Scott Adkins is a modern legend of martial arts movieswith his best fights on screen alongside some of the biggest names in the genre. The British actor and martial artist got his start in film in the Hong Kong kung fu film scene of the early 2000s, having early opportunities to work with legends such as Jackie Chan and Sammo Hung. However, it wasn’t until his villainous portrayal of mad Russian wrestler Yuri Boyka in Indisputable series that he became a regular in some of Hollywood’s biggest unarmed combat sequences.
Throughout Scott Adkins’ long filmography, he has locked arms with some well-known actors such as Donnie Yen, Keanu Reeves and Iko Uwais, just to name a few. However, Adkins himself can be equally valuable when fighting hordes of nameless thugs or also in unique character performances in lesser-known films, a worthy centerpiece of the action in his own right. All of Adkins’ biggest fight scenes share a fierce kineticism, energy, and obviously genuine martial arts experience that sets him apart from many in the industry.
10
Killa vs. John Wick
John Wick: Chapter 4
Although the irreverent John Wick The films started with Keanu Reeves, the franchise was slowly able to add more and more martial arts legends to its incredible cast. Scott Adkins finally gets what he deserves in John Wick: Chapter 4, playing the bloodthirsty brute known simply as “Killa.” Another member of the High Table’s council of crime bosses, Killa finds himself in John Wick’s crosshairs after setting up an ambush at a nightclub that fails to take him down, leaving him at the mercy of Baba Yaga herself.
Killa’s fight against John Wick is more a testament to Scott Adkins’ acting skills than anything else. Despite being bogged down in a 100-pound jumpsuit that dramatically alters his appearance, Adkins was able to be quite dynamic as Killa, showcasing the character’s reliance on brute strength, playing John Wick like a rag doll. However, Killa is far from the most dangerous opponent Wick has ever faced, and he quickly becomes the legendary assassin, making this fight notable for his character work, but left something to be desired in comparison to Adkins’ other film appearances.
9
Martin Tillman vs. Rastignac
Wild Dog
At the point in his career that Wild Dog was released, Scott Adkins was already very comfortable sharing the screen with some other impressive fighters. The 2017 film pits Adkins’ character, Martin Tillman, against a villain played by talented Chilean martial artist and fellow Indisputable series veteran, Marko Zuror. Zuror enters the fray as Rastignac, a knife-wielding fighter flexing a gigantic Bowie knife in a thrilling moment of pure fanservice.
Armed with only a small key to defend themselves, Tillman and Rastignac’s duel plays out very cautiously at first, limiting the fight a bit at the beginning as a kind of high-stakes game of tag. While both fighters’ movements are fast and impressive, the beginning and end of the action, revolving around Zuror’s ridiculous sharp weapon, struggle to maintain momentum. Once both bladed weapons are dropped from the equation, however, the gloves are off and Zuror and Adkins are free to show off in a dynamic, frenetic battle that ends in Martin Tillman’s victory.
8
The pub battle
Revenge
As good as Scott Adkins is at one-on-one fights, sometimes it takes a full-scale bar fight to appreciate the full extent of his martial arts ferocity. Adkins star Revenge as Cain Burgess, a fierce convict who escapes from prison to exact revenge on the criminals who turned him into a cold-blooded killer. The film’s main action sequence begins when Cain finds himself surrounded by enemies in a local pub, engaging them in a brutal, internecine fight against all odds and somehow emerging victorious.
Nothing is off limits in this battle, with cricket bats, broken bar stool legs, and even a vintage WWII machine gun all in Adkins’ arsenal of improvised weapons. As fantastic as the fight is, it goes on a little too long, and Cain Burgess’ character, being more of an untrained street brute, doesn’t give Adkins much of a chance to show off his martial arts skills. The lack of music is also an interesting choice, dampening the energy of the scene somewhat, with landing blows and heavy grunts being the only soundtrack.
7
Diran and Mike Nazarian vs. Vampires
Day Shift
As far as Netflix original movies go, Day Shift was a largely forgettable star vehicle for Jamie Foxx that revolved around hunting vampires. Scott Adkins’ brief fight scene as a vampire-slaying mercenary named Diran Nazarian was easily one of the best parts of the film. In their only fight scene, Diran and his brother, Mike, clear out an entire residence filled with undead bloodsuckers, using a variety of increasingly creative anti-vampire weapons to get the job done.
The creativity and ingenuity of the brothers’ vampire-slaying instruments is a great touch to the tense, hand-to-hand battle, with sharpened stake nunchaku, a stake-sheathed katana that can stab and slash, hidden shoe blades, and grenades filled with holy water mist being used impressively. The Nazarian brothers’ teamwork is also a sight to behold, with Adkins and co-star Steve Howey working together with an almost psychic level of synchronization. The only things holding the scene back are its brevity and poor lighting, ironic for a film called Day shift.
6
The one-take fight sequence
Close range
One of Scott Adkins’ most routine appearances leading an action film, the plot of Close range There’s not much to write about. Adkins stars as a rebel soldier who has to defend his younger sister from the wrath of a vengeful cartel working in conjunction with corrupt local officials. For what it lacks in narrative originality, the film more than makes up for it with some brilliant action beats, including one of the best one-shot hallway fights in recent cinematic memory.
