Master of martial arts. Interesting things on the web! The best martial artist

There are a great many people who contributed to the development and spread of various types of martial arts. This article is an attempt to introduce you to the greatest, most famous and best martial artists of the 20th century.


10. Kharlampiev Anatoly. Sambo

Anatoly Arkadyevich Kharlampiev is one of the founders of sambo wrestling. From the age of 6 he performed under the circus big top with aerialists, and at the age of 16 he was already considered a good fighter, thanks to the training of his father, a boxer, and his grandfather, a master of fist fighting. He perfectly mastered French wrestling, English and French boxing, and studied judo under the direction of Vasily Oshchepkov. In 1938 headed the USSR Sambo Federation and worked on its dissemination and development.

9. Wally Jay. Jujutsu



Wally Jay is the founder of Small Circle Jiu-Jitsu. This direction is based on the movement of the hand in a small circle, which allows you to carry out painful techniques and grips more effectively. Wally is 10th Dan in Jiu-Jitsu. He is the creator of the “10 principles of the Small Circle”, compatible with virtually any style. He was a close friend and sparring partner of Bruce Lee.

8. Benny Urquidez. Kickboxing



Benny Urquidez is an American kickboxing champion. At the age of 3 he began to learn boxing, and at the age of 5 he was already performing in the ring. At 14 he received a black belt. In 27 years of his sports career (although some say 25 years), he did not lose a single fight. According to unofficial data, he fought 63 (or 58) battles.

7. Sombat Banchamek. Muay Thai



Sombat Banchamek is better known by his pseudonym Buako Por. Pramuk is a Thai athlete and professional Thai boxer. Two-time winner of the K-1 World MAX Grand Prix. The first fighter who was able to win this title twice. According to superficial calculations, he fought more than 400 fights, more than half of which were according to the rules of Muay Thai, the rest were boxing, kickboxing, and wushu sanda.

6. Masutatsu Oyama. Karate



Masutatsu Oyama is the creator of the Kyokushinkai style, the founder of the International Kyokushinkai Organization (IKO), which he headed until his death (1994). Known for being able to cut off a bull's horns with just one blow of his palm. According to the official version, Oyama defeated 52 bulls in the arena. Of these, he cut off the horns of 48 and killed three.

5. Alexander Karelin. Classic wrestling



Alexander Aleksandrovich Karelin is a Soviet and Russian athlete, Greco-Roman wrestler. Olympic champion and Olympic medalist (1988, 1992 and 1996 - gold medal, 2000 - silver medal), nine-time world champion (1989-1991, 1993-1995, 1997-1999), twelve-time European champion (1987-1991, 1993-1996, 1998-2000) Honored Master of Sports of the USSR (1988). The world sports community recognizes Karelin as the best classical wrestler in the history of this sport. The signature technique is the “reverse belt”.

4. Muhammad Ali. Boxing



Muhammad Ali is a multiple world heavyweight champion. World boxing legend. Real name: Cassius Clay. He began his career in 1960. Muhammad Ali came up with his name when he joined an organization called the Nation of Islam. He was named "athlete of the century." Known for putting enormous psychological pressure on his opponents in the ring, addressing them contemptuously and humiliating them before the fight.

3. Bruce Lee. Kung Fu



Bruce Lee is a famous actor, philosopher, and martial artist who made a great contribution to their popularization. His main style was Wing Chun, which he studied in Hong Kong from 1956 with master Ip Man; Later, Bruce came up with his own style of Jeet Kune Do (the way of the leading fist).

Since childhood, I have been interested in martial arts, watched many films with great masters of wushu, karate, kickboxing and other types of martial arts. I considered them my heroes. Indeed, these are people whose contribution to the development of various sports is immeasurable. This article is an attempt to introduce you to the greatest, most famous and best martial artists of the 20th century.

