For those familiar with the Street Fighter video game franchise, the scene set in this video clip will undoubtedly strike a combo of both familiar and awesome. On the other hand, it may appear just plain absurd to those who haven’t had the chance to hurricane-kick their way through the popular button-masher.
In the game, you attempt to dismantle an automobile in the allotted time limit to rack up a few thousand bonus points.
Truth be told, I’m not sure what type of points are awarded to the man in this video. Maybe a bit of extra cash to make a cameo? Or perhaps a chance to spend some quality time with Chun Li at the next cosplay event? Who knows. Whatever the case, this martial arts practitioner rips through the car like a knife through butter— with a variety of patented strikes utilized by the mysterious character known only as Ryu, the unofficial protagonist of the Street Fighter universe.
The martial artist shown in the video is Paul The Kicking Machine Wordsworth, a Lau Gar Kickboxing instructor and British champion— who also studies the arts of muay Thai, jiu-jitsu, and MMA. He totals the car using a wide array of attacks that range from rapid-fire combinations executed with his hands, to powerful axe and jump spin kicks, as you can see below.
Something is Missing
Most notably missing from his technique list are Ryu’s devastating Dragon Punch and Fireball— a ball of Chi energy that the popular character summons and releases from his hands to burn a hole through his hapless opponents.
While these moves may be impossible to pull off in real life, you can’t help but hope to see them executed here, as the rest of the scene appears so authentic.
Suiting up in his traditional white, sleeveless gi, the Ryu copycat dismantles the car in two minutes. As impressive as that may sound, it’s well above the 40-second time limit allotted in the game— proving that while entertaining, the skilled martial artist is still a dragon punch away from actually being Ryu. Shoryuken indeed.
However, inspired by Wordsworth, a number of others have likewise car demolished with fists and feet, and even, once, a dragon punch.
WHO’S NEXT??!?
