History Main / GoodOldFisticuffs

* The final fight scene in Creator/RidleyScott's ''Film/BlackRain''. Creator/MichaelDouglas' smartass cop squares off with karate-using villain (who thankfully is too smart to pull off any fancy stuff and is quite happy to use simple but effective strikes) and mostly gets beaten around... [[GameBreakingInjury until he digs a finger into villain's fresh wound, crippling him with pain]] and then administering a beating.

Compare AngryFistShake, which is is often seen as a threat to engage in this.

While it may seem at first sight to be only about fighting with your fists, this trope is about learning to fight in the "hard way", by pure, [[NoHoldsBarredBeatdown brutal]] and constant brawling for your life in dirty streets. It is emphasized that the person [[HadToBeSharp had to go through a life that served]] as TrainingFromHell. Do not confuse with BareFistedMonk or BoxingBattler, which are character types that only use melee but do not have the styleless "street brawling" connotation.

See CombatPragmatist. If the hero (or the villain) is a threat not because of technique but innate [[TheGift Gifts]] like [[MadeOfIron unnatural damage-soaking abilities]], he is probably UnskilledButStrong.

* Turns up in, of all places, the Bruce Lee film ''Film/WayOfTheDragon'', in which the Chinese restaurant staff all train in karate before getting the crap knocked out of them by the local thugs. Given that Bruce then uses kung fu to annihilate the thugs, this was probably intended as a TakeThat aimed at Japan (as ''Film/FistOfFury'' more blatantly was).

** The First Doctor cited the trope almost by name at the climax of “[[Recap/DoctorWhoS2E3TheRescue The Rescue]]” after a physical confrontation with the episode’s villain. The elderly Doctor was rarely a man of action, and after the fight felt quite pleased with himself, remarking “I so often outwit my opponents I forget the pleasure of good old-fashioned fisticuffs!”

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* Sure, Monkey D. Luffy from ''Manga/OnePiece'' trained all right, but so far his official training was only shown to be survival training and endurance--Garp was never shown teaching him any hand-to-hand combat. Luffy apparently got strong from brawls with his two older brothers and his RubberMan powers he obtained in early childhood gave him durability. But, it's implied by [[WordOfGod Oda]] that the only technique he worked on as a child was the [[RocketPunch Gum Gum Pistol]], (although a recent anime filler showed him practicing his Fuusen technique, too) and confirmed by WordOfGod that he doesn't train, but comes up with attacks on the spot; his most commonly used ones involving the ol' fists.

* In ''Manga/CodenameSailorV'' (of which ''Manga/SailorMoon'' is a spin-off), Minako/Sailor Venus often just beats the youma into a pulp before going for the magical attack to finish him off, and while [[KickChick her kicks]] resemble Savate there's no hint of her having any formal training beyond scattered hints that she spent part of her childhood abroad and may have had it there.
* {{Deconstructed}} in ''Manga/TomorrowsJoe'': Joe is quickly established as a powerful fighter capable of taking on multiple opponents through nothing but his brawling experience, but the moment Danpei, an old and out of shape former boxer, decided to give him a lesson, Joe went down ''fast'' and hard. Joe still kept his mindset until he decided to actually try out Danpei's lesson on the jab and noticed his punch had become much faster and powerful.

* This is ComicBook/TheSpirit's entire good ol' fighting method, as he's just an everyman with no training on any martial arts. He relies too on his wits and his agility to beat the crooks, but at the end of the day, he learned to fight by, well, fighting.

* A storyline in the ''[[ComicBook/RobinSeries Robin]]'' comic book had him fighting Cassandra Cain, formerly the second Batgirl, who had just revealed that she'd made a FaceHeelTurn. Robin manages to defeat Cassandra, who had received TrainingFromHell to learn how to predict opponents' moves by looking at them, by deliberately attacking her wildly with no style or forethought. Since Cassandra's "powers" should have been able to handle something like that easily, this is one of the many reasons this storyline became CanonDiscontinuity almost immediately.
** He learned from the best, apparently, as in a Franchise/{{JLA}} comic just a few months later, Franchise/{{Batman}} does this same thing to ComicBook/KarateKid, [[ComicBook/LegionOfSuperHeroes a super martial artist from the 31st century]] whose [[CharlesAtlasSuperpower fighting skills are so advanced he can fight Kryptonians despite being "only human."]] To the writer's credit, Batman doesn't win (merely stalemates his opponent until a superpowered ally can take him down), but he still lasts a lot longer than he had any business lasting.
* The comic ''ComicBook/{{Preacher}}'' inverts this: While protagonist Jesse Custer does not know fancy martial arts, he knows how to fistfight (and how to fight dirty). This allows him to stand up to people much [[UnskilledButStrong larger and stronger than he is]] because he has that foundation and they don't. We never get to see how he fares against a trained martial artist, however.
* ''ComicBook/SinCity'', Marv VS Kevin.
** Although Marv didn't just rely on his fists. He handcuffed Kevin to himself, which cramped Kevin's medium-range fighting style.