Kharlampiev Anatoly. Sambo

Anatoly Arkadyevich Kharlampiev is one of the founders of sambo wrestling. From the age of 6 he performed under the big top of a circus with aerialists, and at the age of 16 he was already considered a good fighter, thanks to the training of his father, a boxer, and his grandfather, a master of fist fighting. He perfectly mastered French wrestling, English and French boxing, and studied judo under the direction of Vasily Oshchepkov. In 1938 headed the USSR Sambo Federation and worked on its dissemination and development.

Wally Jay. Jujutsu


Wally Jay is the founder of Small Circle Jiu-Jitsu. This direction is based on the movement of the hand in a small circle, which allows you to carry out painful techniques and grips more effectively. Wally is 10th Dan in Jiu-Jitsu. He is the creator of the “10 principles of the Small Circle”, compatible with virtually any style. He was a close friend and sparring partner of Bruce Lee.

Benny Urquidez. Kickboxing


Benny Urquidez is an American kickboxing champion. At the age of 3 he began to learn boxing, and at the age of 5 he was already performing in the ring. At 14 he received a black belt. In 27 years of his sports career (although some say 25 years), he did not lose a single fight. According to unofficial data, he fought 63 (or 58) battles.

Sombat Banchamek. Muay Thai


Sombat Banchamek is better known by his pseudonym Buako Por. Pramuk is a Thai athlete and professional Thai boxer. Two-time winner of the K-1 World MAX Grand Prix. The first fighter who was able to win this title twice. According to superficial calculations, he fought more than 400 fights, more than half of which were according to the rules of Muay Thai, the rest were boxing, kickboxing, and wushu sanda.

Masutatsu Oyama. Karate


Masutatsu Oyama is the creator of the Kyokushinkai style, the founder of the International Kyokushinkai Organization (IKO), which he headed until his death (1994). Known for being able to cut off a bull's horns with just one blow of his palm. According to the official version, Oyama defeated 52 bulls in the arena. Of these, he cut off the horns of 48 and killed three.

Alexander Karelin. Classic wrestling


Alexander Aleksandrovich Karelin is a Soviet and Russian athlete, Greco-Roman wrestler. Olympic champion and Olympic medalist (1988, 1992 and 1996 - gold medal, 2000 - silver medal), nine-time world champion (1989–1991, 1993–1995, 1997–1999), twelve-time European champion (1987–1991, 1993–1996, 1998–2000) Honored Master of Sports of the USSR (1988). The world sports community recognizes Karelin as the best classical wrestler in the history of this sport. The signature technique is the “reverse belt”.

Muhammad Ali. Boxing


Muhammad Ali is a multiple world heavyweight champion. World boxing legend. Real name: Cassius Clay. He began his career in 1960. Muhammad Ali came up with his name when he joined an organization called the Nation of Islam. He was named "athlete of the century." Known for putting enormous psychological pressure on his opponents in the ring, addressing them contemptuously and humiliating them before the fight.

Bruce Lee. Kung Fu


The famous actor, philosopher, and martial artist made a great contribution to their popularization. His main style was Wing Chun, which he studied in Hong Kong from 1956 with master Ip Man; Later, Bruce came up with his own style of Jeet Kune Do (the way of the leading fist).

Fedor Emelianenko. Mixed martial arts


Fedor Vladimirovich Emelianenko is a Russian athlete who practices mixed martial arts (Mixed Martial Arts, abbreviated as MMA). He holds the title of four-time MMA heavyweight champion; More than once he was recognized as the best fighter in his category. Fedor did not know defeat for almost 10 years in a row.

Jet Li. Wushu


Jet Li was born in China in 1963. At the age of 11 he was recognized as the champion of the People's Republic of China. And in 1979 he became a Wushu champion for the fourth time. At the age of 17 he began his acting career. Today, Jet Li is one of the most popular actors in China, fluent in Wushu techniques.

One legendary martial artist said that a man has a weapon - which cannot be seen until he has used it, and cannot be taken away while he is alive. It's about the art of combat. Master-legends include karatekas, boxers and MMA fighters. But they are united by one thing - they improved, developed martial arts and became famous thanks to their impeccable mastery of martial arts.

