5 best Chinese MMA fighters today
From ancient forms of combat to modern MMA, China has always been synonymous with martial arts. No other country in the world has had a closer connection to martial arts in pop culture than the People's Republic of China. It's embedded in their nation's rich history and identity.
From the awe-inspiring wirework of Wuxia films to the more grounded and gritty fight scenes of today, Chinese martial arts has had major influence on sports and entertainment, especially mixed martial arts.
Hong Kong-born superstar Bruce Lee, often considered the most influential martial arts master ever, famously transcended his traditional kung fu roots. He created a hybrid approach to combat, combining the best out of different disciplines.
Because of this, a lot of people credit Lee as the father of mixed martial arts. Ever since he revolutionized the concept of fighting, the world followed suit and decades after he'd passed, MMA was born.
Between Lee's introduction of the concept and the evolution of modern mixed martial arts, however, we have not seen a lot of Chinese fighters on a global stage. That was, until a few years ago. Chinese fighters from different organizations have started making waves in the sport.
From the first Chinese UFC fighter Zhang Tiequan to the first Chinese MMA world champion Xiong Jing Nan to the first Chinese UFC champion Zhang Weili, China is becoming a fighting industry powerhouse in Asia. The UFC even has a USD$13 million Shanghai Performance Institute housing the next generation of Chinese MMA fighters.
Once again, martial arts is coming back home to one of the countries that first popularized it. In the spirit of Chinese New Year, we rank the best MMA fighters from China active today.
#5. MMA pioneer and first-ever Chinese UFC fighter, Tiequan Zhang
Though he's been inactive for almost a decade now, former UFC fighter 'The Mongolian Wolf' Tiequan Zhang isn't officially retired yet. He may not be the best to ever to come out of the country, but Zhang would always be the first to enter the UFC.
With a 14-1 record coming into his UFC debut and an impressive guillotine choke win over Jason Reinhardt, Zhang signified a new wave, not just for China, but for the entire continent of Asia altogether. Zhang's debut showed the potential Asia can present to the sport.
Though it's unlikely that Zhang will make waves in the cage today at 38, he's still doing so outside of it. Currently, 'The Mongolian Wolf' is coaching some of the best UFC fighters today like Li Jingliang and Yan Xiaonan.