769712.jpg?ymwsznEDBVuwNYJz
Tiequan Zhang is still a bit of a mysterious character, but there's no question about the fact that he's a pretty solid MMA competitor.

Zhang dropped to featherweight for his UFC debut and smoked Jason Reinhardt in less than a minute at UFC 127. Zhang locked on a guillotine choke (pictured below) and nearly put Reinhardt out at the 0:48 mark of the first round in Sydney, Australia.

Zhang (13-1, 1-0 UFC, 1-1 WEC) is the first fighter from China to compete in the UFC. He made his Zuffa debut in 2010.

He looked extremely comfortable in this one, as he stalked Reinhardt from the start. Zhang followed the shorter fighter around the cage looking to land something big. He closed space along the cage and when Reinhardt dropped his head a bit, Zhang went for the choke.

Reinhardt pushed forward and the fight fell to the ground where he was trapped in the nasty choke. He waited until the very last second to tap. When Zhang released the choke, Reinhardt didn't move, he was groggy and out of it.

Zhang, 32, nicknamed "The Mongolian Wolf," is a sanshou specialist. His trainer said he's also recently been elevated to a jiu-jitsu brown belt. China is an untapped MMA breeding ground internationally. With a strong martial arts background, China could be quite the source for talent over the next five years. The Chinese fight fan market is also untapped and a big reason why UFC put Zhang's fight on Facebook.

Watch UFC 127 right here on Yahoo! Sports.

Perosh crushes Blackledge in UFC 205 debut

Anthony Perosh hasn't carved out much of a reputation in the UFC, simply because he's been a card filler at heavyweight. The Aussie was overmatched against the big guys. Today, down at more comfortable weight, he was able to show off his vaunted jiu-jitsu game and blew through Tom Blackledge.

Perosh (10-6, 1-3 UFC) missed on his first two takedowns, but when he scored a third with 3:13 left in the first, Blackledge was nearly helpless off his back. Perosh softened up Blackledge by raining down punches and then settled into the Brit's half guard. He quickly passed to the mount where Blackledge bailed and spun to his stomach. That was a bad move because Perosh locked on a rear-naked choke just seconds later forcing the tap.

Perosh suffered UFC losses in 2006 to Christian Wellisch and Jeff Monson. He took a beating against Mirko Filipovic last year at UFC 110.

http://a323.yahoofs.com/ymg/ept_sports_mma_experts__28/ept_sports_mma_experts-155197180-1298771273.jpg?ymJF0nEDjTOsg2r0

UFC 127 undercard results:

Curt Warburton def. Maciej Jewtuszko via unanimous decision (29-28, 29-28, 29-28)
Mark Hunt def. Chris Tuchscherer via knockout (punches) - Round 2, 1:41

[Shaolin]

Zhang got screwed out of sub of the night. Camozzi gave Noke that RNC. Zhang's guillotine was fast and aggressive.

[Lucas]

Edit:

Thanks boss!

[Zenshiite]

Wow. That UFC debut was dope!

I haven't been paying attention to Zhang, but I'm gonna have to keep my eye out for him now.

So nice to see.

[bawang]

he has insane fast fast hands in that fight, i dont think jason even landed a single punch. badass

[Lucas]

ya dude he didnt touch him.

http://images.wikia.com/mk/images/3/35/Sub-Zero_Flawless_Victory.jpg

[GeneChing]

It's our July August 2011 (http://ezine.kungfumagazine.com/forum/showthread.php?p=1100602), on newsstands now.

[bawang]

does anyone know any news about tiequan? its been months

i hope he didnt get blacklisted from racism

[GeneChing]

http://ezine.kungfumagazine.com/images/mzine/COV2011_04.jpg

Kung Fu Tai Chi Magazine July/August 2011 (http://www.kungfumagazine.com/magazine/article.php?article=965) COVER STORY
The Wolf at the Door
By Gene Ching with Gigi Oh

[Zenshiite]

Good issue. I'd like to know more about Wu Haotian as well.

[pazman]

does anyone know any news about tiequan? its been months

i hope he didnt get blacklisted from racism

This isn't China.:p

[SIFU RON]

Remember " your Kung Fu doesn't work in the cage " comments ?

