What martial arts does The Joker know?

Whilst Batman may be known for his martial arts skills, the Joker isn’t exactly known as a martial artist. In fact, compared to most DC characters, there’s not much known about the Joker in general or his intriguing backstory. However, what we do know about the Joker is that he’s an avid fighter and a real handful when it comes to combat.

In short, the Joker has been around for years and always manages to find a way to survive. Plus, the fact he can hang with Batman who is a very skilled martial artist, as well as super human heroes and villains shows that the Joker knows how to fight. At this point, we know that he’s not really formally trained in martial arts, yet he’s still very good at fighting. If you think about it, the Joker wouldn’t have the patience to learn martial arts formally, whilst he’d still be able to fight due to his wild lifestyle. Read on for more information.

The Joker is firearms trained

It’s debatable whether using firearms is a martial art, but if we assume it is then the Joker would be a black belt in using guns and weapons. Over the years, he has used guns to kill or protect himself, which often range from pistols to over-the-top cannons. He seems to have a quick draw and good accuracy, so it’s fair to say that the Joker is a skilled marksman.

And, whilst his technique may be a bit unorthodox (firing beneath his other arm, etc), it still works for him. This is probably the result of years of gun fights and being fearless when it comes to death, which makes for a scary combination.

He also knows Ninjutsu

Although Ninjutsu is a martial art, it’s more like a culture in some ways and isn’t really taught much anymore. Therefore, it’s fair to say that the Joker knows Ninjutsu, even if he’s not aware of it. Ninjutsu is the art of deception and trickery – which is arguably the Joker’s greatest skill. Here, he can mentally manipulate people, spread fear, and even sneak around for his own gain.

In other words, a lot of his traits can be seen in Ninjutsu. Even making explosives is something that was taught in Ninjutsu – which is something the Joker has a good track record of. So, it’s not fair to call the Joker a ninja, but he actually has a lot in common with some of the principles of Ninjutsu.

The Joker knows dirty boxing

Again, dirty boxing isn’t really a martial art, it’s a fighting style that the joker often uses. This is done by getting in close with the opponent and combining boxing with grappling methods. Commonly used in MMA fights, this is very effective and involves striking the enemy from the clinch.

Over the years, the Joker has used this method to fight with Batman and others. From the clinch, he’s not afraid to use his elbows or even his head to land headbutt blows. As you can imagine, this is a nightmare to fight against, and combined with his crazy personality, it makes for a very tough opponent.

He’s also a master in streetfighting

As we’ve established, putting a stamp on the Jokers fighting style is quite difficult. In general, it’s quite ambiguous in terms of marking what he’s good at especially. However, when you combine his dirty tricks, ruthless nature, and cunning strategy with experience, it’s fair to say that he’s a master when it comes to streetfighting.

Unlike some fighters, he will literally do anything to win and use his environment wisely. Often, he’ll simply draw for his gun in a fist fight which is unfair but it has obvious advantages. Sometimes, he’ll quickly pull knives from his pockets or trick his enemies into trusting him. Remember, he’s been doing this for years too – and nothing is beneath him in terms of ethics. As a result, the Joker is a master when it comes to streetfights.

Conclusion

In some ways, it feels wrong to brand the Joker a martial artist. Remember, one of the main parts of training martial arts is to improve your mental state, as well as your physical one. With this in mind, mentally the Joker is not a real martial artist as he uses his physical powers for abuse and mayhem. Furthermore, he’s never received any formal training unlike the likes of Batman and others.

Having said this, even the biggest martial arts purists would agree that when it comes to fighting, the Joker is not a joke. In fact, he’s pretty unorthodox and tricky to read which means he is very dangerous. To sum up, the Joker may technically be unregistered as a martial artist, but as a fighter, he’s definitely a problem. Interestingly, the Joker has probably never received a belt in his life and isn’t even a white belt. Still, if anything else – he is an example of how someone can be a tough fighter without being trained. By combining firearms, Ninjutsu, and dirty boxing, the Joker has made himself a menace to his enemies, but whether he’s a martial artist is up to you.