Grappler showdowns · Superhuman
Retsu Kaioh vs Shang-Chi
Four thousand years of Chinese kenpo in one man, against the Master of Kung Fu who catches bullets.
Tale of the tape
| Baki | Universe | Marvel |
|---|---|---|
| Superhuman | Tier | Superhuman |
| Four thousand years of Chinese kenpo in one body | Strength | The Master of Kung Fu, fast enough to catch bullets |
| Pride in his art over everything | Weakness | His father’s shadow |
| 0–1 | Record on Versus | 1–0 |
The Arena
Retsu Kaioh heard of a martial artist in another world said to be the greatest master of kung fu who had ever lived. To a man who believes Chinese martial arts are the summit of human achievement, that was not a rumour; it was a challenge.
They met in a temple courtyard on a misty mountain at dawn. They bowed to each other with closed fists, and the monks of the temple gathered quietly along the walls.
Round One
It began slowly, almost courteously. Retsu’s fists moved in the long, sweeping arcs of Shaolin forms; Shang-Chi’s in tight, fast circles. They tested each other like scholars comparing texts, each exchange a question and an answer.
Then Retsu struck with a punch so fast it cracked the air, and Shang-Chi caught it in an open palm. Retsu smiled. Shang-Chi smiled back. The real fight began.
What followed was the most beautiful fight the monks had ever witnessed. Retsu flowed through Tiger, Crane and Snake forms, each one a different answer to Shang-Chi’s defence, and Shang-Chi met every form with something new: a joint lock, a pressure-point strike, a counter that turned Retsu’s momentum into a spin. Neither man had landed a clean blow after three minutes, and both were breathing hard.
The Turn
Retsu attacked with everything his temple had taught him: the iron palm, the eagle claw, the strikes that harden the body into stone. One caught Shang-Chi in the ribs, and he felt something crack.
But Shang-Chi was fighting with a stillness Retsu had never seen. He read Retsu’s shoulders before his fists moved and stepped through the openings that the long forms left behind. Every time Retsu committed to a powerful strike, Shang-Chi was a fraction of a second ahead of it.
Retsu changed tactics and attacked the ground beneath Shang-Chi’s feet, a sweeping kick that shattered the courtyard stone. Shang-Chi was already in the air, turning, and landed behind him with a strike to the kidney that made Retsu gasp. The monks along the walls leaned forward without meaning to.
The Finish
Retsu gathered himself for his ultimate technique, a strike that channels the power of his whole body into a single fist. It was devastating, and it was slow by Shang-Chi’s standards.
Shang-Chi stepped inside it. A palm to the chest, an elbow to the jaw, a sweep, and a strike that stopped a hair from Retsu’s throat. The Chinese master lay on his back in the courtyard, the dawn light breaking over the mountains.
Retsu stared up at the sky for a long moment. Then he laughed, rose, and bowed deeply. “Four thousand years,” he said, “and there is still more to learn.” Shang-Chi bowed lower. “I would be honoured to learn from you,” he said, and meant it.
The verdict
Shang-Chi wins
Retsu’s power and technique are formidable, but Shang-Chi is faster, reads attacks earlier, and has trained against a wider range of superhuman opponents than any fighter in Retsu’s world.
- SpeedShang-Chi can catch bullets and react to strikes before they land.
- ReadingHe anticipates Retsu’s long forms and fights in the gaps.
- ExperienceHe has fought assassins, superhumans and gods.
How the rematch could go differently: In a battle of pure endurance where Retsu could land his hardened strikes repeatedly, the cracked ribs could catch up with Shang-Chi.
Who do you think wins?
Who would win in a fight between Retsu Kaioh and Shang-Chi?
Shang-Chi wins. Retsu’s power and technique are formidable, but Shang-Chi is faster, reads attacks earlier, and has trained against a wider range of superhuman opponents than any fighter in Retsu’s world.