KMC Forums - Michael Jai White vs Donnie Yen

Michael Jai White

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Weight: 220 lbs.
Height: 6' 0" (1.83 m)

Michael Jai White is a legitimate holder of seven black belts of varying degrees in seven different Martial Arts forms. Beginning his Martial Arts training at the age of eight and achieving his first black belt at the age of twelve, he now has over twenty years of experience. Originally a student of the legendary Shigeru Oyama , ( at the time Shigeru Oyama was the world renowned head of the U.S. Kyokushin Karate Association) he is now the head of World Oyama Karate. White went on to achieve black belt in six other karate styles; Shotokan, ITF Tae Kwon Do, WTF Tae Kwon Do, Kobudo, Goju Ryu and Tang Soo Do.

He has also had years of Wu-Shu Kung Fu training under current American Wu-Shu team coach, Eric Chen.White has trained privately with the likes of Bill" Superfoot" Wallace, Benny " The Jet" Urquidez, Shihan Bobby Lowe, Shokei Matsui, Jean Claude Van Damme, James Lew, Don " the Dragon " Wilson, Peter Cunningham, Billy Blanks, Judo Gene Label and Joe Lewis. White has also worked behind the scenes on stunt fighting sequences with Steven Seagal.

Donnie Yen

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Weight: 165 lb (75 kg; 11 st 11 lb)
Height: 5 ft 8 in (1.73 m)

Yen describes himself as a mixed martial artist. He learned wushu from a young age, under his mother's tutelage. He then wanted to learn taekwondo in his teenage years, earning a 6th Dan in the process. When he was a teenager, he obtained a medal in a wushu competition held in the United States, known as Boston Combat Zone. At the time, the Beijing wushu team had a scout in the United States, and invited Yen over to Beijing, China, where he began training at the Beijing Sports Institute, the same facility where champion-turned actor Jet Li trained; this is where the two of them crossed paths for the first time.

Yen later went on to discover and to seek knowledge on other martial arts styles, he would later obtain belts from judo and Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu, and went on to study the art of parkour, wrestling, Muay Thai, kickboxing and boxing under various trainers. His exposure of mixed martial arts (MMA) was heightened when he went back to the United States from 2000 to 2003, while making his Hollywood debut, he also took time off to learn the various martial arts forms. The progress was evident when he returned to Asia, where he implemented his newfound knowledge of MMA showcased in films such as SPL: Sha Po Lang (2005) and Flash Point (2007).

Near the end of 2007, Yen added a new martial arts system to his arsenal. He was offered the role of Wing Chun grandmaster and Bruce Lee's mentor, Ip Man, in a 2008 film named after the grandmaster. He worked hard and studied Wing Chun under Ip Man's eldest son, Ip Chun for 9 months before tackling the role. Ip Chun has since praised Yen for his effort, and complimented that Yen is a great martial artist and a fast learner, and has managed to grasp the full concept of Wing Chun much faster than anyone he has taught.

Yen believes in practical combat, and in his opinion, MMA is the most authentic type of practical combat. He has particular interest in the art of Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu and has obtained a purple belt. He has mentioned that he would have entered the Octagon, joining the Ultimate Fighting Championship if he did not have a recurring shoulder injury.

Yen believes that combining many martial arts together will produce the most effective and harmonious style. Yen has said, "When you watch my films, you're feeling my heart."

Who wins?