Zhang has opened the eyes of the MMA with his success. The honor of the Chinese nation and Kung Fu rests on his shoulders, and, he is doing an excellent job of it.

MMA has come a long long way, Jiu Jitsu was one of the first styles in MMA and it fit right in. There are some Karate fighters setting great examples and now we have Kung Fu stepping up to the plate and hitting home runs.

It takes the best to make a mark of any kind in the cage, it is good to see more Karate and Kung Fu fighters paving the way.

[GeneChing]

Read this issue's cover story for free: The Wolf at the Door (http://ezine.kungfumagazine.com/magazine/article.php?article=969) by Gene Ching with Gigi Oh.

Our July August 2011 issue is now available on the newsstands, as well as for iPad on Zinio (http://www.zinio.com/browse/publications/index.jsp?productId=500626248&categoryId=cat1970036).

[bawang]

i think he is about to fight some time next month, i wish him best of luck.

[Lucas]

Elkins vs. Zhang in ufc 136

i really want to see zhang take this ufc win. i want to see zhang dominate his weight class. i dont think he will have a problem beating elkins.

[bawang]

he lost by decision but i think judges were racist

[GeneChing]

Anyone see the fight?

Darren Elkins Smushes Zhang Tie Quan At UFC 136 (http://mma.sbnation.com/2011/10/8/2477849/ufc-136-zhang-tie-quan-vs-darren-elkins)
Oct 08 4:34p by Nate Wilcox

Read More: ufc 136 results, Darren Elkins (MMA), Zhang Tiequan (MMA), UFC 136: Edgar vs. Maynard III

Featherweights Zhang Tie Quan and Darren Elkins met on the preliminary card of UFC 136 at the Toyota Center in Houston, TX. The fight streamed live on Facebook.

Zhang went for his signature guilllotine choke to start the action but, despite having it locked in fairly tight, couldn't get the tap out. Elkins ended up on top and landed some good ground and pound after escaping the choke. Elkins went for a neck crank around the 2:30 left mark. Zhang escaped but remained on his back. Elkins got mount about 1:50 left and transitioned to an attack from Zhang's back. Elkins flattened Zhang out and went for a rear naked choke. Zhang escaped and Elkins ended the round with a flurry of punches from behind Zhang.

UFC 136 Results: Darrin Elkins defeats Zhang Tiequan by unanimous decision (30-27 x2, 30-26).

Zhang opened the second with another tight guillotine attempt that Elkins used to get Zhang down on the ground on his back. Elkins quickly took Zhang's back and punched away with his right hand. That went on for about 70 seconds before Zhang got half guard. Joe Rogan heaped scorn on Zhang's ground game as Elkins passed Zhang's guard. Then Zhang sprang to his feet and once again went for a guillotine choke. Elkins easily escaped and put Zhang on his back. It took about half a minute of elbows and hammerfists from Zhang's half guard before Zhang rolled him with a sweep. Elkins easily rolled Zhang back quickly. He remained in Zhang's 1/2 guard, content to land sporadic punches from the top.

Elkins' opened the final round with a sharp right hand. Elkins shot in again and Zhang once again went for the guillotine and came closer than ever. Elkins' head turned a deep red before he escaped. Elkins had to pick Zhang up and go under him completely to get back on top. Elkins passed after about the 3 minute left mark. Elkins took side control, transitioned to a turtled Zhang's back. Elkins punched away before taking a figure four body lock with his legs around Zhang's abdomen. Elkins got close to the rear naked choke a couple times but couldn't get the finish.

Tiequan Zhang said after the bout, "I was hoping to get a leg lock in the third round. I didn't punch enough during the standup."

Darren Elkins said, "I feel good after that win. He had me deep in a couple of chokes but when I gave him the body triangle I knew he couldn't get out of I knew that was the time to deliver lots of punches."

[LeeLi]

Zhang should be considered the top Chinese MMA export - however he is just the first generation. with the numbers of experienced MMA/BJJ coaches growing in the sanda training camps, China is on an uphill swing to improve its talent.