Ip Man is a master of Chinese martial arts. He taught the Wing Chun style to Bruce Lee. Ip Man's contribution to the development of martial art is that he managed to popularize the closed style of Wing Chun; it became the property of people, but had previously been carefully hidden. Ip Man worked for the Chinese police and practiced Wing Chun skills.

At this time the master was a little over twenty years old. In a decade, he will leave the police, open a martial arts school and train dozens of students - highly qualified masters. He also owns the basic methods of teaching Wing Chun. In the mid-twentieth century, Ip Man created the “Athletic Association of Wing Chun”, which united all the masters of this style.

Probably the most famous Kung Fu and Wing Chun fighter. He studied with Ip Man, mastered Chinese martial arts, and subsequently became a famous film artist and idol of the generations of the eighties and nineties. Bruce Lee starred in more than forty films. He dedicated one of them, “Ip Man,” to his mentor. One of his achievements is the development of staged Kung Fu acrobatics, which made the style more spectacular and vibrant. Thanks to him, martial arts became popular in the USA, Europe and Russia.

The legendary “grandfather” of the Russian Style of Hand-to-Hand Combat. Alexey Kadochnikov is a hereditary officer who devoted his entire life to the creation and development of the Russian Style of hand-to-hand combat. He put together everything that was known about the martial art of our ancestors and, based on this research, created a universal system of hand-to-hand combat, which is now taught to soldiers in the special forces. For many years Kadochnikov studied characterization, Cossack fighting, and Russian fighting. During the years of Soviet power, the military heritage of the Russians was lost, and Kadochnikov’s merit is the revival of the traditions of our, domestic martial art.

And this is the founder of the Small Circle of Jiu-Jitsu. It was he who came up with the famous circular movement of the hand in a circle, which allows you to effectively grab the enemy. He holds a tenth dan rank in Jiu-Jitsu and is listed as one of the top 100 most influential people in the world of martial arts. The direction of the Small Circle has become a sports branch in this art, and tournaments and competitions are regularly held in it. Wally Jay was a close friend of Bruce Lee, and even starred with him in one of his films.

Masutatsu Oyama, creator of the Kyokushinkai style of karate, holder of the tenth dan. It was he who made the greatest contribution to the development of Japanese karate - this was the creation of the Association of Japanese Martial Arts, and the writing of books about karate and the establishment of national karate competitions in Japan. Although he was a Korean by birth, Masutatsu Oyama grew up in Japan and became interested in the samurai and karate traditions as a child. A year-long hermitage in the mountains played a big role in his development as a master.

If you ask people which boxer they know, ninety out of a hundred will name Mohamed Ali. His real name is Clay Cassius. Throughout his life, he became the light heavyweight champion many times, and in 1999 he was recognized as the “athlete of the century.” He became the prototype for the film "Rocky". In the ring, Ali behaved impudently, sometimes insulting his opponents and carrying out lightning-fast attacks. The athlete's main calling card was the speed of the strike and the inertial uppercut - one of the most difficult elements in boxing.

Fighter, artist and director. Thanks to his films, the Kung Fu style became known to millions of people. The boys in the courtyards played “Jackie Chan,” jumping from various supports on each other and creating dumps. He made the Kung Fu style spectacular, added a lot of kicks, jumps and spins, and many elements of lower acrobatics to the traditional martial arts. Another achievement of Chan is the creation of a film concern that specializes in filming films about martial arts.

888 fights and only one defeat in his entire sports career. The Federation of Classical Wrestling recognized our compatriot Alexander Karelin as the most effective athlete. He has as many awards as the entire team sometimes does not have. Karelin is a three-time winner of the Olympic Games, and from 1992 to 1998 the permanent holder of the world champion title in classical wrestling. In Russia, Karelin created the Freestyle Wrestling Association and his own sports school.

