Tai Chi is more than a martial art, it is the synthesis of the best parts of Chinese culture. [1] In 1996, he entered Beijing Shichahai Sports School[zh], where he was trained in sanshou and boxing under Mei Huizhi () and Zhang Xingzheng (). But Xu Xiaodong cant hide his embarrassment when asked about his latest battle scar, a three-inch crimson railroad track that snakes over his right eyebrow. Bullfrog kung fu cannot be what defended the empire.. Footage of this fight went viral. Throughout history, in times of chaos and war, people have needed to protect themselves and their loved ones. President Xi Jinping has made reviving traditional Chinese culture a signature policy, deploying kung fu to boost the nations soft power overseas. Its by far the most obvious of the 40-year-olds war wounds, eclipsing even cauliflower ears and a catalog of creaking bones. For access to exclusive gear videos, celebrity interviews, and more, subscribe on YouTube! Xu says he only wanted to open peoples eyes, but the bout was billed as East vs. West, the master of a hallowed tradition vs. an alien upstart. There are now around 140 Shaolin schools in 70 nations, according to local media. What?! Because it started two hours early. To learn more or opt-out, read our Cookie Policy. Ive been practicing for a year on hard surfaces. Wei boasted of using an invisible force field to keep a dove on his hand, and pulverizing a watermelons innards without damaging its skin. The bout left Xu with barely a scratch but a life in tatters. Everybody thinks that in Shaolin theres some secret knowledge that nobody wants to teach to others, especially the evil foreigners,' says Marta Neskovic, 26, a Serbian doctorate student whos training at the temple for her fieldwork on Shaolin kung fu. [24], In November 2019 an Iron Palm master threatened to break his arm in a fight, but apologized and backed down after Xu accepted and suggested putting 200,000 yuan on the outcome. Whether you agree with Xus actions or not, both sides of the argument can agree on one thing: many people do not understand tai chi. This is due to the fact that they hold these masters in high regards, but he regularly beats them in a quick and frankly embarrassing way. But his efforts were framed by his critics as placing the Western culture of MMA above cherished Eastern traditionsa perfidious sin in an increasingly nationalist China. Many fans prefer the intensity of the format and stripped-down rules. MMA Fighter Dismantles Tai Chi Master in 10 Seconds, Ignites a Martial Arts Firestorm, Click to share on Facebook (Opens in new window), Click to share on Twitter (Opens in new window), Click to share on LinkedIn (Opens in new window), Click to share on Reddit (Opens in new window), Click to share on Pinterest (Opens in new window), The Most Exciting College Football Conferences, Ranked, The Old Course at St. Andrews Is Much More Than the Home of Golf. He records the show in Beijing, and sends it to a friend in America to upload it. [15] During this year Xu would also receive vocal support from Shaolin abbot Shi Yongxin, who claimed that Xu's actions against fake kung fu artists was good for the traditional art form. Part of this growing nationalism is a renewed interest in traditional art forms. One Chinese multi-millionaire offered a 10 million RMB ($1.45m) prize to anyone who could use tai chi to defeat Xu. Set training drills and forms were used as teaching tools. Xu also argued that so-called masters who claimed they could wield supernatural-like powers through qi channeling and pressure point manipulation were con-artists exaggerating their skills to sell school admissions and videos.