* Which is similar to this quote from ''ComicBook/TalesFromTheBullyPulpit'':
-->'''UsefulNotes/AbrahamLincoln:''' Bring it, boy. I'm gonna emancipate your teeth.

* Despite not having any martial training and being rather small in size, ''Franchise/{{Tintin}}'' often beats people in physical confrontations. One of the best examples is from "[[Recap/TintinTheBlackIsland The Black Island]]":
-->'''Puschov''':''*sweeps Tintin onto the ground*'' That's a little jujitsu, my friend! (or Savate in the original)!
-->'''Tintin''': And ''this'' is a kick to the jaw!
** Actually, in the original French version, Tintin's answer while kicking him in the face is "Et ça, c'est de la savate!" ("And that's savate!"). Which also makes for an untranslatable pun: in French, savate also means a type of shoe.
** Shoe-fu should be a trope.

* Early stories ''Franchise/{{Batman}}'': as detailed in [[http://www.bloodyelbow.com/2012/7/17/3164068/holy-mma-batman-martial-arts-dark-knight-part1 this article]], the Batman of early stories mainly fought as a boxer, and a vicious and skilled one at that (good enough to take on the ''number one contender for the heavyweight championship and [[CurbStompBattle win in a single round]]'' (note that here Batman was ''handicapped'' by the rules). [[note]]Batman being Batman even in those early stories, he was also a master in [[http://www.bloodyelbow.com/2012/7/19/3164241/holy-mma-batman-martial-arts-dark-knight-part2 Judo]] and knew a fair bit of [[http://www.bloodyelbow.com/2012/7/27/3171423/holy-mma-batman-martial-arts-dark-knight-part3 many other styles]].[[/note]] As the author of the article put it: "Now also imagine how your average street thug would fair against someone like Batman, who possessed the power of an [[http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Earnie_Shavers Ernie Shavers]] and the striking accuracy of an [[http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Archie_Moore Archie Moore]]?"
* ''Franchise/GreenLantern'':
** In any given ''ComicBook/{{Green Lantern|1941}}'' story, Alan Scott's far more likely to throw a punch at a gangster than to use his ring to stop them.
** [[Characters/GLGreenLanternCorps Green Lantern]] Kyle Rayner once fought Yellow Lantern ComicBook/{{Sinestro}} without any of them being allowed to use their power rings. Sinestro bragged about his unique fighting technique "Hammerfist" taught to him by Korugarian Grandmaster Tivas Kark. When asking Kyle who taught him to fight, the answer is delivered together with instant proof: Characters/{{Batman}}! See [[http://www.funnyjunk.com/Avengers+age+of+ultron/funny-pictures/5397889/ here]]
* Whenever forced to fight hand-to-hand, inspector Ginko from ''ComicBook/{{Diabolik}}'' uses this kind of style, and is good enough that even Diabolik, who is noted to have exceptional physical abilities and knows sophisticated martial arts, ends punched out most of the times-including that time Ginko was escaping from a gang's lair punching out any {{Mook}} he met and knocked out Diabolik (who was there for a heist) ''before noticing he wasn't a mook''.

%%* ''Film/StarTrekIIITheSearchForSpock'': The climax is a good old fist fight between Kirk and Kruge. Parodied and lampshaded by the ''Magazine/{{Mad}}'' spoof, where Kruge notes the irony of a retro fight in the middle of an FX-laden sci-fi film.
* ''Blood on the Sun'' with Creator/JamesCagney vs. a judoka.
** It's not a straight example, he uses both street brawling and judo he was shown training in.

* In ''Film/LethalWeapon4'', Creator/JetLi uses his polished wushu style to badly brutalize both Riggs and Murtaugh until they ultimately defeat him with their less flashy fighting styles and ultimately [[spoiler:a Kalashnikov automatic rifle]]. Riggs was portrayed as an elite martial artist in the first film's more realistic fight scenes, but by the fourth movie he too was "getting too old for this shit."
* Turns up in, of all places, the Bruce Lee film ''Film/WayOfTheDragon'', in which the Chinese restaurant staff all train in karate before getting the crap knocked out of them by the local thugs. Given that Bruce then uses kung fu to annihilate the thugs, this was probably intended as a TakeThat aimed at Japan (as ''Film/FistOfFury'' more blatantly was).

