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James Yang to use skills learned in Shaolin temple for ONE
James Yang has proven that his lifelong study of traditional martial arts can translate to a successful mixed martial arts (MMA) career.
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James Yang (left) will fight Keanu Subba at ONE: Eersel vs. Sadikovic on April 22.
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ames Yang has proven that his lifelong study of traditional martial arts can translate to a successful mixed martial arts (MMA) career. After defeating Roel Rosauro in his ONE Championship debut, he will mark his second mixed martial arts appearance at ONE: Eersel vs Sadikovic on April 22, where he will meet Keanu Subba.
The 33-year-old explained that he has his late grandmother to thank for pushing martial arts as his path in life. He grew up, like many martial arts athletes, watching martial arts movies that feature various disciplines, and his grandmother always encouraged him to pursue them.
“My late grandmother came [to the United States] with nothing and persevered through a lot. She made an amazing life for us through her hard work,” Yang explained. “Bruce Lee was a huge influence for me, along with Jet Li in his Wong Fei Hung movies. My grandma always put them on and I grew up on them.”
Despite his desire to learn martial arts, his family’s financial condition and his parent’s concern for his safety put that plan on hold. But the young martial arts enthusiast in Yang was persistent in pursuing this path and at 11 years old, he finally got his chance to learn the martial way through a lion dance troupe.
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Yang’s cousin connected him to his first martial arts mentor, Tony Au who was the head of the Ying Yung Tong international lion dance team in Seattle. Through Au, yang learned Choy Li Fut and was encouraged to absorb as much knowledge as possible throughout his martial arts journey.
With that wisdom being ingrained in him, Yang took the chance to leave his American high school at 17 and move to rural China to train in a Shaolin temple for three years. During his stay in the temple, he delved deeper into the martial arts ethos and made them his guiding principle. These qualities are also what led him to sign with ONE Championship.
“[ONE Championship] really evaluates what martial arts are all about; they’re not selling drug abuse, or whatever, they set themselves up to be an example for the next generation,” Yang explained. “They actually respect the values and the athletes; all their fighters are people you can look up to, not only on how to be a fighter but also take inspiration to do what they want in life.”
Watch ONE: Eersel vs. Sadikovic on April 22 at ONE Super App and subscribe to ONE Championship on YouTube!
This article is published in collaboration with ONE Championship
