What martial arts are used in the Street Fighter video games & What does each character use?

Back in 1987, the first ever Street Fighter video game was released on the Nintendo SNES. Since then, many sequels have been released on multiple consoles, and even a bizarre movie was released in the mid 90s. One thing that has stayed consistent with the franchise is its use of martial arts. From day one until now – martial arts have had a key part in the Street Fighter story. This makes sense as well, as you would naturally assume that most street fighters would be versed in martial arts, especially those that fight internationally in competitions too.

At the same time, it should be noted that this article is literally an interpretation of a video game. Therefore, some of these styles aren’t set in stone and are down to personal interpretation. As well as this, some of the lesser known characters aren’t listed here, as well as those who don’t really have a distinct fighting style. If you’re a fan of the series then check out the game here. Without further delay, here’s a list of the martial arts that are used throughout the Street Fighter video games.

Ken – Karate: Ken’s fighting style is loosely based on Shotokan Karate. You can see this with his ripped gi and black belt that he wears as well as his Karate striking gloves. Throughout the game, he is one of the best strikers, with powerful punches and kicks. When he’s standing still, he also adopts a Karate stance.

Ryu – Judo and Karate: Technically, Ryu’s style is very similar to Ken’s as they are good friends in the game. He also wears a Karate gi with a black belt so it’s fair to say that he’s also a Karateka. However, one cool aspect of Ryu’s game is that he is also capable of hitting the Tomoe Nage throw, which is a staple of Judo.

Chun Li – Kung Fu: Listed as ‘Chinese martial arts’, Chun Li is based on Kung Fu striking. One of the smaller characters in the game, she has to rely on speed and agility rather than heavier, more powerful strikes. In Street Fighter III she even teaches Kung Fu to others and her outfit looks similar to those worn in Chinese Wushu.

E Honda – Sumo: Just looking at E Honda, you can tell he’s a Sumo wrestler as his outfit is pretty obvious. His Japanese surname is also a bit of a giveaway too. One of his best moves is named the ‘Sumo Smash’ which is as it sounds. Here, he literally belly flops his opponent and uses his weight to crush them.

Guile – Karate and Kickboxing: Guile is from the US military, so it’s assumed that he’s trained US Kickboxing at some point. However, seeing as the Street Fighter series has a fascination with Karate, he mostly uses Karate stances and striking patterns. Overall, he is considered as a well rounded striker.

Zangief – Sambo wrestling: Like E Honda, Zangief is one of Street Fighter’s grapplers. He hails from Russia and is based on Sambo as well as US freestyle wrestling. As you can see, he truly fits the Russian stereotype too, and is incredibly strong. If you get in close, he will throw you and it will hurt!

Dhalsim – Yoga: Of course, Yoga isn’t a martial art. However, this is Dhalsim’s fighting style of choice. A pacifist at heart, he uses his yoga skills to fight when needed. This is done by stretching his long limbs (which are flexible due to years of yoga) and he can also meditate and is big into the spiritual side of martial arts.

Balrog – Boxing: Balrog is said to be loosely based on boxer Mike Tyson who was huge around the time of the game’s release. Fighting in boxing attire and with gloves, it’s clear what his chosen martial art is. However, he’s also not afraid to mix things up and will headbutt too, so he is quite dirty at times.

Vega – Ninjutsu: According to the game, Vega’s fighting style of choice is Ninjutsu, which is meant to replicate the fighting techniques of Japanese Ninjas. One of these qualities includes metal claws which Vega often fights with. He is also quick and hides his identity behind a mask, just like a Ninja.

Sagat – Muay Thai: Clearly, Sagat is a Muay Thai specialist. This is obvious, seeing as he’s from Thailand, trains there and has a very common Muay Thai stance. He also wears Thai shorts and hand wraps and is incredibly tall. This means that his Muay Thai style compliments his long limbs perfectly, making him a nightmare to fight against.

M Bison – Tai Chi: Whilst Tai Chi energy balls may not exist in real life, they do in Street Fighter. This is M Bison’s martial art of choice and he can harness the power of energy to use as weapons and throw at people. Whilst he’s not the only character that can do this, his purple balls are famous in the video game.

Remy – Savate: This fighting style makes sense, considering that Remy is French. In fact, a lot of his grabs and trips are directly taken from Savate which is a form of French Kickboxing. Overall, this shows the level of detail that the Street Fighter team have put into their characters in terms of research.

Abel – Sambo and MMA: Apparently, Abel is meant to be based on the legendary Russian MMA champion Fedor Emelianenko. Fedor was a Sambo champion and could also throw hard punches. Abel also dresses in full Sambo gear and looks kind of similar (at least with hair). If Zangief is Sambo whilst in a red uniform, Abel is the opposite wearing blue.

Rolento – Bojutsu: Although most Street Fighter characters don’t use weapon based martial arts, Rolento is an exception to the rule. When fighting, Rolento uses a green bo staff which is taken from Bojutsu. Although this is also used in other arts such as Karate and Hapkido, it is also a martial art in its own right.

Eagle – Kali/Eskrima: Like Rolento, Eagle is one of the few Street Fighter characters who are armed. He brandishes two small wooden sticks, that are commonly used in Kali and Eskrima. These are Filipino martial arts that specialize in using strikes with sticks to hurt the opponent, and can also train practitioners to use knives and daggers too.

Juri Han – Taekwondo: It wouldn’t be a fighting game without a Taekwondo character. Armed with her long legs, Juri is known as one of Street Fighter’s TKD specialists. Her resting stance often involves standing on her back leg, with her front leg bent and ready to strike. If you get hit in the head with one of her strikes, you’re in trouble.

Gen – Kung Fu: One of the biggest stereotypes in Street Fighter is Gen who is a Kung Fu specialist. Specifically, he uses Mantis style which is where his stance mimics a praying mantis. As a result, you can expect a lot of kicks and punches from Gen, as well as a solid defensive stance.

Dudley – Boxing: If Balrog is considered a dirty boxer then Dudley is more of a gentleman. He also dons boxing gloves but dresses in smart clothing from the Victorian era. Unlike Balrog, Dudley is a southpaw who succeeds when walking into his opponents, whereas Balrog prefers to box from distance.

Laura – Brazilian Jiu Jitsu: Laura is perhaps Street Fighter’s most glamorous martial artist and uses Brazilian Jiu