For those who like watching "Human Weapon" on the History Channel, I was intrigued after watching several episodes of Season 1, who would win a match-up between Israeli KRAV MAGA and Chinese WING CHUN kung fu as practiced by grandmaster-level experts? Those 2 martial arts are remarkably similar in practice and overall appearance.
KRAV MAGA grandmaster - this episode shot in an Israeli Army base in the Negev desert shows an older gentleman (in his 50's I think) using open-hand techniques (no clenched fists) to take down his opponent with strikes to the face and upper torso. Remarkably, he is aggressively attacking the entire time (no time for defense) but seems to have an uncanny feel for what the opponent will do before he does it, blocking and attacking at the same time. This is combat krav maga - designed to kill and maim the opponent. Serious stuff. Very little (or no) kicking.
WING CHUN grandmaster - this episode shot on the Great Wall of China also shows an older gentleman very fluid and rapid-fast in his hand-to-hand techniques. The combat is very intense made more so because the master knows how to use intrinsic energy (chi) in his punches so a single punch is not only painful but can throw the opponent back several feet (I saw a guy punched in the belly throwing up his lunch). His defense and attacks were equally fluid and fast. Very little (or no) kicking.
Just a note, wing chun is the fighting style that Bruce Lee started out with as a teenager under master Yip Man.
So, the question is - in a match-up between equally skilled and seasoned fighters (not beginners) which style would win? Man, I'd want to get a front-row seat to that fight.
Success is not final. Failure is not fatal. It's the courage to continue that counts.