Summary

• Donnie Yen’s martial arts prowess shines against iconic opponents like Keanu Reeves and Jackie Chan in high-stakes battles.
• Yen’s fights with famous stars like Mike Tyson and Jet Li showcase his raw, practiced martial arts prowess and athletic achievement.
• From traditional Hollywood action flicks to wuxia films, Yen’s captivating battles make him uniquely suited to high-stakes star power crossovers.

Of all the greatest martial arts movie stars, few have faced off with as wide a variety of noteworthy opponents as Donnie Yen. Being a kung fu and tai chi practitioner first and a performer second, Yen got his start in the Hong Kong actions films of the mid 80s. Eventually, he rose to prominence in the West after the success of his Ip Man franchise, in which he played the titular martial artist folk hero.

Since then, Yen has made a name for himself as a regular in blockbuster appearances throughout movies like the John Wick and Star Wars films. Whether in a traditional Hollywood action flick or a wuxia film from the early 2000s, Yen has crossed fists with some truly legendary names in martial arts over the years, known for acting and real life athletic achievement. Some of these names have even returned for rematches with Donnie Yen, the actor clearly being uniquely suited to high-stakes star power crossovers.

10 John Wick: Chapter 4 (2023)

Donnie Yen fought Keanu Reeves

After his acclaimed role in Star Wars: Rogue One, Donnie Yen has seemingly become typecast as a blind martial artist. Enter the fourth chapter of the captivating John Wick franchise, in which Yen stars opposite Keanu Reeves as Caine, a blind assassin formerly working for the High Table. Caine and John Wick have an excellent time playing off each other throughout the film’s tumultuous events, going from hesitant allies to fierce opposing combatants in an intimate duel.

The pulse-pounding exchange of sword slashes and gunshots in the stunning close-quarters backdrop of a high class museum makes for one of the series’ most captivating battles. Unlike most of his opponents, it’s clear that Wick actually respects Caine to some degree, and vice versa. Donnie Yen as Caine was popular enough for the character to possibly become the new face of the franchise moving forward, if his post-credits scene is anything to go by.

9 Kill Zone (2005)

Donnie Yen fought Wu Jing

Also known by its Chinese release title, SPL: Sha Po Lang, Kill Zone is a Hong Kong action extravaganza that sees Yen take on multiple famous martial artists. Sammo Hung steps into the ring with Yen’s character for the first time in this film, but another prominent star, Wu Jing, also shares the screen with him. Wu Jing is one of the most famous actors in China, famous for heading the Wolf Warrior duology. In Kill Zone, Wu Jing stars as Jack, a criminal assassin, who crosses blows with Yen’s Inspector Ma Kwun.

Their melee battle is frantic and ferocious, with Yen struggling to keep Wu Jing’s knife at bay with his police baton. The dramatic blue lighting of the empty street that serves as their arena only makes the spectacle more visually engaging as the two battle one-on-one. Western audiences may not realize it, but the hectic fight represents one of Yen’s most high-profile opponents yet.

8 Ip Man 2 (2010)

Donnie Yen fought Sammo Hung

In Ip Man 2, audiences get a more thoughtful look at Donnie Yen’s character and his efforts to spread the good word of Wing Chun. The film is highly regarded as one of the best movies in Donnie Yen’s filmography for a good reason, thanks in no small part to the fascinating variety of martial arts styles on display. One of the most captivating is the Hung Ga master Hung Chun-nam, played by none other than Sammo Hung.

Sammo Hung’s significance is not to be understated, being one of the foundational filmmakers that helped re-invent the genre in the 80s, leading the charge of the Hong Kong New Wave movement. His representation of the seldom-seen-in-movies style of Hung Ga makes for some of the most enthralling fights in the entire Ip Man series, going from friend to foe of Yen’s character over the course of the story. Their jaw-dropping scrap within the confines of a literal dinner table demonstrates raw, practiced martial arts prowess.

7 Shanghai Knights (2003)

Donnie Yen fought Jackie Chan

Being an action buddy-adventure comedy, Shanghai Knights, the sequel to Shanghai Noon, admittedly seems like a strange fit for Donnie Yen. As great as Yen is in tense action scenes, he isn’t the first martial artist who comes to mind when comedic timing is a requirement. However, he works great as a straight-faced bad guy opposite Jackie Chan’s humorous antics in Shanghai Knights, providing him with a worthy kung fu-wielding opponent to test his mettle against in the climax.

After a failed assassination attempt via gatling gun, Yen’s character faces off against Chan, clearly keeping him on the backfoot for most of the fight. Amid the backdrop of fireworks and a crowded London parade, the environment becomes just as much of a weapon as either fighter’s body is. To that point, Yen actually ends up winning this duel, only for Jackie Chan’s Chon Wang to be saved by a last-minute shot from a firework canon to take out the villain once and for all.

6 Hero (2002)

Donnie Yen fought Jet Li

An argument for the single best fight in Donnie Yen’s cinematic career could be made for his confrontation with Jet Li in 2002’s Hero. Though usually the hero in his starring roles, Donnie Yen is once again the bad guy opposite Jet Li’s Nameless, a wandering swordsman who regales a king with tales of how he defeated a series of legendary assassins. One such assassin is Long Sky, an accomplished spear user with unmatched proficiency.

