Tat Mau Wong - McDojo or not?

**JKing** · Posted On: 7/14/2004 12:48am

I read about Tat Mau wong a long while ago while waiting at a book with a friend (in black belt magazine... yeah, I know). From the reading it said he was a FULL CONTACT FIGHTER before coming to America. My question is this:

Is Tat Mau Wong McDojo, or does he teach valuable fighting? I'm not planning on training in his schools (I dont even live near one) I'm just curious. Is this TMA as it should be, or just the same old same old?

For those who've never heard of Tat Wong, heres a short biography from his own website: http://www.tatwong.com/master.htm

**Gezere** · Posted On: 7/14/2004 1:09am

I haven't seen Tat Mau Wong.* We shared the same sifu, Lee Koon Hong. Both were full contact fighters in HK before coming to America. He is a Choy Lay Fut guy. CLF is one of the more practical forms of KF out there and does have a reputation for fighting. (mosty by Tang member though) He has gotten big over the year and I don't know, or think, he went the McDojo route. I say go to one of his schools and see. Yes you will do forms and they have lion dancing but that in itself does not make a McDojo.

*Edit: Meant to say I haven't seen him in years. I met him almost 9 yrs ago.

**Omar** · Posted On: 7/14/2004 1:51am

They can fight alright. I personally don't think his schools are the best. But quality is bound to suffer a bit when you franchise.

**redrover** · Posted On: 7/14/2004 2:24am

Back in the late 80's and 90's he was the host of the Kung Fu theater TV series in the Bay Area. I knew some guys that trained in his SF school. His students loved to fight and enter full contact or San Shou comps., because of that I dont think his school is a McDojo.

**Omar** · Posted On: 7/14/2004 2:27am

Which one of his schools....there are several.

**Mr. Mantis** · Posted On: 7/14/2004 12:46pm

Tat Mau Wong is legit.

**Zendetta** · Posted On: 7/14/2004 1:30pm

One of my lady friends trained San Shou with TW's people in san francisco - she was a bad bitch too. The do forms, have a black belt club, charge a bit of cash $$$ - but they also train and compete in San shou and I think they produce some good fighters.

**Matt Stone** · Posted On: 7/14/2004 8:48pm

Tat is probably legit, but his Brazilian franchise schools are a big bunch of suck ups...

When I went to Tat's tournament back around 1997 or so, the Brazilian delegation (there had to be at least 50 or more of them) formed a large block in the stands... Anytime Tat would show his face, or one of Tat's students (from whatever school) would do even passably well, they'd erupt in chorus after chorus of "SEE FOO TATMAUWONG!!! SEE FOO TATMAUWONG!!!" Over and over and over... It was enough that pretty much everyone that wasn't TMW or an affiliate was chanting along with saying "WILL YOU SHUTTHEFUCKUP?!?!"

They were really annoying...

**defacedcreation** · Posted On: 10/16/2007 9:57pm

I can tell you that the traditional Choy Li Fut schools have slowly gone the route of the McDojo, although they're still a bit away from that.

The San Shou kickboxing center in San Francisco is legitimate though, although it isn't quite as hardcore as you might see at Fairtex or World Team USA. We have some people that fight amateur like myself, and the main instructor is on the American National San Shou team that's competing in China next month.

Overall, it's not the most hardcore gym you can find, but it's great if you want to learn San Shou in San Francisco.