Style versus style matches have been taking place since way before the UFC. I was interested to see this Tai Chi versus White Crane footage, because it showed a bout in which the fighters were using TCMA. Comments welcome! You Tube: Kung fu match from 1954: Tai Chi versus White Crane Things have moved on since 1954, haven't they?
This has been discussed a number of times 1) it was a car crash of badness 2) they raised money for charity so good on them 3) at least the white crane guy learned from it he introduced boxing gloves and sparring into his gym shortly afterwards. Things have moved on and they haven't witness Xu Xiaodong's various car crash challenges
Things have moved on and it's not how I'd choose to fight. However, I saw it as less of a crash crash and more of an insight into TCMA in use. They're using techniques like a traditional 'charge punch' and hitting successfully with them. The guard position looks straight out of Michael Staples' White Crane Gung-fu, and doesn't looks like it gets in the way of many punches. Though they managed the odd successful block. I wonder if this led to wider adoption in White Crane circles? At least in the UK, a lot of modern White Crane clubs do Sanda.
The hop gar and lion's roar guys have always fought be it in the ring or out. A large number of triads apparently used these arts, David Rogers in the UK and David Ross in America are well known names in sanda and MMA and both use lions roar/ white crane with there guys so I think it was already in use with other before this gentleman adopted it. Things have moved on for certain people but not others, as I said see Xu's tai chi challenge etc
My comment is; I'm getting real tired of this video being brought out to prove or disprove the effectiveness of Chinese martial arts, because it does neither. My Yang shifu was there with his teacher "Tung Ying Chieh" If you have the full video you will see Tung Ying Chieh doing a demo prior to the match. No one, absolutely no one there, especially the martial artists attending were impressed. It was billed much like the Ali vs Frazer fight and people bought tickets for the event. However as the match progressed, may were booing and may wanted their money back. The challenge was made and many in the martial arts community at the time expected the younger Wu to take the challenge and no one has any idea why the older Wu took it. My shifu and his shifu both thought it was a pathetic display.
Looking back at it now it's not surprising. At least they went out there and did it. I'm grateful for Sanda and honestly I wish it was more readily available because it's way more fun to watch.
I like the video out of historical interest. I was neither trying to prove nor disprove the effectiveness of TCMA. Martial arts can be effective yet not always look good on video, such as boxing in UFC 1.
No worries, its not you, its me... I have seen this brought out soooo many times over they years...for every reason other than historical...I tend to get irritated as soon as it appears There is a webpage, or there use to be a webpage, out there with a lot of old CMA videos on it. If I can remember it, and find it I will post the link
It may be that a branch of Hong Kong Wu style did learn from this match. going on to win plenty in Asian full contact comps thereafter. San shou / sanda/ Kuoshu in the UK not to mention the first tcma trained guy to do anything notable at the highest level in uk MMA at the time But whatever
Ps one more thing.. last year my instructor had one of his guys at the bccma event went toe to toe with the UK national sanda champ. Was pretty close apparently and he just lost out on the decision. This was around last April event irrc. tbh this line don’t think is as prominent or active in the KF scene as once was perhaps. But not dead yet lol
