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Everybody’s heard of Bruce Lee, Jet Li, Jackie Chan, Donnie Yen, and Jean Claude Van Damme etc. But there are a ton more martial arts stars that only real fans of the genre will have heard of. There are so many more Martial arts stars that deserve more recognition

What gets to me the most is now stars that have learned martial arts for the movies like Jason Statham and Keanu Reeves are getting cast in martial arts roles leaving the actual stars who are martial artists 1st and actors 2nd on the sidelines. Sometimes they just don’t make it as big as their counterparts, doesn’t mean they are any less skilled. So, in no particular order here are 7 Martial arts stars that deserve more recognition.

Gordon Liu

Why Gordon Lie never made it as big as Jet Li and Donnie Yen, well in the western world at least is beyond me. He did transition to the west but only really played skilled henchman or someone that gets killed off.

Gordon Liu was born in Xian Jinxi in Guangdong province of China on August 22, 1951. He trained at Lau Cham’s martial arts school of Hung Gar discipline. Hung Gar is known for its five animal styles of Kung Fu amongst other things.

He started getting small roles as a stuntman in Shaw Brothers movies before making it big in 36th Chamber of Shaolin in 1978. Since then he stared in a whole host of movies usually in the lead role. When he wasn’t in the lead role he was supporting some of the biggest Hong Kong legends about such as Donny Yen, Jet Li, Jackie Chan, and Chow Yun Fat.

He eventually went to Hollywood and respectively stared in Kill Bill as a skilled henchman then returned in Kill Bill volume 2 as the wizened old master Pai Mei. Since then he seemed to have alternated between Chinese and small American productions never really hitting the big screen again.

Gary Daniels

I first saw Gary Daniels in Jackie Chans City Hunter. He stared in a great scene where Jackie gets thrown into a Street Fighter machine and everyone turns into the characters. Daniels gets turned into Ken and he really looked the part. He is known for playing Kenshiro in the live action version of the Japanese anime Fist of the North Star and Brian Fury in the Tekken movie. His only big screen outing being a skilled evil right-hand man in The Expendables.

Born in my neck of the woods. London, England on 9th may 1963. Like most of us he was inspired by Bruce Lee in Enter the Dragon so took up a hybrid martial art known as “Mongolian Kung Fu” that combined Wing Chun, boxing, Mongolian Wrestling, and Wushu. I’ve actually never heard of this but it sounds awesome. After a successful kickboxing career that saw him win the WKBA California State Light Heavyweight Championship and the PKA World Light Heavyweight plus having fought a 3-round, No Decision, exhibition match with 11-time World Kickboxing Champion and legend Don “The Dragon” Wilson. He retired to pursue acting.

He starred in a multitude of American martial arts and action movies such as American Street Fighter, Blood moon, Hawks Vengeance alongside stars such as Wesley Snipes, Steven Seagal, Jackie Chan, and Steve Austin. Just a shame he’s never really made it to the big time. With the right look, an arsenal of awesome moves and decent acting chops you would honestly think he would be the next big thing but Hollywood seemed to bypass him and just cast some other more well known actor who will then learn a couple of moves. He just needs that one big role whether it is hero or villain to really shine.

Mark Dacascos

This man really needs no introduction. He is considered a legend amongst martial art circles. I hold him in the same regard as Jet Li, Donnie Yen, and Jackie Chan but why he has never yet reached their heights still confuses me to this day.

Born in Huawei February 26, 1964. I first saw him like many in Only the Strong and straight off the bat, I thought this guy is the new Van Damme. I later saw him in Crying Freeman, American Samurai and the much-acclaimed Drive which many consider his best. Still saying to myself “this guy is the new Van Damme” but he only ever seemed to be in straight to DVD movies. He did appear in some big budget cinema releases usually as a villain or in a supporting role such as Cradle 2 the Grave opposite Jet Li and Brotherhood of the Wolf.

He played Eric Draven in the short-lived TV series The Crow: Stairway to heaven. But like many remakes and rebooted movies or TV series, people just don’t like their classics messed with so it was canceled after 1 season.

More recently he starred in the highly successful web series Mortal Kombat Legacy as Kung Lao and looks to be starring in the upcoming John Wick 3. He’s pretty far down the credits so I’m not expecting much other than for him to be killed off. He just needs that one Jet Li Romeo Must Die killer role to push him to greatness which is long overdue.

Michael Jai White

Some might argue that Michael Jai White is already popular but I beg to differ. He should be more popular and have that lead role in a high budget action movie instead of using all the same old action stars pushing 60. He certainly has the look, great screen presence, and the moves.

Michael Jai White was born November 10th, 1970 in Brooklyn New York. He holds black belts in multiple different styles or martial arts. Shōtōkan, Taekwondo, Kobudō, Tang Soo Do, Wushu, and Kyokushin. He first had his major break out roles in Tyson and Spawn. Spawn being a big budget cinema release but since then he seems to have been relegated to antagonizing and supporting roles. Playing the antagonist in Universal Solider The Return opposite Jean Claude Van Damme and in Exit Wounds opposite Steven Seagal and in my opinion Seagals last good film and big budget cinema release.