And this is the first Thai boxing master in the world to win the K-1 championship. This athlete competes not only in Muay Thai, but also in kickboxing. Known for his mixed technique and precise timing of actions in the ring. His fighting style can be called “mathematical”; it seems that the athlete sees and predicts his opponent three blows ahead. He was named the most successful kickboxer for the period from 2006 to 2010. Today Buako Por Paramuk is the most famous Thai boxer in the world.

Anatoly Kharlampiev is the creator of sambo wrestling. From the age of six he performed in the circus as a gymnast, then his father began teaching the boy French wrestling and boxing, preparing him for performances. Leaving his career as a circus performer, Kharlampiev began studying the fighting styles of Judo, English boxing and French wrestling. Based on these trends, he created combat sambo, which became the most popular wrestling in the Soviet Union. Sambo was studied in sports schools, in the army and in military schools.

Video: 10 Legendary Martial Artists

Exciting martial arts talents that have revolutionized the way we think about the world of cinematic combat. Who are they and why are they so famous?

  1. Master of Kung Fu comedy.

There is not a person who does not recognize Jackie Chan as an outstanding, living legend. I can’t even believe that young Jackie Chan began his first steps in cinema as a stuntman in the films of the great Bruce Lee. It is not at all strange that the first impression of critics about the young Chinese actor-martial artist was biased - they saw him only as a follower, a possible copy of Bruce Lee, whose level no one can reach. And Jackie Chan understood this and, moreover, accepted it - who better than him understood that there would never be a next Bruce Lee. Therefore, Jackie chose his own path, his own path and decided to give the world his original, real self! The natural charm and childish humor of the Kung Fu master played a significant role - just remember the masterpiece “Drunken Master”, released in 1978. Jackie Chan did not play an invincible handsome man, he broadcast his real, cheerful and cocky self onto the screen - the average viewer sincerely wanted to worry and root for such a hero. It was Jackie who established the rule and showed a different hero - not stately, not cool and not invincible in Hollywood. Jackie Chan still demonstrates that great martial arts masters do not have to be stereotyped, uniform, and look like they came off the covers of a magazine.

  1. The legendary wushu master for losers.

He is absolutely not handsome according to the classic models of world actors: he does not have outstanding height, his skin, even saturated with makeup, does not look perfect, and his signature facial expression resembles the grimace of a mischievous child. The aura of celebrity, a certain feeling with which he fills his viewer, gives him, of course, his outstanding skills! It’s hard to imagine, but even as a child, little Jet Li demonstrated his remarkable talent, confirmed by an impressive number of gold medals - and this in a country where almost every child is familiar with Wushu! The secret of success is speed - Jet Li is incredibly fast, and evidence of this is captured in every film he participates in. Sometimes it’s even hard to believe that the speed is conveyed in real time and conditions, and not the result of editing.

In addition to his talent in the field of wushu, the talent of Jet, the Actor, is also recognized. Jet Li is one of the favorites of Hollywood directors, which is why the Chinese actor’s filmography includes so many American-made films.

You readily believe in Jet Li when he, essentially a small man, fights and defeats those who significantly surpass him in strength and capabilities.

6 and 5. Michelle Yeoh and Zhang Ziyi. Masters of Cat Fighting - Kung Fu

Female characters were not allowed to enter the cinematic world of martial arts until 2000. Only Michelle Yeoh and Zhang Ziyi were able to fundamentally change the opinion about female kung fu masters and gain the respect of their male colleagues - all thanks are addressed to them!

Women willingly mixed high quality martial arts with dance art, and it looked truly magnificent and deadly on camera. There was no doubt that any of these women would outshine any famous wrestler, and would do it so beautifully and gracefully that men could only envy. These actresses created beautiful, bright and courageous, killer images.

  1. Gordon Liu. Master of Remade Shaolin

Gordon Liu, one of the whales that rules the world of martial arts films. The films with the participation of Master Gordon were not as popular and high-quality as the films of his heirs, but it was he who laid the foundation and created the road for films and heroes that glorified the skills of kung fu and wushu.

