Whether at the beginning, the end, or anywhere in between, every great martial arts movie has at least one spectacular one-on-one fight scene. Maybe it's the hero finally facing off against the main villain, or an exhibition between master and student, or two lifelong rivals dueling one last time. Anyway, the one-on-one combat is a staple not only of martial arts cinema, but of the action movie genre as a whole. For this list, we've put together and ranked eight of the best examples of heart-pumping, mano-a-mano combat.
8 The Way of the Dragon - Bruce Lee vs. Chuck Norris
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The Bruce Lee in return for Chuck Norris fight scene The way of the dragon has achieved cult status. If your acquaintance with Chuck Norris begins and ends with his name (or Walker, Texas Ranger), you might be surprised to see how he holds his own in this beautifully choreographed duel. Bruce Lee is, of course, a martial arts legend, but Norris is a worthy opponent. Highlights include Lee pulling off Norris' chest hair and the spectacular backdrop of the Colosseum.
7 Ip Man - Match with General Miura
We won't pretend this is the greatest fight ever IP guy. That honor goes to the unforgettable battle between Ip and ten black belts. But this high-stakes exhibition is a close second. Ip is more reserved with Miura than some of his other opponents, though that's probably because he's being monitored by armed guards. It's important to note that this fight isn't just about defeating Miura, as Miura represents the entire Japanese force occupying (and oppressing) China. Ip Man's victory is a blow to tyranny.
6 Enter the Dragon - Bruce Lee vs. O'Hara
Enter the Dragon is one of the greatest martial arts movies of all time, a status due in part to Bruce Lee's starring role. This would be Lee's last completed film role before his tragic death in 1973 - the same year Enter the Dragon was released (per Variety). Part of the film's enduring legend is due to the fight between Lee (Bruce Lee's character) and O'Hara, a burly, bearded bodyguard responsible for the death of Lee's sister. It's an emotionally charged battle to say the least, in which O'Hara tries to cheat by brandishing broken glass bottles. Lee's victory remains one of them Enter the Dragon's defining moments.
5 Hero - Jet Li vs Donnie Yen
The battle between Jet Li And Donnie Yen in Hero is hardly a fight. In fact, the two warriors trade blows in the ghost's arena, so that in reality the two fought valiantly without ever making contact. If this sounds strange, keep in mind that the movie still shows the two men fighting in a beautifully choreographed wuxia sequence. In terms of cinematography, no other fight on this list can measure up to this one.
4 The Matrix - Subway Battle
It may seem strange to record a battle from it The Matrix that includes firearms, but the subway scene is at its best when Neo and Agent Smith drop their guns and fight hand-to-hand. It's a stunning, perfectly textured brawl choreographed by the legendary Yuen Woo-ping, who worked on some of the best Hong Kong martial arts movies ever made (Fist of legend, everyone?). The subway fight is enhanced by Agent Smith's superhuman strength, which allows him to smash through just about anything.
3 Crouching Tiger Hidden Dragon - The Duel
Crouching Tiger, Hidden Dragon is a film known for its beautiful cinematography, score and performances, but it also has exceptional action sequences. The best is a multi-weapon duel between Yu Shu Lien (Michelle Yeoh) and Jen Yu (Zhang Ziyi). It's a hugely impressive fight, with clashing swords, acrobatics, thrusting spears and more. You'd be hard pressed to find a better gun-based martial arts fight anywhere else.
2 Legend of Drunken Master - Final Battle
We've always wished Jackie Chan had made more straightforward martial arts films. Legend of the drunken master is arguably his best, and it's also a contender for the best martial arts movie ever made. Throughout the film, Chan's character, Wong Fei-hung, uses a style called Drunken Boxing, and the more drunk he gets, the better he fights. In his final duel, he faces off against Ken Lo, whose death kicks push Fei-hung to his limits. The sequence features a life-threatening stunt by Chan, who fell on hot coals and suffered severe burns.
1 The Raid 2 - Rama vs. the assassin
The raid 2 is not only one of the best martial arts movies of the last 10 years; it's one of the best action movies in recent history (according to IndieWire). its predecessor, The robbery: redemption, had its fair share of great fight scenes, but the sequel's kitchen brawl between Rama and The Assassin trumps them all. The Assassin wields two evil-looking Indonesian curved blades called karambit, but the fight begins with hand-to-hand combat. Using both the environment and their fists, the two fighters leave the kitchen a bloody mess after nearly seven minutes of relentless mano-a-mano combat. The choreography has to be seen to be believed (and then seen again).
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