His only lead roles seems to be in straight to DVD releases such as Undisputed 2 and the excellent Blood and Bone. He also had a small role as a mob boss in The Dark Knight. He also stars in the excellent Short Mortal Kombat Rebirth as Jax Briggs which went on to the successful web series Mortal Kombat Legacy. White comes across as an almost made it big but just needs that one career-defining role. He would have been perfect for Black Panther and would still be perfect for any other superhero role like Blade, they just need to use him.

Matt Mullins

I first saw Matt in a discovery documentary on Extreme martial arts. His moves were out of this world. After that, I saw him in the Mortal Kombat Rebirth short. He played Johnny Cage who had an epic fight with Baraka played by Capoeira master Lateef Crowder. He returned for the Mortal Kombat Legacy series. He was perfect as Johnny Cage but was later replaced for some reason and that seems to be the story of Mullins life, the dude can never seem to catch a break.

Matt Mullins was born November 10th, 1980 in Naperville, Illinois, USA. He was inspired by Teenage Mutant Hero Turtles. He holds a 4th-degree black belt in Shōrei-ryū and is a 5-time world martial arts champion.

Since I saw him in Mortal Kombat I kept an eye out for him but the roles seem to be few and far between. He stared in The Wrath of Vajra although he didn’t really have many fighting scenes and he features in Blood and Bone opposite Michael Jai White as the end guy he has to beat.

He really doesn’t appear that much on camera but does do a lot of stunt work for big movies and series such as Luck Cage, The Defenders, and Ghostbusters. Mullins really needs his own movie though because he has talent and a cool look, just a shame no one ever witnesses it because he’s behind the scenes.

Darren Shahlavi

Nobody I know has heard of Darren Shahlavi which is tragic because he’s one of the most talented martial artists I’ve ever seen on camera. I first saw him in Bloodmoon as the main antagonist opposite Gary Daniels. Right off the bat, I thought who is this guy who’s actually out kicking Gary Daniels. He was also the bad guy in Tai Chi Boxer.

Darren Shahlavi was born 5 August 1972 in Stockport, Cheshire, England. He first got to into martial arts age 7 studying Judo. After discovering Bruce Lee and Jacky Chan movies he took up Shotokan Karate and later on boxing, kickboxing, and Muay Thai.

After Taichi boxer and Bloodmoon he stared in a whole host of straight to DVD movies and the odd small part in a big movie like I spy with Eddie Murphy and Owen Wilson where he played a boxer and he also starred in The Final Cut with Robin Williams.

More recently he made a very welcome return to more popular movies starring in Ip Man 2 opposite Donnie Yen, The Mortal Kombat Legacy series as Kano and the Kickboxer reboot movie. It seemed that big role was just around the corner where he could truly show his martial arts talent and pretty decent acting. Tragically he passed away on 14th January 2015 from a heart attack caused by atherosclerosis. He was only 42. I had literally just watched Kickboxer which I’m not going to lie I found a little weird so googled a few things only to discover Shahlavi passing. It shocked me.

Scott Adkins

Everyone must of know this was coming. Ask any martial arts fan who they think is the biggest rising star and can carry the mantle of martial arts movies from the old guard and they will say the very talented Scott Adkins. Many will think but he already has a load of recognition, yeah amongst us martial arts fans. Ask anyone outside and they will never have heard of him. But they’ve heard of Jet Li and Jackie Chan of course. He needs that kind of recognition.

Born 17 June 1976 in Sutton England. He first became interested in martial arts age 10 when he visited a Judo club. Age 13 he started training in Taekwondo earning his black belt by age 19. Since then he also trained in Kickboxing, Ninjutsu, Karate, Wushu, Jiujitsu, Muay Thai, Capoeira and Acrobatic Gymnastics.

Shockingly he started off with a small parts in English soaps such as Holy City and EastEnders. Yes, Boyka was in EastEnders. He made a bunch of low budget action films but before showing off his true talent and for what everybody first recognizes him from, Undisputed 2 as Boyka opposite Michael Jai White. No one had ever seen these insane moves before and everyone was thinking the same thing, who is this crazy angry Russian. Ladies and gentleman Scott Adkins had arrived.

Since then it’s been a case of almost made it, he’s done so truly great movies. Undisputed 3, both the Ninja movies, Universal Soldier: Day of Reckoning. When he finally got the call for Expendables 2 and Doctor Strange I thought this was it, his true big break. Playing villains in both movies, he has great action scenes with Jason Statham and Doctor Strange himself, Benedict Cumberbatch. Showing off his great acrobatics once again.

But now straight back to DVD movies although he is due to appear in Ip Man 4. Thing is he would be perfect for James Bond and Bruce Wayne. He has the look, the moves, is English, has decent acting chops. I heard he actually auditioned for Batman in Dawn of Justice but they went with Ben Affleck probably to drag in the droves. In my opinion, Hollywood has kind of noticed him but nowhere near enough.

I know I’ve probably missed a whole bunch so please let me know who you think deserves more recognition than they get.

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