His calling card is the role of San Te in “The 36 Steps of Shaolin” and a series of sequels to the film.

Interestingly, it was these poorly recorded and terribly edited films that inspired the notorious Quentin Tarantino to “Kill Bill.” It’s even more curious that Gordon Liu also found roles in these films, and not the last ones.

Liu's fame reached India; the actor took part in Bollywood films. So, he is justifiably a world-class star.

  1. Kung Fu Master – mix

Stephen Chow is close to everyone who has at least once heard or seen Shaolin football or an incomprehensible violent action involving kung fu techniques! Zhou is an explosive mixture of a top comedian, a martial artist and a cartoon character. All of his films have a clear focus on Chinese culture, are filled with Chinese humor, but are funny and understandable to any viewer, regardless of nationality. Chow pioneered the use of massive amounts of digital animation to make his films look truly stunning, inspiring and absolutely breathtaking.

His motto: “Special effects shouldn’t look real, they should look funny and surreal, like comic books.” Chow steps on a bad person’s foot, and the poor fellow’s finger turns into a pancake! He throws a whole swarm of enemies into the air, and they explode into the sky like festive confetti. A killer mixture and a really popular idea!

  1. . Master of Cool Kung Fu

Donnie Yen is an actor you definitely saw, but definitely didn’t remember. And it’s not about the talent of the game and skill, but about the company - he always played supporting roles with famous actors in the foreground. Yen has starred in films such as “Hero” with Jet Li, “Once Upon a Time in China II”, and “Shanghai Knights” with Jackie Chan - it is difficult to remain in the mind and sight next to Jet and Jackie. This is probably why Donnie Yen is still little known in Hollywood and has not taken part in as many American projects as his compatriots.

Ian has his own original fighting style: he fights calmly in a room with enemies, frankly bored and willingly exposing himself to a possible retaliatory strike. Having given himself a chance to be caught, Ian unleashes his killing blows. Unlike other actors in this genre, Ian takes the lead because there is a huge chance that this actor's prospects are very bright and successful, and will definitely take him across the Pacific Ocean.

  1. Number One Master of Kung Fu Movies

Bruce Lee is a personality, a truly legendary and unforgettable character. If martial artists had their own personal god, Bruce Lee would be the one to play this role.

It was he who paved the way for Asia to America, it was he who radically changed the attitude of Americans towards Asians in general!

He became the first non-white key action star. African American, Latin American and Asian actors owe their appearance in films to Bruce Lee.

Bruce also became the first action actor to abandon special effects and stuntmen - he was for naturalness and truthfulness in the frame, so every day he worked on his body and skills in order to be able to impress his audience again and again.

Bruce Lee was a genius not only in existing battles, but also became the founder of his own movement - Jeet Kune. All Bruce Lee's films are recognized and belong to the classics of the genre and do not lose their popularity to this day.

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We are used to watching in fascination how the heroes of our favorite action films fight artistically. Almost every actor in this genre had sports training in the 90s. Today we remember the best of the best who achieved success both on the tatami and on the set.

In this rating, we tried to take into account the totality of merits: both in sports and in cinema. It is clear that most of the actor-fighters have not met in official fights. Therefore, it is impossible to say who is objectively stronger as an athlete. And everyone's acting is well done. And only by adding up our successes in sports and cinema did we receive this rating.

1. Chuck Norris

Sports career: Who doesn't know Chuck? Everyone knows Chuck! He is cool not only in films, but also in competitions. The data differs, but his statistics are as follows: between 1964 and 1974, Chuck Norris fought 195 fights. He won 183 of them, lost two, and 10 ended either without a result being announced or in a draw. Norris won 30 tournaments and was 6 times World Professional Middle Weight Karate Champion. And the list of his awards in other martial arts can be listed for a very long time. But, again, information about Chuck's achievements varies. In order not to upset Chuck Norris (more expensive for ourselves), let’s keep silent about a couple of “dubious” fights.

