Michael Jai White, the best skilled martial arts actor?

[Frode Falch]

White was born in Bridgeport, Connecticut and graduated from Central High School in 1982. He is an accomplished martial artist, holding seven legitimate black belts in Shotokan, Tae Kwon Do, Kobudo, Goju Ryu, Tang Soo Do, Wushu and Kyokushin,[3] with a specific focus in Kyokushin (although his style incorporates aspects of many different martial arts forms). White started martial arts training at the age of seven. In August 2005 he wed his girlfriend of two years, Courtenay Chatman, an OB/GYN who trained in Philadelphia and Los Angeles. The couple have a daughter named Morgan Michelle who was born on December 24, 2008. Michael has two sons from a previous relationship.[4]

There is many martial arts actor. But most of them are fake or semi-fake when it comes to their fightingskills in real life. Some are bad-asses for real. Its not easy to put one name on the top. But i think Michael Jai White is one of the real deal.

 

[DrunkMonkMeth]

There is many martial arts actor. But most of them are fake or semi-fake when it comes to their fightingskills in real life. Some are bad-asses for real. Its not easy to put one name on the top. But i think Michael Jai White is one of the real deal.

chuck norris!

 

[Frode Falch]

yeah maybe in the 60-70's

 

[MysticNinjaJay]

Michael Jai White is a badass. I've been watching his films for a long time. Check out his training sessions on the set of Universal Soldier.

 

[Felya]

 

[Higus]

No ground skills. I gotta give it to Chuck Norris, who has a Brown Belt under the Machado's

 

[Flexwave2003]

The best skilled martial arts actor?

Depends on how you want to look at it.

Rampage would tool him. So would Couture. Both are martial artist who happen to be actors. Cung Le is supposedly doing some acting, Id wager he would tool White as well. Lets not forget Tito Ortiz and Bas Rutten. All of these guys have fought professionally, with major success and have been bit by the acting bug.

There is a huge difference between having black belts and being a professional fighter.

I have a hard time calling anyone legit who doesnt step in the ring and or cage and prove it.

 

[Flexwave2003]

And on the subject of Chuck Norris, I have no doubts he is a skilled martial artist. But if we're talking real fighting, does anybody have any hard facts and his actual accomplishments? I only ask because Bas Rutten said Chuck was a no contact Karate Champion.

That could mean a few things, but I think the obvious answer is he didnt gain notoriety in actual full contact Karate events.

 

[Frode Falch]

The best skilled martial arts actor?

Depends on how you want to look at it.

Rampage would tool him. So would Couture. Both are martial artist who happen to be actors. Cung Le is supposedly doing some acting, Id wager he would tool White as well. Lets not forget Tito Ortiz and Bas Rutten. All of these guys have fought professionally, with major success and have been bit by the acting bug.

There is a huge difference between having black belts and being a professional fighter.

I have a hard time calling anyone legit who doesnt step in the ring and or cage and prove it.

I dont think you get my point. I am talking about real actors, not fighters who tries to get into acting. Any person who knows anything about fighting knows that pro-fighters >> actors. but as i said, we are talking about people who are actors, not fighters.

the list of martial arts actors include people like:

JC Van Damme
Bruce Lee
Jackie Chan
Jet Li
Steven Seagal
Wesley Snipes
Michael Jai White
Scott Adkins
Mark Dacascos
ect ect... You get my point?

 

[Long Dark Blues]

Wesley Snipes is starting to look old.

 

[Flexwave2003]

JC Van Damme
Bruce Lee
Jackie Chan
Jet Li
Steven Seagal
Wesley Snipes
Michael Jai White
Scott Adkins
Mark Dacascos
ect ect... You get my point?

Okay. Well Im no expert on any of the men above, hard to say without seeing them all throw down.

Each has their qualities they bring to the screen, its hard to deny Snipes looks powerful in his technique. But what about JCVD's triple axle flying spinning back kicks? The stuff dreams are made of lol.

Who has the most competition experience out of the guys above? There might be your answer. Maybe somebodys a closet badass though, who knows.