* ''Film/ShanghaiNoon'': "I don't know karate but I know kah-razy!" (with apologies to Music/JamesBrown). Roy manages to throw trained martial artist Chon Wang to the ground, which surprises both of them. Then Chon gets up and throws Roy out the window.
* The ''Film/SpeedRacer'' film adaption has a partial example: while [[EverybodyWasKungFuFighting everyone else was Kung Fu fighting]], Pops was able to beat the crap out of a ninja with (professional) ''wrestling'' moves.
* ''Film/FightClub'' shows us how the solution to the stresses of modern-day society is a good round of pit-style fisticuffs.
* Subverted in ''Film/{{Dutch}}'', in which Dutch (Ed O'Neil), using his self-described "good old, all-American street fighting" is beaten up by an adolescent who holds a "high brown belt." However, Dutch also teaches the boy to throw a proper punch, which he uses to good effect.
* In ''Film/NeverBackDown'', a streetwise MMA brawler faces a practitioner of capoeira, the Brazilian art of dance-fighting. Before the fight, the capoeirista grandstands with some flashy acrobatics and then gets knocked out with a single punch.

* ''Film/NinjaAssassin'' usually completely averts this trope; most normal people die when they are in a ninjas arm length, without even having the chance to fight back. Except for a [[StoutStrength big]] LondonGangster, who is the protagonists first target. The protagonist, a ninja himself, stabs him in the neck, which just pisses the gangster off. [[OneSceneWonder The man]] then beats the shit out of the protagonist and smashes him through some dividing walls, and even [[ImplacableMan keeps fighting after he gets stabbed some more]]. In the end, he is defeated nevertheless when the protagonist smashes his weakened opponents head repeatedly against a toilet bowl. It should be noted that the protagonist was not only one of the best ninjas, he also had the element of surprise and a weapon, yet was nearly defeated.
* Freddie tries to bring Michael Myers down with his fists in ''Film/HalloweenResurrection''. [[spoiler:He actually survives this encounter]].
* PlayedForLaughs in the sequel to ''Film/JohnnyEnglish''. English is going after a Hong Kong triad who is parkouring his way through the rooftops. English simply opens doors, crams through tight spots, and rides the elevator after him. When he has the villain corner, he watches as martial artist displays acrobatic kicks and flips before taking him out with a quick GroinAttack and a few other hilariously pragmatic moves.
* Displayed in ''Film/WildWildWest'': One of the minions pulls out a fancy move, and says "I learned that from a chinaman." Jim West proceeds to [[ShovelStrike hit him with a shovel]], then declares, "I just made that up."

* In ''Film/LiveFreeOrDieHard'' John [=McClane=] fights a talented female martial artist and uses this (as well as a car) to defeat her. Of course, it helps he had a significant weight advantage over his WaifFu opponent.

* This is Jackson's fighting style in ''Film/{{Bloodsport}}''.
* Everett in ''Film/OBrotherWhereArtThou'' tries to beat up his wife's new man, thinking the little nerdy-looking Vernon will be easy to defeat. [[CrouchingMoronHiddenBadass However,]] Vernon adopts the classic pugilistic pose, easily dodges Everett's clumsy swings, then punches his lights out with swift, unanswered jabs.
* In the 1978 version of ''Film/GameOfDeath'': Steiner uses this against Billy Lo after all the other henchmen have died. This surprisingly even works even though Steiner is completely unskilled and handicapped and Billy Lo (supposedly Bruce Lee) is supposed to be the greatest fighting machine in the world.
* In the otherwise forgettable ''Film/TangoAndCash'', a criminal leads up to a fight with one of the protagonists with some fancy martial arts katas and shouts. The protagonist, unimpressed, punches him dead in the face and knocks him out with one shot. His comment is a gruffly mumbled, "I hate you karate guys."
* A forced example in ''Film/TheSubstitute.'' The main character is a mercenary/former special ops soldier pretending to be a substitute teacher. When he's forced by another mercenary (who knows exactly who the main character is) to fight with one of the villains, the second mercenary says, "Fight fair: none of that ninja s**t."
* ''Film/BladeRunner2049'': [[spoiler:Luv’s]] fancy acrobatics and kickboxing deal plenty of damage to K during their brawl, but it ultimately does nothing to save her; [[VictoryByEndurance he’s simply far stronger and more durable than her]], and once he manages to get his hands on her, he easily pins her down and strangles her to death.