Jet Li and Donnie Yen’s battle is one of the most creative and incredible sword fights in martial arts movie history, thanks to its genius framing device. Li and Yen dance around each other’s blades in a ballet of carefully deliberated movements, each fighting with their mind just as much as their bodies. In the end, it’s revealed that the entire thing was merely a simulation run in Nameless’ mind, allowing him to predict his opponent and end him with a single stroke of his sword in reality.

5 Flash Point (2007)

Donnie Yen fought Collin Chou

One of Donnie Yen’s roles as a police officer, Flash Point represents a standout entry the Donnie Yen’s impressive collection of battles with famous faces. The award-winning film pits Yen and his partner against a vicious Vietnamese gang wreaking havoc in Hong Kong, headed by the brothers Archer, Tiger, and Tony. Tony is played by none other than Collin Chou, best known in the West for his work in the Matrix film series alongside fellow Donnie Yen opponent, Keanu Reeves.

Yen and Chou’s conflict on opposing sides of the law comes into fruition during a heated unarmed fight in an isolated outdoor area. Chou is relentless in his assault, knocking Yen’s character through wooden pallets and leaving him bruised and bloody, smirking all the while. Yen’s Detective Sergeant Ma Jun refuses to give up, however, ending the fight with a brutal running takedown.

4 Ip Man 3 (2015)

Donnie Yen fought Mike Tyson

Even if he never really became a movie star, Mike Tyson’s name needs little introduction as a martial arts legend. One of if not the single greatest boxers of the modern era of the sport, “Iron” Mike Tyson crossed fists with Donnie Yen in Ip Man 3, playing a corrupt American property developer with Triad ties. The two’s frantic scuffle is noteworthy for being one of the few times Mike Tyson stars as an action movie actor.

Clearly tapping into his long experience generated throughout a legendary boxing career, Tyson’s Frank pits his traditional boxing against Ip Man’s elusive Wing Chun. The clash of two very different styles makes the fight a joy to behold, and each blow from Tyson that barely misses Yen is truly sold on its power. There’s a reason that Donnie Yen was shaken by fighting Mike Tyson in even in the controlled confines of a delicately choreographed fictional scene, his head inches away from very real championship-winning fists.

3 Ip Man 4: The Finale (2019)

Donnie Yen fought Scott Adkins

Nearly every film in the Ip Man franchise has allowed Donnie Yen to exchange blows with some famous martial arts star, and the final entry in the series was no exception. In Ip Man 4: The Finale, British actor and martial artist Scott Adkins gets his turn in the ring with Ip Man, playing a corrupt U.S. Marine with an expertise in karate. Adkins is best known for his work as a bad guy in the Undisputed series, first showing up in the second film.

In his final battle in the series, Ip Man once again stands up to kung fu’s worthiness against a decorated soldier, one of the more sanctioned fights against a fellow action star in Donnie Yen’s Ip Man career. The match may read like an exhibition, but the all-too-real hatred in the eyes of Adkins character forces Ip Man to pull out all the stops. Eventually, Yen is able to send Adkins home with a well-placed strike to the throat, but not without suffering some heavy injuries of his own first.

2 The Twins Effect 2 (2004)

Donnie Yen fought Jackie Chan for the second time

Shanghai Knights wouldn’t be the last time Donnie Yen and Jackie Chan shared a fight scene in a martial arts film, as proven the very next year in The Twins Effect 2. Though it has the title of a sequel, the film shares no continuity with The Twins Effect, telling a new martial arts fantasy story with Donnie Yen front-and-center. Yen plays General Lone, a warrior on a quest to overthrow an evil queen by way of a magic sword.

The final guardian of the sword Lone must face is fellow General Wai Shing, Lord of Armor, played by none other than Chan himself. Now enjoying the hero role against Chan’s rare villain appearance, their resulting fight is a treat to watch, making use of interesting novelties like 3-D X-Ray graphics to show the power being generated by the two fighters. This time around, the fight ends in a draw, a rarity among Jackie Chan movies.

1 XXX: Return of Xander Cage (2017)

Donnie Yen fought Vin Diesel

One of the more prominent Western actors to ever trade jabs with Donnie Yen, Vin Diesel’s seldom-remembered action film XXX: Return of Xander Cage featured some of Donnie Yen’s best. The third installment of the XXX series, Vin Diesel returns as Xander Cage, an extreme sports athlete turned secret agent for the xXx organization who starts the third film a dead man. Donnie Yen joins the cast as Xiang, another xXx agent who comes to blows with Xander.

Pursued by Vin Diesel across the roofs of moving vehicles, the frantic half foot chase, half martial arts fight gets off to a pulse-pounding start. As the two move from the cars themselves to the dangerous asphalt of the speedway, it’s all Diesel can do to keep up with Yen’s lightning fast strikes. While it’s a small scuffle compared to some of Donnie Yen’s other high-profile fights, it’s worth acknowledging as one of the best parts of the entire XXX trilogy.