Combat Techniques in Fiction and Reality: Martial Arts of John Wick, Baki, and Professional Assassins
John wick’s combat system
John wick principally employs a hybrid fighting style call” gun FM” that combine judo, Brazilian jiu-jitsu, and tactical shooting techniques. The character’s creator work with experts from the 87eleven action design team to develop this distinctive combat approach that emphasize efficiency and lethality in close quarters combat.
Baku’s martial arts arsenal
In the anime / manga series, Baku Hanna masters an impressive range of fight styles include:
- Grapple techniques from wrestling and jiu-jitsu
- Striking arts like karate, boxing, and Muay Thai
- Fictional styles such as the exaggerated” demon back ” echnique
- Ancient Chinese martial arts like XING Yi Juan
The character’s fight approach emphasize adaptability and incorporate elements from various disciplines.

Source: looper.com
Real assassin combat training
Historical and modern assassins typically train in:

Source: theshavedhead.com
- Silt and kKali/ escrimfor weapon proficiency
- Ninjutsu and other stealth focus Japanese martial arts
- System or other military combat systems
- Specialized knife fight techniques
- Pressure point strike methods
Unlike fictional portrayals, real covert operatives prioritize efficiency, stealth, and avoid detection kinda than flashy techniques.
Common elements across combat systems
Despite the differences between fictional and real combat training, certain principles remain consistent:
- Economy of motion and energy conservation
- Target vulnerable body areas
- Weapon integration and disarmament techniques
- Situational awareness and tactical positioning
These fundamental concepts appear in both Hollywood interpretations and authentic combat traditions, though oftentimes with different degrees of theatrical enhancement.