* ''Film/TheNightTheyKnocked'': Late in the movie, one of the protagonists gets into a fist fight with one of the killers.
* ''Film/RushHour'': Carter fights this way in the first two movies but is usually helpless in a fight when Lee isn't there to back him up. [[TookALevelInBadass The third movie has him become a wushu blackbelt, displaying his skill by taking down a group of Triad henchmen all by himself]].
* In the campy 1975 film adaptation of pulp hero ''Film/DocSavageTheManOfBronze'', there's a scene where our hero is facing off with the villainous Captain Seas, who wordlessly challenges him to a duel in various fighting styles, each introduced with InSceneTitleText. Doc proves his mastery in Sumo wrestling, Gung Fu, Tai Chichuan, Karate, Bo jijsu, and finally Fisticuffs.

* Double subverted in the Creator/EoinColfer novel {{Literature/Airman}}. The protagonist is trained in several forms of martial arts and fencing, and early in the novel is wrongly convicted and sent to a prison/diamond mine. On his first day, he's ambushed by the leader of the resident prison gang and gets beaten into unconsciousness. The next day, however, he's prepared and handily beats the thug with some simple but effective strikes.
* Played straight in the ''Literature/TalesOfDunkAndEgg'' (prequels to the main story of ''Literature/ASongOfIceAndFire''). Dunk is only a fair swordsman, but he is also quite tall, strong, and an experienced streetfighter. When a more skilled swordsman gets the better of him, he tends to grab hold of him and start tossing him around like a ragdoll.

* Stephen R. Donaldson has it both ways in his thriller ''The Man Who Fought Alone''. On the one hand, the protagonist's street brawling skills trump anything used by a martial artist under black belt rank, both because [[CombatPragmatist he fights dirty]], and because according to Donaldson most martial arts emphasize intimidation over actual combat prowess so as to try and avoid a fight entirely (similarly to the distinction between Jaffa and human combat styles in ''Series/{{Stargate|SG1}}''.) On the other hand, the characters who've reached black belt actually know some pretty good moves and combine them with a level of discipline he can't readily match. (It should be noted that Donaldson himself is a martial artist, and seems to know what he's talking about.)
* Subverted near the beginning of ''[[{{Literature/Flashman}} Royal Flash]]'', Flashman witnesses an impromptu match between Otto von Bismarck and retired bare-knuckle boxer John Gully. Gully dodges all of von Bismarck's punches until he is finally provoked into knocking the German down, demonstrating that there's more to boxing than wild swinging.
* In ''Literature/TheCaliforniaVoodooGame'', the AwesomeByAnalysis villain winds up in a one-on-one fight with Dream Park's head of security. Although the villain's sophisticated martial arts training has always served him well in the game, Griffin is so furious at the man for murdering one of his trusted employees that he throws caution to the wind and ''tackles'' his opponent, pounding him so viciously without regard for his own injuries that his foe has no chance to utilize his fancy moves. "Two cats in a sack" is how the narrative describes it, and the villain proves the weaker cat.
* [[SubvertedTrope Subverted]] in ''Literature/TheStormlightArchive''. Adolin wins a duel by abandoning dueling conventions and charging forward aggressively to knock his opponent down, then dismissing his blade entirely and just savagely kicking him into submission. Navani points out that this would not have worked against a more talented duelist, but was a good tactic to disguise his true skills. Adolin reflects that it would have been far smarter if that ''had'' been why he did it.
* In ''Literature/{{Anathem}}'', Lio, a student of "vlor," the science of martial arts, gets into a fight with a couple of toughs from Saecular society. His martial arts are rendered useless when they simply pull his robe over his head and pummel him. He later learns to fix his wardrobe so it cannot be used against him.
* In the ''Literature/GotrekAndFelix'' novels when Felix first meets Princess Ulrika she challenges him to a duel with lightweight fencing swords that Felix is not as familiar with as his regular sword. As the fight begins, he quickly realizes he is going to lose but only because he is adhering to the rules of the duel and is trying to copy Ulrika's fancy sword moves. When Ulrika moves in for another attack, Felix blocks her blade, punches her in the face, and sweeps her legs out from under her, winning the fight. It turns out that this wins a great amount of respect for Felix from Ulrika because Felix didn't let the fact that she was nobility [[WouldHitAGirl (or a woman),]] get in the way of their duel and that he took her completely seriously as a fighter. [[BestHerToBedHer This results in Ulrika being naked in Felix's bed when he retires for the night.]]
* ''Literature/SuperPowereds'': Most brawler-type supers, such as Roy, use their SuperStrength and SuperToughness to fight bare-handed. Professor Cole, the weapons teacher, considers this to be the stupidest thing ever. A brawler is basically just an ordinary human but stronger and tougher--and ordinary humans use weapons as force multipliers. She's happily surprised when she successfully convinces Roy to start carrying a weapon; he uses a baseball bat made out of materials that can withstand his incredible strength.
* The titular ''Literature/{{Sharpe}}'' was born in the gutters and literally fought his way up through the ranks to become an officer, with his favourite weapon being a giant cavalry sword (which he uses on foot.) In several novels, he attempts to fight in an honourable duel and gets his butt kicked. So he stops duelling and starts ''fighting'' and does the butt-kicking himself.
* Invoked in the ''Literature/SplinterCell'' novel ''Operation: Barracuda'' when Sam Fisher uses his Krav Magra training to defeat several Chinese gangsters using Kung Fu that was definetely more influenced by Wuxia films than real martial arts training.
* In the William W. Johnstone novel ''Literature/TriggerWarning'', the "big," old-fashioned ex-soldier Jake confronts the girlfriend-abusing, manbun-wearing, liberal college kid Craig. Craig warns Jake that he knows krav maga, but just when Craig is about to bust out some "fancy martial art move," Jake socks him in the gut.