The festivities begin with Adkins effortlessly taking down two henchmen in an elevator with just a small pocket knife. As soon as the doors open, the unique fun begins, as Adkins continues on his rampage, easily destroying opponent after opponent with some high-flying throws, counters, and strikes. The camera looks more like a fighter in action as it pans around the carnage, which continues into another room to break up a party. As impressive as the delicate dancing of the stunt doubles and camera work is, the soft cinematography and muted color palette unfortunately limit the visual spectacle.
5
Mike Fallon vs. Oyumi the Ninja
Crash Man: Hitman Holiday
THE Indisputable the series isn’t the only franchise arguably carried by the talent of Scott Adkins, with the lesser-known but still great Accident Man duology also supporting the British martial artist’s ability to hold the screen. The sequence includes one of Adkins’ best fights as a character, an assassin who is targeted by other assassins, much like John Wick. Adkins’ best fighter, Mike Fallon, faces in Crash Man: Hitman Holiday is the shinobi assassin Oyumi, played by Andreas Nguyen.
Mike quickly discovers why Oyumi was so feared when the two fought, with the swordsman being incredibly fast in his movements. Oyumi’s rain of blows is almost too fast for Mike to keep up, struggling to avoid the relentless onslaught against the pounding beat of the blaring techno soundtrack. Oyumi’s theatrical flair and showmanship are also quite amusing, making it even more alarming when he almost manages to kill Mike. What stops the fight is the anticlimactic ending, when Oyumi is surprised by Mike’s mentor Big Ray in an explosion of cheap-looking blood squibs.
4
Barton Geddes vs. Ip Man
Ip Man 4: The Ending
Surprisingly, Scott Adkins was able to consider himself one of the lucky few martial arts movie stars capable of crossing fists with Donnie Yen’s legendary Ip Man. THE Ip Man films are no strangers to big names, with Scott Adkins having the distinction of being the latest big bad to give Donnie Yen trouble. Adkins stars as Barton Geddes, a racist US Marine Corps sergeant who seeks to discredit Ip Man’s Wing Chun by defeating him with his own karate skills in front of a group of his troops.
In the film’s final fight, Yen and Adkins engage in a long duel that demands the best of their acting and choreography skills. Geddes’ brutal strikes, grabs and spinning kicks target Ip Man’s delicate and graceful Wing Chun, forcing him to muster his strength like never before. However, in the end, Donnie Yen is able to deliver a devastating blow to the throat that decisively weakens Adkins’ character, putting to rest all questions about Wing Chun’s effectiveness once and for all. A solid battle, nothing stands out as clearly as Adkins’ three best performances.
3
George “The Iceman” Chambers vs. Yuri Boyka
Undisputed II: Last Man Standing
Being the true breakthrough appearance of Scott Adkins, it appears that Undisputed II: Last Man Standing it would contain one of his greatest fight scenes of all time. THE Indisputable The sequel made the wise decision to recast George “The Iceman” Chambers with true martial arts master Michael Jai White, finding a worthy opponent for him in Scott Adkins’ Yuri Boyka. Forced to fight the dangerous criminal after being committed to a Russian prison, Michael Jai White’s George Chambers demands a rematch after his first fight with Boyka was ruined by cheating.
In the fair rematch, both fighters pull out all the stops for a breathtaking fight scene. The dexterity with which Boyka is able to dodge Chambers’ punches and Chambers is able to dodge Boyka’s kicks is astonishing, with the two top athletes largely evenly matched. The momentum of victory ebbs and flows between the two combatants, but once Michael Jai White manages to land a devastating blow to the legs of Scott Adkins, the fight is his. If it weren’t for the cheesy black and white flashbacks peppered into the editing, this fight would be essentially perfect.
2
Collins vs. Payu and Jaka
Triple Threat
Undisputed II: Last Man Standing It wouldn’t be the only time Scott Adkins would share a marquee with Michael Jai White. The two recently starred in the same film in 2019 Triple Threat, a who’s who of modern martial arts movie stars. In one of Tony Jaa’s best films, his character Payu, a former special forces soldier, teams up with Iko Uwais’ Jaka, who seeks to avenge his wife, in a fight against Scott Adkins’ Collins, a heartless terrorist .
The thrilling battle begins with Scott Adkins nearly crushing Tony Jaa, countering his every move with increasingly elaborate reversals, blocks, and thunderous attacks. Just as it appears the lights have gone out for Payu, Tony Jaa’s Jaka enters the fray. Surprisingly, Collins still manages to overpower both opponents at once, sending them through balconies and brick walls with his signature crushingly powerful kicks. With beautiful lighting, choreography, and three incredibly talented martial artists, it’s hard to beat Triple Threatpenultimate fight.
1
Yuri Boyka vs. The Ozerov twins
Boyka: indisputable
It’s only fair that the only battle in Scott Adkins’ career that could surpass his performance in Triple Threat it’s another two-on-one victory as his most iconic character. Popular enough in Undisputed II: Last Man Standing to get your own spin-off movie, Boyka: indisputable addresses Scott Adkins’ lovable Slavic villain after his defeat at the hands of Michael Jai White’s George “The Iceman” Chambers. While not the most climactic fight in the film, the most impressive action sequence is easily Yuri’s defeat of the Ozerov twins.
Unlike many martial arts films, the Ozerov brothers have no reservations about attacking at the same time, forcing Boyka to impressively block from different angles at the same time. As intense as the double beating is, Boyka manages to find a response, alternating his blows between the two opponents in an impressive display of martial arts mastery. Eliminating both twins at once with a dropkick bodyslam combination, Scott Adkins’ work on Boyka: indisputable is easily his most impressive martial arts film appearance.