[Phil Redmond]

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=G9P5zbWT72M&feature=related

[GeneChing]

http://image5.sixthtone.com/image/5/35/394.jpg

The UFC Stars Kicking Chinese Martial Arts Into a New Era (https://www.sixthtone.com/news/1006856/the-ufc-stars-kicking-chinese-martial-arts-into-a-new-era)
The breakout success of Chinese fighters in the Ultimate Fighting Championship is shaking up the country’s martial arts scene.

Mathew Scott
Feb 22, 2021 9-min read

Li Jingliang has spent more than a decade establishing himself as an elite fighter in the world of mixed martial arts, with an explosive style and vice-like choke holds that earned him the nickname “The Leech.” But outside the cage is where the 32-year-old makes his biggest impact.

“As well as fighting, what I’m trying to do is change the landscape of MMA in China,” Li tells Sixth Tone. “Little by little, step by step, I’m letting people know what I know.”

Now ranked 12th in his division in the Ultimate Fighting Championship (UFC) — the highest rank achieved by a male Chinese athlete in the promotion — the welterweight born in the Xinjiang Uyghur Autonomous Region has emerged as a star with real clout in China.

The charismatic fighter has acquired millions of followers on social media, appeared on TV talent shows, and even performed with rock bands. And he’s using this platform with one goal in mind: to inspire a new generation of Chinese mixed martial artists.


What I’m trying to do is change the landscape of MMA in China.
- Li Jingliang, UFC fighter

Li’s feeds are filled with training videos explaining MMA and encouraging people to try it out. Each Saturday, he’s in a park near his Beijing home, running free sparring classes for local children.

“Martial arts is rooted in our culture,” Li says. “I’m giving these kids a basic understanding of martial arts, and of mixed martial arts. I’ve committed myself to this and being seen in public is part of that. It’s spreading the message.”

Li is part of a rising generation of Chinese fighters reshaping the UFC. They’re not only bringing legions of new fans to the sport, but also forging links between the worlds of MMA and Chinese martial arts that could turn China into a leading producer of fighting talent over the next few years.

MMA is often considered the world’s fastest-growing sport. Emerging in the early ’90s, it sees fighters compete using a mix of different combat skills, with techniques drawn from the likes of Brazilian jiu-jitsu, kickboxing, wrestling, and muay thai.

But until relatively recently, MMA and its most famous franchise — the UFC — had barely made a dent in the Chinese market. Despite the country’s rich martial arts history and huge grassroots participation in combat sports, few Chinese fighters had heard of the UFC just a decade ago — let alone aspired to compete in it.

http://image5.sixthtone.com/image/5/35/410.jpg
Zhang Tiequan celebrates after defeating Jason Reinhardt of the USA during their featherweight bout at UFC 127 in Sydney, Australia, Feb. 27, 2011. Josh Hedges/Zuffa LLC/People Visual

That’s changing dramatically, however, as a handful of Chinese athletes start to find success in the octagon. The first UFC bout featuring a Chinese fighter came on Feb. 27, 2011, with Zhang Tiequan defeating the American featherweight Jason Reinhardt at UFC 127 in Australia.

Today, China has 12 fighters competing in the UFC, and it even has its first world champion: Zhang Weili, who claimed the women’s strawweight title in 2019. Like Li, the 30-year-old Zhang — who isn’t related to Zhang Tiequan — sees herself as a role model for young Chinese athletes and encourages them to follow the path she has forged in life through her dedication to martial arts.

“Years ago, a UFC championship looked far off in the distance for China,” Zhang Weili said ahead of her most recent title defense, an epic split-decision victory over Poland’s Joanna Jędrzejczyk in Las Vegas last March. “Now, we have it, and I hope I can give Chinese fighters more motivation to fight.”

