Fighting in bars/clubs, while often glamorized in film, is actually an incredibly stupid thing to do. In a crowded setting, not only are there lots of witnesses, but you can literally be attacked from any angle by either a drunken patron or the bouncing staff who don’t take kindly to trouble-makers.

Real martial artists know to never fight unless they have to but walking away and living to fight another day seldom makes the final cut in movies. Even though in reality bar fighting is not smart, the following bar fight scenes from martial arts films sure made for an entertaining watch.

3) Kickboxer (1989)

This drunken bar fight scene featuring martial arts icon Jean-Claude Van Damme in his prime was actually a form of ‘training’ from his unconventional master. His trainer got him liquored up then picked a bunch of fights for him as a form of sparring.

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In real life that would be so not cool but it certainly made for a fun scene.

2) Out for Justice (1991)

The famous ‘Anybody seen Richie?’ scene from 1991’s ‘Out for Justice’ starring Steven Seagal is one of the most memorable bar fight scenes in martial arts cinema. Seagal sets the scene by causing a ruckus and offering up his badge as a trophy for anybody who can best him.

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This scene is also a good example of how things can quickly escalate into a bar fight as weapons are quickly drawn too but they are still no match for Seagal’s aikido.

1) Best of the Best (1989)

1989 was a good year for martial arts films it seems. While Best of the Best is not as well-known as others on this list, it is still a favorite among many including UFC legend Chuck Liddell who calls it his favorite martial arts movie ever.

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What’s cool about this scene is that the main character, Tommy Lee, tries to do the smart thing and avoid trouble but is forced to defend himself and we see how that goes for his antagonists.