* The show ''Series/KnightRider'', in its last season, featured a troop of ninjas as foes that, despite carrying the trademark weapons of their profession, were easily taken down by straightforward punches. Main Protagonist Michael, in a twist of irony, claimed to be an expert in martial arts during the pilot episode.

* In the episode "Bounty Hunter" of ''Series/MyNameIsEarl'', a bounty hunter trained in various martial arts attacks Joy, who fights informally with fisticuffs. It quickly turns into a CurbStompBattle. Given the trope page, you can guess for which side.
-->'''Joy:''' I watch a lot of Springer.
* In ''Series/{{Outlaws}}'', a private detective is menaced by a martial artist. The detective knocks him out with one punch. [[spoiler: It's understandable that the detective doesn't try martial arts himself, given that he's a former cowboy brought forward in time.]]

* Sam and Dean get into plenty of fistfights in ''Series/{{Supernatural}}''. These are particularly frequent in the PrisonEpisode [[Recap/SupernaturalS02E19FolsomPrisonBlues "Folsom Prison Blues" (S02, Ep19)]].

* In ''Series/MarriedWithChildren'', one episode featured the Bundy family relegated to a tiny corner of the park because a family of rich {{Jerkass}} yuppies had a birthday party going on. When Al finally has enough of the extra abuse the family [[KickTheDog needlessly piled on]], this memorable exchange occurred.
-->'''Yuppy Dad:''' That's it! I'll have you know I have a black belt in karate! *kicks at Al*\\
'''Al:''' *catches it under his arm* Woops. Looks like I have your leg.
-->Al punches the man straight across the chin. Cue entire Bundy family [[NoHoldsBarredBeatdown going to town on them.]]
* Lucien Blake from ''Series/TheDoctorBlakeMysteries'' displays some serious pugilistic talent. When he squares off against a local thug in "An Invincible Summer", he drops into a stance that shows he has had proper boxing training and takes his opponent, who is much bigger and heavier.
* ''Series/DoctorWho'': The Fourth Doctor favours a messy, almost playful, brawling fighting style, contrasting him with his more dignified previous incarnation who [[IKnowKarate Knew Venusian Aikido]], as well as with the First Doctor who had more of a public school Victorian boxer vibe. (And with the Second, who [[WigDressAccent mostly just bluffed people]].)
** In the serial "[[Recap/DoctorWhoS17E2CityOfDeath City of Death]]" this was Duggan's preferred method of dealing with trouble. While it gets him yelled at by the Doctor a lot, [[spoiler:it also saved humanity from extinction (or rather, never existing in the first place) when he punched Scaroth before he could warn his past self that the spaceship was about to explode.]]
-->'''Doctor:''' Duggan! I think that was possibly the most important punch in history!
** The First Doctor cited the trope almost by name at the climax of “[[Recap/DoctorWhoS2E3TheRescue The Rescue]]” after a physical confrontation with the episode’s villain. The elderly Doctor was rarely a man of action, and after the fight felt quite pleased with himself, remarking “I so often outwit my opponents I forget the pleasure of good old-fashioned fisticuffs!”
* In ''Series/FrontierCircus'', both Ben and Tony are shown to be masters of bare-knuckle brawling. This trope comes into play in "The Inheritance" where Ben is able to beat a judo master with nothing but his natural pugilistic talent.

