The ninth-generation successor of the Chinese traditional martial art "Tongbeiquan" challenged the global Power Slap stage and suffered a fractured cheekbone from a single strike.
According to the South China Morning Post (SCMP) on the 8th local time, Chinese martial artist Zhao Honggang, 35, competed as China's representative at the World Power Slap tournament held in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia, on the 1st.
Power Slap is a combat sport in which two athletes face each other and take turns slapping the opponent's cheek, and it is characterized by a ban on defense with hands kept behind the back. The event is hosted by the Power Slap League, founded in 2022 by Ultimate Fighting Championship (UFC) chief Dana White.
Before the match, Zhao said in an interview, "I will prove the power of Tongbeiquan to the world," showing confidence.
With more than 1.5 million social media followers, Zhao gained fame on past television programs for performances such as breaking bricks with his bare hands and bending iron bars.
But the result was devastating. In the first round, Zhao's face swelled and the corner of an eye was cut by the first strike from Kazakhstan's Mukhammad Amantayev. In the third round that followed, he took an even harder blow and collapsed on the ring.
After the match, medical staff diagnosed a right cheekbone fracture and said five stitches were needed around the eye.
A few hours after the match ended, Zhao said on his social media, "I underwent suturing around the eye, and doctors said there was no brain damage. I am currently recovering, and thank you for your support."
Zhao is the ninth-generation successor of the traditional martial art Tongbeiquan, which the Chinese government has designated as intangible cultural heritage. Tongbeiquan is a northern style with a history of more than 2,000 years and is known to have been developed by mimicking the movements of monkeys.
He entered to promote Tongbeiquan on the world stage, but after a KO loss in his first match, some in China are saying, "The pride of traditional martial arts has been shattered." Others have also argued, "Modern combat sports and traditional martial arts are fundamentally different."
Tongbeiquan became widely known to Korean readers after appearing in the famous Japanese martial arts manga "Ironfist Chinmi." Zhao is currently receiving treatment and recovering, and whether he will compete again has not been decided.