Chinese officials in charge of both the Chinese Wushu Association (CWA) and the International Wushu Federation (IWUF) still seem to believe that a “win” is what is important, regardless of how that “win” is achieved. In 2003 we’ve come to the conclusion that this thinking is not only “backward” but has also unnecessarily retarded the growth of the Chinese athletes. While the professional circuit (now being called “Kungfu King”) has been active now since 1998, it wasn’t until this year that we really saw the Chinese fighters actually mature into true fighters capable of fighting outside the carefully manipulated arena the CWA constructed to “protect” them and insure “victories”.

Baoligao Left kick KO’s Thai

In 2003, what we saw was that the Chinese athletes didn’t need anyone to “protect” them. They are more than capable of winning on their own terms and, when necessary, to adapt new skills. In August, in Bangkok Thailand, five Chinese champions faced five TRUE Muay Thai champions including current and former Lumpinee and Rajadamnern title holders. While this was certainly not the first San Da vs. Muay Thai event, this event shocked the world because not only were the Chinese able to secure a close 3 to 2 victory on Muay Thai’s home playing field but also because Baoligao, the "Son of the Grassland", knocked out his Thai opponent in a mere 2 rounds.

An essential aspect of this victory was the Chinese team’s adopting of tools for which they are not normally known. In the 56kg match between Baowee and Kang Yonggang, Kang impressed the audience not only with throws and side kicks (San Da trademarks) but also with elbow strikes! One of Kang’s elbows even opened a large gash in Baowee's forehead. Of course, the greatest shock was the final match in which Baoligao knocked out his Thai opponent! The knockout was a logical result of Baoligao’s aggressive combinations, featuring not only the expected side kicks but also hooks and clinching knees. In the past, China was never known for strong punches or clinch knees.

China vs. Daidojuku Kick catch and plow

Through this bizarre combination of their newly emerging skills and the frequently corrupt practices of the CWA, Chinese teams continued their winning ways in events throughout the year. In October, China defeated a team sent by the Japanese Shootboxing Association. The Japanese Shootboxing team was composed of very skilled athletes, and Chinese representatives have only had mixed results when they have traveled to compete in the Shootboxing league in Japan.

Caesar Takeshi, former Japanese kickboxing champion and founder of the Shootboxing organization, did not protest the results but commented that the Chinese athletes still fight like amateurs, looking only for points. Mr. Takeshi felt that this attitude, still fostered by the CWA was holding the sport back. Mr. Takeshi felt that at the professional level the fighters needed to fight with more power, saying that in his opinion, the professional match is in many ways about the KO! An interesting observation for sure!

China had a much less controversial victory in November, as it defeated the Daido Juku Karate team 6 to 0. Unlike the Shootboxing team, the Daido Juku team seemed extremely uncomfortable with the grappling aspect of the matches.

A similar situation occurred with an American team sent to Beijing by the International Kickboxing Federation (IKF) in December. In three matches to determine IKF world titles, the Chinese team dominated all 15 rounds (i.e. three matches at 5 rounds per match). A question remains as to whether these matches should have been conducted under the same rules as China vs. Thailand (i.e. in the IKF matches the knee was not scored at all) in that they may have made the matches CLOSER but no one seems to dispute that China won the matches.

The obvious conclusion, China doesn’t need the CWA to “protect” them. They are more than capable of winning based upon their own skills and the sooner that the corruption is removed from the system the sooner the sport will be universally accepted.

China vs. Daijuku China’s female champion

In the United States, we had similar struggles with domestic corruption but we also managed to achieve greatness because the quality of the athletes rose above such pettiness. Choosing a national team to represent us at the IWUF World Championships had been quit a controversy and the team found itself with a new head coach at the last minute. However, the US national team still managed to give one of it’s best performances to date, including winning our first GOLD MEDAL! Elaina Maxwell of Cung Le’s USH team was the first American athlete to win a Gold Medal in international San Shou!

The sport also took new directions in the United States. Feeling that there has been a real absence of a national, centralized leadership to help move the sport forward, King of San Da: USA hammered out a relationship with the United States Kickboxing Association (www.USKBA.com) and set out to promote San Da as it has never been done so before. The two organizations jointly held their first North American Championship in November in Elizabeth, NJ. While it conflicted with the IWUF world championships, an unfortunate but unavoidable issue due to the event’s sponsorship, they attracted 55 athletes from around the country and two international teams. A world championship is set to take place September 4-5, 2003.

King of San Da: USA

The new alliance between King of San Da: USA and the United States Kickboxing Association (www.USKBA.com) and their increasing affiliations with other national federations also means that now the US San Shou/San Da community has another method by which they can engage in international competition. They will establish two national teams, one composed of amateurs and one composed of professionals. These national teams will have opportunities to participate in international tournaments and in team competitions against other national teams. In December, the first opportunity came when they sent an athlete to Japan to compete in the Japanese Shootboxing Association’s “S of the World” event.

Finally, I can’t help but believe that there is a world wide trend towards San Da type formats. While we may never see our dreams come true under the Chinese leadership at the CWA or the IWUF we may instead be able to compete and express ourselves in other organizations which have similar formats. We are only as limited as our own thinking on these issues.

Kyuk Too Ki Front page news!

While on my way to dinner in New York City’s Korea Town the other night, I picked up a copy of one of the Korean newspapers. My eyes weren’t playing tricks with me, there was indeed a front page story on how Kyuk Too Ki was growing quickly in Korea. Kyuk Too Ki is a sport very similar to San Da. The only difference is that its professional league also allows elbow strikes. For a long time it was just a little niche sport in Korea, just like San Da is here in the United States. Now it has grown very quickly in a short time. According to the article, there are now six different organizations promoting the sport in Korea and thousands of schools across the country.

San Da, Shootboxing, Kyuk Too Ki: sports with very similar formats which have begun to work together. The Korean Kyuk Too Ki federation already has a well developed relationship with Caesar Takeshi’s Japanese Shootboxing Association. Mr. Takeshi is now providing a critical axis in relationships as he works to establish more permanent ties with both the CWA in China and with the USKBA/King of San Da: USA combination in the United States. This comes as no surprise to anyone who knows Mr. Takeshi and the history of Shootboxing.

Shoot Boxing was first established in 1985 by Japanese kickboxing champion Caesar Takeshi. The initial format resembled Japanese rules kickboxing, meaning that kicks, low kicks, boxing and knee strikes were all legal. However, Shoot Boxing distinguished itself for its use of throwing techniques (the shoot point), derived both from Judo and from the catch wrestling style that Karl Gotch made famous in Japan. Over the years, Shoot Boxing evolved in format until today it is also called “Vale Tudo standing.” Today, elbow strikes and standing submissions (the catch point) are also a feature of Shoot Boxing competitions.

Mr. Takeshi is a legend in Japanese martial arts circles. He was born in Yamaguchi prefecture and debuted in professional kickboxing at the age of 16 in 1972. His powerful kicking techniques quickly made him a star and he captured both the Japan Kickboxing Association’s welterweight and middleweight championships.

I can’t say for certain which direction our sport will take, but I see lots of POTENTIAL and that’s the trend we wanted to focus on!