* ''Series/AgentCarter'': The titular Peggy Carter solves most of her problems using a combination of Good Old Fisticuffs and {{Improvised Weapon}}s, in keeping with her very practical, resourceful personality. This is in contrast to [[spoiler: Dottie, a first-generation ComicBook/BlackWidow]], who is proficient in WaifFu, as well as to Film/{{Captain America|The First Avenger}}'s use of LeParkour and [[ThrowingYourShieldAlwaysWorks his trademark shield]].
* In ''Series/LifeOnMars2006'', when a particularly vicious argument between Gene Hunt and Sam Tyler escalates to a physical fight, Tyler gets into a martial arts stance, while Hunt just rushes him. The fight takes place offscreen, but it's implied to have been pretty even, as afterwards they're both sat on the floor bruised and exhausted.

* Mildly subverted in the original ''TabletopGame/{{DC Heroes}} RPG'' by Maifair Games and the system's ''reincarnation'' as ''Blood Of Heroes'' by Pulsar Games. The martial Arts skill could be taken as-is, or could simply be used to represent ''Him Fight Good'' - whether it's Iron Fist's intense training, or the otherwise physically slow Juggernaut's ability to hit all but the most agile of opponents with his hamfists, to use Marvel Comics examples.
* In ''TabletopGame/DungeonsAndDragons'' 3rd and 3.5 edition a baseline fighter stood a fairly decent chance at beating an equal-level monk using only their bare hands, especially if allowed to use [[PowerFist armour with gauntlets]]. This simply came down to the fighter [[BoringButPractical being a focused class]] with high HitPoints and base attack bonus (which applies equally to every weapon in the game) while the monk is [[MasterOfNone more of a hybrid class]]. Feats added in splatbooks (the fighter gains feats at twice the rate of other classes) could further close this gap by letting the fighter deal unarmed damage as a monk of half their level.

* The Brawler class of ''TabletopGame/{{Pathfinder}}'' give variety to a system where barehanded combat is often relegated to the BareFistedMonk. Brawlers can utilize their unarmed strikes as well as a monk can - including the ability to use knees, elbows, headbutts, or other strikes beyond their fists - with the added bonus of being able to [[ConfusionFu switch their feats and styles on the fly,]] making them extremely versatile.

* ''VideoGame/ArenaXlsm'': The StarterEquipment for the Melee form of attack, is "Bare Hands".

* The UsefulNotes/PlayStation2 gladiator sim ''VideoGame/ColosseumRoadToFreedom'' allows four main fighting styles: [[JackOfAllStats One Sword]], [[DualWielding Two Swords]], [[LuckilyMyShieldWillProtectMe Shield]] and Striker, which is this trope. Fighting without weapons gives you fast attacks and a lot of cool-looking moves that make you look more like a pro-wrestler than a gladiator, but the damage is abysmal and you have no ability to block or parry attacks (though you can still dodge). Striker is kind of CoolButInefficient because you need very good reflexes and careful use of skills to make it effective - most people only fight with their fists because they were disarmed and punching is a last resort, but a small crazy elite actually use it as a main fighting style.

* The [[SuperSoldier D-Codes and Orions]] in ''VideoGame/{{Prototype}}'' and its sequel just jump around punching things. Creating super soldiers to punch out zombies one-by-one seems like the most expensive yet inefficient solution to a ZombieApocalypse, but it makes a bit more sense when they go up against the tougher monsters since their hooks do more damage than ''tank rounds''.

* A variant in ''VideoGame/ThemsFightinHerds''. While the other CivilizedAnimal fighters usually have magic or tools, Shanty is a goat who fights with only the hooves, horns, and climbing abilities innate to her species.

* In ''Webcomic/TheInexplicableAdventuresOfBob,'' while being an extreme NiceGuy is usually Bob's greatest strength, allowing him to attract allies and [[TalkingTheMonsterToDeath talk monsters to death,]] the downside seems to be that he's [[https://bobadventures.thecomicseries.com/comics/502 really pretty worthless in a fistfight.]]

* ''Webcomic/HeroOhHero'' has the main character of [[FourLinesAllWaiting one of the three parallel storylines,]] Burk and his {{Foil}} The Aristocrat, who both prefer fighting with their hands.
* ''Webcomic/GunnerkriggCourt'': Jones [[https://www.gunnerkrigg.com/?p=376 never uses weapons]] but still handily wins a sparring match against a swordsman. {{Justified|Trope}} with the reveal, [[https://www.gunnerkrigg.com/?p=1116 23 chapters]] later, that Jones [[spoiler:has CompleteImmortality and unstoppable SuperStrength, making weapons completely superfluous.]]

