SPORTS
Another Chinese MMA fighter knocks out ‘fake’ kung fu master
Photo: YouTube/Fight Commentary Breakdowns
by Nick Atkin
Chinese mixed-martial arts fighter Xuan Wu has followed in the footsteps of his friend and fellow MMA fighter Xu Xiaodong by knocking out a “fake” kung fu master – in 12 seconds.
Xu, 41, has made a name for himself in the past few years by winning bouts against self-proclaimed practitioners of kung fu, or Chinese martial arts, in high-profile matches.
His challenge to old-school kung fu masters was interpreted in China as an act of defiance against traditional martial arts.
This time, the challenger was a man called Tan Long. He said he was representing the wing chun style of fighting. He was dressed in a yellow jumpsuit similar to the one martial arts icon Bruce Lee wore in the film Game of Death.
Tan had challenged Xuan Wu, a fighter name which translates to “Black Tortoise,” to the fight in a trash-talking video on social media, saying he would put up 1 million yuan.
The fight took place in a boxing ring in early August in the middle of a shopping center in Yinchuan, capital of the Ningxia autonomous region in northwest China.
According to footage of the fight, Tan threw a half-hearted flying jump kick at the start of the bout before running away.
Xuan Wu chases Tan Long, dressed in the yellow jumpsuit in homage to Bruce Lee, across the ring. Photo: YouTube/Fight Commentary Breakdowns
Xuan Wu quickly cornered his opponent against the ropes and threw a right high kick to stun him, followed by a left high kick to the head which sent Tan to the canvas and ended proceedings.
Xuan celebrated wildly, performing a standing backflip in the ring, all while Tan continued to lie flat on his back on the ground.
At Xuan’s last fight, the outspoken Xu had watched from ringside as he beat another supposed wing chun master, Li Feng, at a shopping mall in April.
In that fight, which was bare knuckle with only wraps, Wu used just his left arm and left leg to easily beat the wing chun fighter.
Nick Atkin
Nicolas is a contributor to Inkstone. He is a production editor on the South China Morning Post's sport desk and was previously a sports writer for ESPN.
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