Wing Chun is a concept-based Chinese martial art and form of self-defense which utilizes both striking and grappling, however; specializes in close-range combat. The earliest known mentions of Wing Chun date back to the late 1800s with a common legend as told by the famous Wing Chun practitioner Yip Man.

The legend involves a young woman who rebukes a local warlord’s offer for marriage. The young woman, Yim Wing-Chun, reconsidered under the condition that he could beat her in a fight. Seeking the guidance of a Buddhist nun, Wing-Chun was taught a new martial art that was based on the nun’s observations of a confrontation between a snake and a crane. This nameless style enabled Wing-Chun to beat the warlord in a one-on-one fight and she began to teach others this style of combat which was later named after her.

The question that begs to be asked however is just how effective is this martial art in a real fight? After all, that was essentially the question that the UFC originally aimed to answer: which martial art is effective and furthermore, which is most effective?

The sport of Mixed Martial Arts has been around a lot longer than most people believe, however; it was introduced to the world on a cold evening in Denver, Colorado on November 12, 1993, and called the Ultimate Fighting Championship. The premise was beautiful in its simplicity: to simply answer the question of which martial art is most effective.

Fast forward over 20 years and we now have a sport that jockeys for top position in popularity in many countries. Although the sport has evolved, the original question that was set out to be answered is still one that intrigues people to this day.

So how will the art of Wing Chun fare as represented in this bare-knuckle fight? Check out the video below to find out.

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Jacob C. Stevens is a lifelong athlete and cerebral martial arts enthusiast who is also skilled in the art of linguistic manipulation, his published work, Afterthoughts and Handgrenades, can be found here…