* In one episode of ''WesternAnimation/MyGymPartnersAMonkey'', Jake gaining a "Mustache" inexplicably gives him 1337 skills with nunchucks, but Adam counters this by challenging to a round of fisticuffs. Subverted in that neither of them actually knows what comes next.

* In ''WesternAnimation/MyLittlePonyFriendshipIsMagic'', Rarity - usually a prim and proper socialite and fashionista who dreads the idea of getting dirty and unladylike - has no problem putting up her dukes when the chips are down, even challenging a posse of dragons and pummeling her way through an army of changelings with her front hooves alone. Bonus points for being a unicorn, a pony race normally expected to resort to magic for this sort of thing.
* Grunkle Stan in ''WesternAnimation/GravityFalls'' has a background as an amateur boxer and petty criminal, and tends to solve any problem he can't talk his way out of with his fists. Over the course of the series he has punched out zombies, a dinosaur and [[spoiler:[[EldritchAbomination Bill Cipher]]]].

* ''WesternAnimation/TheSimpsons'': In the episode [[Recap/TheSimpsonsS8E11TheTwistedWorldOfMargeSimpson "The Twisted World of Marge Simpson"]], which features a MobWar between TheMafia and {{Yakuza}}, Fat Tony takes down a bunch of Japanese martial artists with little more than knuckle dusters.
* ''WesternAnimation/TheLegendOfKorra'': Most of the classic benders used styles based on various real-world martial arts. Bolin and Mako use very stripped-down arena styles that are more like a mix of professional boxing and street fighting and beat pretty much all of them they face. Maybe not the first time they face them, though.

** He learned from the best, apparently, as in a Franchise/{{JLA}} comic just a few months later, Franchise/{{Batman}} does this same thing to ComicBook/KarateKid, [[ComicBook/{{Legion of Super-Heroes}} a super martial artist from the 31st century]] whose [[CharlesAtlasSuperpower fighting skills are so advanced he can fight Kryptonians despite being "only human."]] To the writer's credit, Batman doesn't win (merely stalemates his opponent until a superpowered ally can take him down), but he still lasts a lot longer than he had any business lasting.

* In ''Webcomic/TheInexplicableAdventuresOfBob,'' while being an extreme NiceGuy is usually Bob's greatest strength, allowing him to attract allies and [[TalkingTheMonsterToDeath talk monsters to death,]] the downside seems to be that he's [[http://bobadventures.comicgenesis.com/d/20101026.html really pretty worthless in a fistfight.]]

* The [[SuperSoldier D-Codes and Orions]] in ''VideoGame/Prototype'' and its sequel just jump around punching things. Creating super soldiers to punch out zombies one-by-one seems like the most expensive yet inefficient solution to a ZombieApocalypse, but it makes a bit more sense when they go up against the tougher monsters since their hooks do more damage than ''tank rounds''.

** Even in basic ''TabletopGame/DungeonsAndDragons'' 3rd and 3.5 edition a baseline fighter stood a fairly decent chance at beating an equal-level monk using only their bare hands, especially if allowed to use [[PowerFist armour with gauntlets]]. This simply came down to the fighter [[BoringButPractical being a focused class]] with high HitPoints and base attack bonus (which applies equally to every weapon in the game) while the monk is [[MasterOfNone more of a hybrid class]]. Feats added in splatbooks (the fighter gains feats at twice the rate of other classes) could further close this gap by letting the fighter deal unarmed damage as a monk of half their level.
* In ''TabletopGame/BattleTech'', if two officers of the [[BraveScot Northwind Highlanders]] have a dispute, they're expected to settle it by punching each other until there's a clear winner. Somehow, this prevents resentment from building up.

* One of the reasons ''Franchise/PrettyCure'' has a larger adult male PeripheryDemographic than most other MagicalGirl series. Transforming not only gives the Cures FrillsOfJustice and automatically-memorized InTheNameOfTheMoon speeches but also SuperStrength and the ability to [[InASingleBound jump ridiculously high]], so they usually spend the majority of a fight scene beating the snot out of the MonsterOfTheWeek with their bare fists and pull out the magical attacks as a FinishingMove only.