Zhang Weili’s breakout victories have helped the UFC rapidly emerge as one of China’s most popular sports franchises. In 2020, the promotion’s following on China’s Twitter-like Weibo grew nearly 40% to just under 2.2 million, while on Douyin — China’s version of TikTok — it jumped 157% to 7.1 million, according to figures supplied by the UFC.

http://image5.sixthtone.com/image/5/35/411.jpg
Zhang Weili celebrates following her split-decision victory over Joanna Jedrzejczyk of Poland in their UFC strawweight championship fight during the UFC 248 event in Las Vegas, USA, March 7, 2020. Jeff Bottari/Zuffa LLC/People Visual

“Chinese fighters are having a huge impact on getting the UFC into the mainstream,” Kevin Chang, senior vice president of the UFC’s Asia-Pacific operation, tells Sixth Tone. “It’s not just Zhang Weili, it’s extending into up-and-coming athletes and our veterans. All of them are trending.”

As its fan base in China grows, the UFC is increasingly looking to the country to expand its roster of fighters. The promotion itself is investing heavily to develop Chinese talent, opening a $13 million performance institute in Shanghai in 2019, where 40 top young athletes are currently training.

A number of people inside China’s MMA scene, meanwhile, tell Sixth Tone the UFC’s growing profile is attracting more young athletes to take up the sport. “The Leech” knows firsthand how important this shift could be.


Now, there’s more attention on MMA than on any other combat sport in China.
- Li Jingliang, UFC fighter
As a child growing up in the Xinjiang countryside, Li started off as a wrestler and was even offered a wrestling scholarship by a local sports academy. But watching his first MMA event on television in 2008 “changed everything,” he says, convincing him to move to Beijing and try to make it as a pro fighter.

“In my generation, if a person said, ‘I want to be an MMA athlete,’ there were a lot of critics — in society, among your family and friends,” Li says. “They just didn’t know what it was. I was very lucky, because my parents supported me … But now, there’s more attention on MMA than on any other combat sport in China.”

Yi Xiemu is one of the young hopefuls hoping to become China’s next UFC star. The 16-year-old trains at the Enbo Fight Club — a gym in the southwestern city of Chengdu that hosts around 400 fighters, some of them local orphans.

“I like MMA because it’s so powerful,” says Yi, who grew up in Aba Prefecture, a remote area northwest of Chengdu. “Training is very tiring, but I can persist … I’ve learned that in MMA, you have to continue training, keep fighting no matter what.”

At Enbo, Yi benefits from training every day with UFC professional Su Mudaerji. The 25-year-old flyweight, currently ranked 14th in his division, has been in the club since he was a boy and now plays an important role mentoring its junior members.

“I want to show them what’s possible if you work hard enough,” Su, also an Aba Prefecture native, tells Sixth Tone.
continued next post

[GeneChing]

http://image5.sixthtone.com/image/5/35/414.jpg
Su Mudaerji (right) punches Zarrukh Adashev of Uzbekistan during their flyweight bout at the UFC Fight Night event in Abu Dhabi, United Arab Emirates, Jan. 20, 2021. Jeff Bottari/Zuffa LLC

Zhang Tiequan, China’s first UFC fighter, is also using his experience to welcome a new generation of fighters. Since hanging up his gloves in 2012, the now-42-year-old has become a driving force behind China Top Team —one of the country’s leading MMA gyms. As a coach at the Beijing-based facility, he’s already helped chart the rise of Li, as well as the surging talent Yan Xiaonan, UFC’s third-ranked women’s strawweight.

Chinese gyms have a natural head start when it comes to training world-class fighters, according to Zhang Tiequan. Unlike in other countries, where fighters normally transition from wrestling or jiu-jitsu to MMA, many Chinese youngsters start out training in kungfu or sanda — a native form of kickboxing that also incorporates wrestling and foot sweep techniques. Zhang followed this route himself, and he believes the wider range of skills he honed through sanda gave him an edge in the cage.

“I started as a wrestler, then I was introduced to sanda,” says Zhang. “I could box, I could kick, I could wrestle. I think this sport gives Chinese fighters an advantage when it comes to MMA and the UFC because of those skills.”

