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In Bruce Lee’s footsteps: how Hong Kong’s forgotten fight club helped change the game
- Millions were gambled on the popular events while the government worried about the threat of violence
- The three men who broke new ground for martial arts tell their story
This part of our series on the history of mixed martial arts in Hong Kong focuses on the establishing of the world’s first official MMA organisation, the Full Contact Boxing Association.
In the early 1980s, a group of martial arts enthusiasts developed rules allowing fighters to use a wide range of techniques in bouts.
For several years their events were among the most followed in the city – and a precursor to the mixed martial arts (MMA) scene that would eventually take the world by storm.
The South China Morning Post caught up with the founders of the Full Contact Boxing Association to learn about the challenges they faced – including government concern about the level of violence involved and organised crime gangs gambling millions on the results.
You can read further coverage of the city’s claim to be the cradle of modern mixed martial arts, including the fights that brought Hong Kong to a halt.
Check out the South China Morning Post’s coverage of martial arts and mixed martial arts.
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