Then he disappeared", "China Detains, Harasses Journalist, Academics Over Reports, Comments on Coronavirus", "Missing Chinese journalist 'under state supervision', "Wuhan Covid journalist missing since February found, says friend", "Xu Xiaodong slams tai chi master's threats against Wuhan critic", "Chinese MMA Fighter Hits Back After Threat of Harm to Diary Author", https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Xu_Xiaodong&oldid=1097982617, CS1 Chinese (Taiwan)-language sources (zh-tw), CS1 Chinese (Hong Kong)-language sources (zh-hk), Short description is different from Wikidata, Articles containing Chinese-language text, Articles containing simplified Chinese-language text, Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike License 3.0, MMA fighter, Youtuber, political commentator, This page was last edited on 13 July 2022, at 16:48. In more recent news, according to South China Morning Post, Xiaodong has upped the ante: Xiaodong is now offering 1.2 million yuan ($174,000) in prize money to the winner of his challenge, and said the fight will be broadcast all over the country. [22] The fight was hosted under kickboxing rules in the first round and mixed martial arts in the second; and saw Xiaodong eventually winning by TKO by ground and pound in the second round. Hes so small.. According to Jerry Liu of Fight Commentary Breakdowns Chen had called for this fight with Xu to be postponed twice, so he could get in extra training. Im trying to wake them up and let them know what real traditional kung fu actually is.. Sign up for our newsletter to get the latest adventures, workouts, destinations, and more. Chinese MMA fighter Xu Xiaodong has been back at his martial arts shaming ways again. For many years, unscrupulous teachers have perpetuated misconceptions in order to attract students, encouraging derision from the wider martial arts world. Thats when Xu began arguing with traditional martial artists on Chinese social media platform Weibo. Wei Lei thought his Thunder style of Tai Chi could take on Xu Xiaodong, a Beijing-based MMA fighter, coach and promoter who isalso known by fans as a madman for his ruthlessness. So, if we do not practice tai chi in order to fight, why do we practice tai chi? Xus battle is increasingly a lonely one, however, as the Chinese government is weaponizing kung fu for its own propaganda purposes. After sizing each other up for a few seconds, Xu advances, furiously hurling punches at Weis head. [14], In 2018 Xu was injured fighting in a series of sparring matches with kickboxers at a Chinese MMA gym. According to legend, the monasterys fighting prowess evolved from perfecting household chores like sweeping, fetching buckets of river water and collecting firewood. MiddleEasy: 3601 Walnut St, Denver, CO 80205. The video showed a match between 38 year old MMA fighter Xu Xiaodong () and 41 year old, tai chi master Lei Wei (). disproving the effectiveness of traditional martial arts. Over the past few years, while Xu has racked up a handful of viral KOs of tai chi and wing chun players, he has also faced pressure from the traditional martial arts community and the government. In 2001, Xu began training for mixed martial arts (MMA) and Muay Thai. When we practice tai chi, we are fighting weakness, uncertainty, instability, insecurity, and stress. Xiaodong wants to prove once and for all that mixed martial arts are more effective in combat, and that traditional Chinese martial arts are a way of the past. Dating from A.D. 495, the Shaolin temple is perched on the west side of the forested Mount Songshan, one of Chinas so-called five Sacred Mountains. Hes a good guy, even though hes a totally amateur MMA fighter, Shi says, before quipping to a fellow monk that a hundred people in Henan province alone could defeat Xu. When the police came, even they taunted him, saying he should be able to protect himself. This was interpreted by Bloody Elbow (MMA news site) and Radii China as being in response to Xu's complaints about "kung fu fakery". [28], In June 2019, Xu made a video on YouTube claiming that he wished to become an Australian citizen while commenting on Chinese actors who live abroad or have foreign passports, claiming that "all patriots are going abroad long live China". Over the last hundred years, China has faced exploitation and humiliation at the hands of Western nations, civil war, Communist revolution, and self-imposed isolation. [11][12] Following this, police stopped a fight against another self-proclaimed tai chi master, Ma Baoguo who allegedly called them in, and Xu was banned for organizing tournaments at his gym. Understanding the principles of yin and yang will benefit all aspects of your life, from business to interpersonal relationships. Xus words were unpopular in part because of the current sociopolitical climate in China. UFC Weight Cutting: Everything You Need To Know, How BJJ Can Help Kids Who Are Victims of Bullying, 7 Strongest Pre-Workout Supplements (Updated 2022). Paddy Pimblett is due to make his third UFC appearance this weekend. This whole thing started in 2017. [8][9][10], After the fight went viral, there was significant blowback on social media where he was accused of disparaging Chinese culture and his family received death threats. However there seems to be an overwhelming amount of evidence that these martial arts are little more than nonsense.