Actor career: To be honest, Chuck Norris acted and acts no more than other fighter actors. He is more busy with his martial arts school. But his roles in 23 films in Hollywood, as well as the series “Cool Walker,” made him a star, or rather, an idol! In addition, Chuck Norris graced the film “The Expendables 2” with his appearance. We are waiting for Chuck in the third part!

2 . Don Wilson

Sports career: Don Wilson earned the nickname "The Dragon" for his success in kickboxing. The history of his victories begins in 1979, when Wilson won the PKA (Professional Karate Association) championship. A year later he became the world champion according to the WKA (World Karate Association or World Karate Association). Over the next 11 years, he won this title 10 times in three weight categories and according to five organizations.

By the way, it was Wilson who received the largest prize in the history of kickboxing - 60 thousand dollars (for defeating Branko Sikatic)

Actor career:“Bloody Fist”, “Ring of Fire”, “Future Strike”, “Black Belt”, “Bloodlust”, “Die and Try” - these are just some of the films in which Don Wilson was involved. Moreover, Wilson did not remain exclusively within the framework of action films. His acting arsenal includes roles in science fiction, drama, and thriller.

3. Benny Urquidez

Sports career: Sports have been in Benny’s blood since childhood. Dad is a professional boxer, and mom has been wrestling for a long time. Received a black belt in karate at the age of 14. But Benny's main sporting successes are associated with kickboxing. He competed in various associations and achieved a record number of victories. According to various sources, he held the palm in world kickboxing for 24 to 27 years. The data is different, but this does not detract from the scale of achievements.

Actor career: Benny Urquidez appeared on screen quite often in the nineties. Urquidez starred, for example, in films with Jackie Chan - "Diner on Wheels", "Dragon Forever". At the same time, his track record includes several more interesting films: “Murder in Grosse Pointe” and the relatively recent film “1408,” which was released in 2007.

4. Bill Wallace

Sports career: Wallace's sports career was an enviable success. He won 23 consecutive bouts from 1974 to 1980 and was the PKA (Professional Karate Association) middleweight champion. And who knows, maybe he would have been successful in judo, if not for an injury to his right knee in 1966, which is why Wallace began to practice karate.

Actor career: Things are a little different with Wallace's acting career. He starred in several films, such as Fight to Win, Silent Assassins, American Hunter and the TV series Cool Walker, where he played himself. By the way, he is listed in the credits as Bill “Superfoot” Wallace.

5. Dolph Lundgren:

Sports career: In Rocky IV, Stallone defeats Lundgren's character. Meanwhile, at sporting competitions, not many could defeat Dolph! From the age of 14, he studied Kyokushinkai karate and even studied a little with the founder of the style, Masatutsu Oyama. At various tournaments he competed in the open weight category, was European Champion in 1980 and 1981, and won the Australian Kyokushinkai Karate Championship in 1982. He took part in the open absolute Japanese Karate Championship. Later, Dolph became interested in kickboxing, and, due to the persistence of producers, bodybuilding. But that is another story!

Actor career: Dolph (by the way, his real name is Hans) began conquering screens in 1983. A year later, he received the role of Ivan Drago in the film “Rocky 4”, in which he showed his torso and ability to distort the Russian language. Lundgren was noticed and actively invited to filming. He gained the greatest fame as an actor thanks to his roles in the films: “Showdown in Little Tokyo” (1991), “Universal Soldier” (1992), “Johnny Mnemonic” (1995), “Peacemaker” (1997), “Cleaner” (1998) . Then he changed his role to director, and recently returned to acting in the Expendables franchise.

6. Billy Blanks

Sports career: Billy Blanks is known to some as an actor, to others as the founder of a special type of fitness - tai-bo. And in the late 70s and early 80s he was famous primarily as a fighter! In 1975 he won his first Amateur Athletic Union Champion title. Subsequently, he will win it five times, winning world tournaments seven times. And in 1982, Blanks was inducted into the Hall of Fame. In addition, Blanks is a 7th degree black belt in Taekwondo and five other martial arts belts.