Song Yadong, the UFC’s 14th-ranked bantamweight, echoes this sentiment. His fighting career began at just 9 years old, when he convinced his parents to let him train at one of the famed kungfu schools surrounding the Shaolin Temple in Central China. From there, he transitioned into sanda, then began training with Chengdu’s Enbo Fight Club, before completing his MMA apprenticeship under the tutelage of UFC Hall of Famer Urijah Faber in California.

http://image5.sixthtone.com/image/5/35/409.gif
Students practice open hand strikes at the Shaolin Yongzhi Kungfu School in Dengfeng, Henan province. Courtesy of Matthew Scott

“Those kungfu skills I learned when I was 9 made me even more talented when I was practicing mixed martial arts,” Song tells Sixth Tone. “Chinese martial arts inspired me and taught me to mix the static with the dynamic, to understand that things can be true and false, and to fight with a capricious style.”

To many in China’s MMA circles, Song’s journey from Shaolin to UFC success is a blueprint for the future. Joe Qiao Bo, a veteran MMA coach and ambassador for the sport in China, says the country’s martial arts schools are filled with young fighters with the potential to become pro MMA fighters.

“There are a lot of young people getting into MMA, but the real numbers — the real giant pool of fighters — is still not activated,” says Qiao. “The real numbers are still in martial arts schools.”

In the area around the Shaolin Temple alone, there are scores of martial arts venues, some of them housing as many as 40,000 teenage students. Qiao, who also serves as a consultant for the MMA department of the Chinese Boxing Federation, spends much of his time in the region, working to deepen ties between the schools and the fledgling MMA movement.

“We are trying to activate that connection,” he says. “They (the students in Shaolin) are teenagers, and now is the perfect time to introduce them to MMA.”

http://image5.sixthtone.com/image/5/35/412.jpg
Joe Qiao Bo visits the Shaolin Yongzhi Kungfu School in Dengfeng, Henan province, 2019. Courtesy of Matthew Scott

Wang Zhan, a coach at the Enbo Fight Club, has already noticed an uptick in the number of kids arriving in Chengdu from Shaolin, wanting to learn the new sport.

“In the past three years, many people have been joining,” says Wang. “The UFC has indeed improved everyone’s knowledge of MMA in China … There are many fighters like Song Yadong.”


There are a lot of young people getting into MMA, but the real giant pool of fighters is still not activated.
- Joe Qiao Bo, MMA coach
Meanwhile, there’s an ongoing effort to build up MMA as an amateur sport in China, ensuring young fighters have more opportunities to develop before turning pro.

As elsewhere, MMA was for professionals only in China until just a few years ago. But in 2012, the International Mixed Martial Arts Federation (IMMAF) was set up to turn MMA into a globally recognized amateur sport. One day, the goal is for MMA to be accepted as an Olympic event.

The IMMAF and the Chinese Boxing Federation have begun organizing amateur competitions and promoting coaching programs in China. Chinese fighters also regularly compete in the IMMAF’s global competitions, with Han Guangmei the current women’s world bantamweight champion.

Qiao, who coordinates the work of the Chinese and international bodies, views these initiatives as vital to getting the sport on more sustainable footing.“We need to build a pathway for the fighters,” he says. “We need to push this toward the Olympics, like other combat sports.”

If these efforts pay off, China may once more emerge as a global center for combat sports. According to Qiao, if Chinese fighters dig deep enough into the country’s martial arts heritage, they could even show the UFC a new way to fight.

“In MMA right now, people will either strike or they’ll do grappling,” he says. “But the beauty of real kungfu lies in the middle. How do you put your opponent off balance, and then strike? There is an element of this tripping in kungfu that no one is using in MMA. I call this the missing link. That’s what we’re working on now.”

Editor: Dominic Morgan.

(Header image: Li Jingliang reacts after his knockout victory over Santiago Ponzinibbio of Argentina in a welterweight bout during the UFC Fight Night event in Abu Dhabi, United Arab Emirates, Jan. 17, 2021. Jeff Bottari/Zuffa LLC/People Visual)

threads
China-MMA (http://www.kungfumagazine.com/forum/showthread.php?49870-China-MMA)
Li-Jingliang (http://www.kungfumagazine.com/forum/showthread.php?69628-Li-Jingliang)
Zhang Tiequan (http://www.kungfumagazine.com/forum/showthread.php?58184-Zhang-Tie-Quan-Chinese-Fighter-in-MMA)
Song-Yadong (http://www.kungfumagazine.com/forum/showthread.php?71380-Song-Yadong)