[5] Pi would later go on to found the first professional MMA promotion in China, Art of War Fighting Championship. He was left with a fractured skull and needing 26 stiches around his eyebrow following his fourth sparring partner. This year, the Shaolin temple controversially flew the Chinese national flag for the first time, illustrating its patriotic credentials under the auspices of the all-powerful Chinese Communist Party (CCP). Unlike Chen, many traditional martial artists have taken a beating when fighting Xu (or other MMA fighters inspired by Mad Dogs crusade). [2] A year later, he, Anpei () and Wang Yu () founded the first MMA team in Beijing, Bad Boys (). Shi himself has a gold-embossed business card with no less than three QR codes on it. But its nowhere near the deepest. The goal of each style is different, and each is attaining its goals.
Think about it: Two styles of fighting squared up against one other, in a battle for honor. A quarter of a century later, MMA rivals boxing in global popularity, augmented by the booming celebrity of stars like Conor McGregor and Ronda Rousey. When Xu Xiaodong hit me, I was just finding my groove, and then I was blinded by the sun. I can say definitely not, because peoples needs for Tai Chi and MMA are different , and the stage is different. I have no choice but to keep on fighting.. And Xu soaked up all the attention. MMA is an exception, as its #1 goal is to train good fighters. Additionally, his social credit rating was lowered to the point where he could not rent, own property, stay in certain hotels, travel on high speed rail or buy plane tickets. Doesnt MMA vs. tai chi seem like a great undercard for the potential Mayweather-McGregor boxing bout?. This has classic written all over it. Xu was born on 15 November 1979 in Beijing. In kung fu movies, the older the master is, the better the fighter. His popularity helped pave the way for actors like Jackie Chan and Jet Li to turn kung fu expertise into Hollywood stardom. So I cannot stop, as then the whole weight of pressure will come crushing down on me. He was subsequently visited by Chinese authorities and had his Sina Weibo account wiped for the eighth time. [22] Yi Long has previously criticized Xu for his attitude and claimed that Xu himself is in fact a fraud. The tai chi master instantly tumbles onto the checkerboard matting. Magazines, Digital Sean Strickland reflects on his knockout loss to Alex Pereira at UFC 276. Soft surfaces inhibit Tai Chi. The fight ended in 10 seconds, with Xu knocking Wei out cold, handful of viral KOs of tai chi and wing chun players, Fake Kung Fu crusader Xu Xiaodong receives support from the Shaolin monks, The Wild Wild East: Fighting tales from China and beyond, Video: Kung Fu master calls out K-1 champion, gets destroyed, Video: MMA vs. Tai Chi ends in standing KO, Chinese martial artists no longer permitted to call themselves Masters, UFC 280: Oliveira vs. Makhachev fight card shaping up, Report: Johnny Walker takes on Ion Cutelaba at UFC 279 in September, Mr. Even after the Shaolin temple was routed for subversive activities during the Qing dynasty, its influence spread as its monastic diaspora journeyed across the Middle Kingdom and as far as Japan. [8][10][13] Xu continued to fight self-proclaimed tai chi masters. I had no time to warm up! Xu also had to pay a fine and have his social credit rating slashed. [2], "He Never Intended To Become A Political Dissident, But Then He Started Beating Up Tai Chi Masters", "Tai chi v MMA: The 20-second fight that left China reeling", "Meet the Chinese MMA Fighter Taking on the Grandmasters of Kung Fu", "Feature: MMA fighter KOs Tai Chi master, Shaolin monk up next? Tai chi is an ancient Chinese form of martial arts practiced for both its health benefits and its defense trainingalthough, in todays Western society, its seen more as a form of meditation in motion than a means of combat. China re-emerged onto the world scene in the 1980s. The ref put me facing the sun and he put Xu Xiaodongs back against the sun, Chen continued.
While ones technique and understanding may deepen over time, strength and agility naturally decline with age. All this attention ruffled the feathers of the powerful Chinese Wushu Association and the Chinese government. Why? That lawsuit resulted in Xu having to apologize to the plaintiff for seven-straight days. But kung fus cultural reputation has taken a battering with the rise of MMA, and in particular the Ultimate Fighting Championship. Xu leaps forward and rains down blows on his opponent until the referee stops the fight.