Actor career:

Blanks made his debut as an actor in the 80s - he participated in several little-known action adventures. Then producers from Hollywood noticed Billy’s performance and invited him to participate in several top-rated films, including “Kissing the Girls,” “The Last Boy Scout,” and “AWOL.” In addition, Blanks has made several educational films about Tai Bo.

7. Jean-Claude Van Damme:

Sports career: What kind of guy was he?! Really, what kind of fighter was Van Damme? Opinions vary. Let's start with the fact that, compared to other fighter actors, he gave preference to cinema quite early. Having been practicing karate since the age of 12, in 1976 he became a member of the Belgian karate team, and on March 8, 1980, he became the European karate champion, knocking out the German Dietrich Targills. This is where the reliable facts about Van Damme’s victories end, and the myths invented by journalists begin.

Actor career: Van Damme began to conquer Hollywood in the mid-80s. With his persistence, he got himself cast in the role of Frank Dukes in the film “Bloodsport” (1988), and also tried himself in the roles of KGB officers in the films “No Retreat, No Surrender” and “Black Eagle”. Then there was Kickboxer and a number of other martial arts films. Four years later, his first successful box office film “Universal Soldier” (1992) was released, after which the actor began to be invited to more serious roles, but still with constant fights in the plot - “Hard Target” (1993) and “Time Patrol” (1994) ). Van Damme's last successful film was The Expendables 2. Then his career began to decline a little, and Van Damme is now trying to find himself in directing.

8. Mark Dacascos:

Sports career: Mark's parents are martial artists famous in the USA. Father Al Dacoscos was a martial arts teacher. He also became Mark’s coach, who, starting at the age of 7, participated in more than 200 tournaments. In 1982, he won the European and Italian Kung Fu and Karate Championships in lightweight weight, and took gold at the Karate Championships in Hamburg for two years in a row. But in the end, he chose an acting career.

Actor career: Mark has come a long way from episodic roles to leading roles. He has such works as: “Only the Strong”, “The Road”, “Holiness”, “The Crying Honorary Citizen”, “The Island of Doctor Moreau” and many others. But in the United States he is best known for playing the role of musician Eric Draven in the television drama The Crow.

9. Sony Chiba

Sports career: At a young age, Chiba was involved in gymnastics and even almost made it to the Japanese national team. But an injury changed plans and Soni, then known as Sadaho Maeda, began to practice judo. Later he began to study Kyokushinkai karate from Masatutsu Oyama himself. There is little data available regarding Sonny's success in this sport. For example, it is known that he performed at a tournament in Hawaii organized by Oyama. In addition, Sony Chiba is known to have a black belt in Kyokushinkai.

Actor career: Sonya Chiba's acting career began in Japan, where in the late 60s he even created the "Japanese Action Club", the purpose of which was to help film actors master martial arts. Chiba's filmography includes many interesting films, such as "Street Fighter". His main creation is “Doomed to Solitude,” where he played the role of Masatutsu Oyama, the founder of the Kyokushinkai style. In addition, Sony appeared in Tarantino's Kill Bill.

10. Talgat Nigmatullin:

Sports career: Perhaps Talgat Nigmatullin was not born at the best time for domestic karate. His talent in sports was revealed late. He became interested in karate while already studying at a circus school, but during this time he became the Champion of Uzbekistan and the owner of a black belt. There is information that he took 6th place at the USSR Championship. In addition, Nigmatullin was a master of sports in judo.

Actor career: The beginning of Talgat Nigmatullin's career was not very memorable - several roles in films from the Uzbekfilm studio. Real fame awaited him later, in the role of Saleh in the film “Pirates of the 20th Century.” He became recognizable and loved by the audience. Then there were roles in the films “The Adventures of Tom Sawyer and Huckleberry Finn”, “Alone and Unarmed”, “Right to Shoot”. He was compared to Bruce Lee. The tragic death of Talgat Nigmatullin made the parallels even more obvious.