5 Famous Martial Artists Who Would Do Well In The UFC (& 5 Not)

Regardless of how a practitioner of martial arts achieved fame, many people wonder what would happen if some of the most famous masters of martial arts got a fight in the UFC. The world has seen what can happen when a professional fighter enters the ring, for better or for worse, but a high-profile fight with a well-known practitioner can help support the UFC card. Considering what has been said, not everyone who practices martial arts will be good in the Octagon.

10. Would – Donnie Yen

Some may not know that Donnie Yen is actually credited with bringing MMA into popular Asian culture. He is trained in countless styles of martial arts, in addition to strikes, which makes him dangerous at any level. It is difficult to determine exactly how many styles, but it seems that there are at least 15 of them, with several high-level belts. Donnie Yen is perhaps one of the most impressive masters of martial arts to ever step into the Octagon, with a huge number of accomplishments to his credit. If he moved to the UFC, maybe someone like Conor McGregor would think twice before opening his mouth.

9. Wouldn’t – Jason Statham

To his credit, Jason Statham could probably beat most people, but maybe not dedicated UFC fighters. He is engaged in karate, Wing Chun and kickboxing, which can make him an excellent attacker. His problem will arise when some competent fighter gets to him. Being able to fight the best of them on their feet doesn’t matter much if the opponent’s game plan is to knock him to the floor. If he could use his image from a fighter for battle, he would still be the one the enemy could worry about.

8. Would – Bruce Lee

Some people may think that Bruce Lee was “too Hollywood” to participate in a real fight, but his legacy in martial arts is rooted in real unsanctioned fights. Many people know about his mastery in countless fighting styles, but many do not know that he participated in rooftop fights with bare fists. If Lee were here today, he would probably be able to score incredible victories with the help of strikes, and his experience in legitimate fights, in which there were probably few (if any) rules, proves that he has the mindset to really fight with another person to the end. the end

7. Wouldn’t – Jackie Chan

If Jackie Chan could fight in the Octagon half as creatively as he does in most of his films, it would be hard to see how any opponent would strike. He succeeds in many types of martial arts and even has a black belt in hapkido. The only thing that put Jackie Chan in the “I wouldn’t do it” camp is that most of his training is focused on hitting. While he is undoubtedly an impressive striker, the question remains how well he will fare against someone who has excellent takedowns and ground game, and who only has a hapkido to rely on.

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6. Would – Chuck Norris

It is common knowledge that Chuck Norris is often referred to as one of the greatest North American martial artists of all time, but many may not know that he is actually a black belt in Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu. There may be some debate about how impressive his record actually is, but nonetheless, Chuck Norris still beat a lot of high-level opponents in his prime. His ability to time his strikes, coupled with his knowledge of the ground game, could give him enough of an advantage to take on some of the top fighters in any division.

5. Wouldn’t – Ip Man

Absolutely anyone who loves martial arts should have some level of respect for someone like Ip Man, but his mastery of Wing Chun likely wouldn’t save him in the octagon. Many people know that many martial arts that master single art forms can be taken advantage of in an MMA fight. There was actually a surge in videos of ancient martial arts masters taking on what could be considered less than high-quality MMA fighters in bouts that saw the masters being destroyed. A strong striker or a violent takedown artist would likely be tough for Ip Man to deal with.

4. Would – Wesley Snipes

Many people may not be aware of Wesley Snipes’ many accomplishments in martial arts. He holds a black belt in two different disciplines and has additional training in kickboxing and Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu, making him a dangerous man to throw down with. In fact, there has been talk of a potential fight between Wesley Snipes and Joe Rogan for quite some time, but for various reasons, it never happened. In his prime, Snipes likely could have done quite well in his chosen weight class if he had switched his focus to fighting.

3. Wouldn’t – Jet Li

Most people have likely heard of Jet Li at some point thanks to his wide array of incredible action movies. While he certainly would be a tough opponent, mastery of Wushu at a young age likely wouldn’t be enough to stand in the octagon. One only needs to read about Jet Li’s profound and outright beautiful thoughts on martial arts to come to the conclusion that he likely wouldn’t be interested in legitimately hurting another person. A lack of will for inflicting violence on others is really the greatest thing that would hold him back from success in the UFC.

2. Would – Jean-Claude Van Damme

If Sylvester Stallone’s account of Jean-Claude Van Damme’s incident with Steven Seagal is to be believed, no one wants to mess with him. The man may have become a movie star, but he was a legitimate kickboxer. The only loss on his dedicated 19-fight kickboxing resume was a disqualification, making his striking ability even more impressive. Moving further into semi-contact, he had 48 fights and lost only four. His additional training in karate, taekwondo, and muay thai would only help his abilities.

1. Wouldn’t – Steven Seagal

Despite his strong background in Aikido, and even an endorsement from Lyoto Machida, Steven Seagal likely wouldn’t be beating any serious competitors in the octagon. One solid martial arts background has proven to not be nearly enough in modern MMA. If his online measurements are to be believed, Seagal could realistically compete in either the middleweight or welterweight divisions of the UFC, something that would see him coming up against the likes of Israel Adesanya, Kamaru Usman, Colby Covington, and Robert Whittaker, fighters he’d likely have little chance against.