 

[devante]

the point comparing actors to martial artist goes both ways; in that none of the guys you mentioned are considered "good" actors and none would get any attention based on acting skills, i.e. no fame from fighting.

mario lopez is probably the best, he can box is a purple belt in bjj and was a amateur wrestler...

jcvd supp competed in kickboxing 18-1 i don't know but from what i have read it is true...

micheal jai white- has competed in all the forms of martial arts he trained, esp kyokushin

scott adkins- i think was a kickboxer first/maybe mma too

daniel bernhardt-also competed as a kickboxer too

bruce lee- was known to spar often w/joe lewis and other pro fighters/ex, esp the guys in those kung fu movies; from what i understand, bruce knuckled up alot of cats (w/legit fight b/g)

dolph lundgren is a blkblt in kyokushin and competed in full contact karate

martin lawrence was a gg boxer and champion

guy ritchie is a karate blkblt, bjj brown belt

will yun lee is a very good tkd practitioner and is a bjj bluebelt

there are many guys who act who legitimately train martial arts; i don't know if them not fighting makes them less of a martial artist, i think that comes down to their work ethic and dedication to the craft. Most celebrities i know of, through other people; all train legitimately and spar hard. Its not the same as fighting; but they still have shown the ability to master tech and use it w/in the context of hard contact.

 

[DropBows]

That second video in the OP was funny. That guy is impressive for his size.

I have to go with either Jackie Chan or Jet Li. Only someone like Jackie Chan can pull off the stuff he does.

 

[Valentin]

You guys live in an imagenary world. Tony Jaa is the real man. I can't believe nobody mentioned him. His knees, elbows and kicks are freakin powerful. Nobody hits harder in the movies. I almost feel pity for the actors in fighting scenes.

 

[MysticNinjaJay]

No ground skills. I gotta give it to Chuck Norris, who has a Brown Belt under the Machado's

I just watched the movie Blood and Bone. That movie is tight! One of the best Martial Arts movies I've seen. Michael Jai White is incredible. The movie actually has some slick grappling moves in it. You can tell that the choreographer has been watching MMA.

 

[Brooklynsown]

The best skilled martial arts actor?

Depends on how you want to look at it.

Rampage would tool him. So would Couture. Both are martial artist who happen to be actors. Cung Le is supposedly doing some acting, Id wager he would tool White as well. Lets not forget Tito Ortiz and Bas Rutten. All of these guys have fought professionally, with major success and have been bit by the acting bug.

There is a huge difference between having black belts and being a professional fighter.

I have a hard time calling anyone legit who doesnt step in the ring and or cage and prove it.

Not every martial artist wants to be a professional fighter i remember Frank Shamrock saying the most dangerous guys are the ones in dojos doing it for the love. Being in a street fight is a big difference between fighting in a cage there no rules groin shots, eyes gauges, head buts changes the whole dynamic. I saw on inside mma Mike Jai White used to compete in kyokushin tournaments being a professional fighter doesnt mean your a great martial artist.

 

[Brooklynsown]

Bruce Lee would have to be the greatest Martial arts actor maybe the greatest martial artist ever for the impact hes left on the world watch how Bruce Lee changed the world on the history channel and you would see why.

 

[Sinister]

And on the subject of Chuck Norris, I have no doubts he is a skilled martial artist. But if we're talking real fighting, does anybody have any hard facts and his actual accomplishments? I only ask because Bas Rutten said Chuck was a no contact Karate Champion.

That could mean a few things, but I think the obvious answer is he didnt gain notoriety in actual full contact Karate events.

Nah that's just Bas being Bas. Chuck was a certified badass who cut his teeth in full contact tournaments. This was before the days where anything resembling Fighting outside of Boxing and kickboxing was nearly a taboo, and many an American Karateka had to settle for their own circuit with different rule structures. But it wasn't girly-play either. The matches were rough, and churned out guys like Bill Wallace, Benny Urquidez, and John Liu (who beat Chuck in competition). I'm pretty positive Chuck met Bruce at one of these things, and that was the platform on which Bruce brought Chuck in on "Way of the Dragon."

 

[MysticNinjaJay]

Not every martial artist wants to be a professional fighter i remember Frank Shamrock saying the most dangerous guys are the ones in dojos doing it for the love. Being in a street fight is a big difference between fighting in a cage there no rules groin shots, eyes gauges, head buts changes the whole dynamic. I saw on inside mma Mike Jai White used to compete in kyokushin tournaments being a professional fighter doesnt mean your a great martial artist.

I recall Frank Shamrock saying that in an interview as well. It makes you wonder about the level of guys out there training as a way of life rather than competing in a televised sport. We should keep in mind that Martial Artists like Michael Jai White and Jean Claude Van Damme got into acting before MMA was a popular sport.

They displayed their talents on the big screen back when there was no money in combat sports outside of Professional Boxing.

There are Martial Artists out there benefiting from the MMA revolution by cross-training in other Martial Arts. They just aren't competing. Some of them compete in underground streetfighting to test their skills. Not everyone can get a contract with the UFC. That's not to say that the top contenders in MMA are not some of the best fighters in the world but there are talented fighters out there who are not in the spotlight.

 

[krazylarry]

I dont get the 2nd video.