* In the campy 1975 film adaptation of pulp hero ''Film/DocSavage'', there's a scene where our hero is facing off with the villainous Captain Seas, who wordlessly challenges him to a duel in various fighting styles, each introduced with InSceneTitleText. Doc proves his mastery in Sumo wrestling, Gung Fu, Tai Chichuan, Karate, Bo jijsu, and finally Fisticuffs.

-->'''Sisko:''' Bring them back, Q, now!
-->'''Q:''' Or what? You'll thrash me? Shall we settle this ''mano a mano''?

-->'''Yuppy Dad:''' That's it! I'll have you know I have a black belt in karate! *kicks at Al*
-->'''Al:''' *catches it under his arm* Woops. Looks like I have your leg.

* ''VideoGame/Borderlands1'': Brick's action skill sends into a UnstoppableRage where he forgoes using guns and starts punching everything in sight. As an NPC in later installments he almost exclusively fights barehanded. And a good number of jokes surrounding him are about how much he loves fisticuffs.

* ''Anime/SenkiZesshouSymphogear" has the main Character Hibiki Tachibana. Despite having the relic. [[NorseMythology Gungnir]], unlike [[PosthumousCharacter Kanade]] and [[TeamMom Maria]]'s incarnations of the relic which actually use the spear, Hibiki's just appear as gauntlets and greaves on her hands and feet. She makes due by beating the snot out of her foes instead, with an Extra dosage of training with fellow her GoodOldFisticuffs wielder [[BadassNormal Genjuro Kazanari]] in both Real Martial Arts and [[IKnowMortalKombat imitating action movies]], turning her into basicall]y a Anime/PrettyCure on steroids. The spear like component of her relic does pop up as a [[ThisIsADrill Drill Arm]], though, as a special attack.

* The comic ''HardGraft'' features a main character whose main purpose in life appears to be using GoodOldFisticuffs to beat people down.

* ''Series/AgentCarter'': The titular Peggy Carter solves most of her problems using a combination of GoodOldFisticuffs and {{Improvised Weapon}}s, in keeping with her very practical, resourceful personality. This is in contrast to [[spoiler: Dottie, a first-generation ComicBook/BlackWidow]], who is proficient in WaifFu, as well as to Film/{{Captain America|The First Avenger}}'s use of LeParkour and [[ThrowingYourShieldAlwaysWorks his trademark shield]].

* ''Anime/DigimonSavers''' fifth season plays with this. It turns out the most effective fighters are the ones with the greatest understanding of their abilities. Whether they figured it out for themselves the hard way or needed to go through rigorous training to understand are just means to an end. 3/4ths of the main casts are forced into training.

* {{Deconstructed}} in ''Manga/AshitaNoJoe'': Joe is quickly established as a powerful fighter capable of taking on multiple opponents through nothing but his brawling experience, but the moment Danpei, an old and out of shape former boxer, decided to give him a lesson, Joe went down ''fast'' and hard. Joe still kept his mindset until he decided to actually try out Danpei's lesson on the jab and noticed his punch had become much faster and powerful.

* [[ZigZaggingTrope Zigzagged]] in ''Comicbook/BirdsOfPrey''. When ComicBook/{{Huntress}} and ComicBook/LadyShiva square off in a fight to the death. Even though she never expects to actually ''win'', Huntress plans to at least ''injure'' Shiva by getting close and brawling with her instead of fighting at a proper distance with a refined style. Her logic is that, though Shiva has spent years dueling the most refined and skilled martial artists in the world, Huntress is a street fighter and understands how to get up close and personal in a fight. Huntress does manage a single knockdown on Shiva but gets beaten into hamburger to do so. Shiva remains unscathed.

* A storyline in the ''[[ComicBook/RobinSeries Robin]]'' comic book had him fighting Cassandra Cain, formerly the second Batgirl, who had just revealed that she'd made a FaceHeelTurn. Robin manages to defeat Cassandra, who had received TrainingFromHell to learn how to predict opponents' moves by looking at them, by deliberately attacking her wildly with no style or forethought. Since Cassandra's "powers" should have been able to handle something like that easily, this is one of the many reasons this storyline became CanonDisContinuity almost immediately.
** He learned from the best, apparently, as in a Franchise/{{JLA}} comic just a few months later, Franchise/{{Batman}} does this same thing to ComicBook/KarateKid, [[Comicbook/{{Legion of Super-Heroes}} a super martial artist from the 31st century]] whose [[CharlesAtlasSuperpower fighting skills are so advanced he can fight Kryptonians despite being "only human."]] To the writer's credit, Batman doesn't win (merely stalemates his opponent until a superpowered ally can take him down), but he still lasts a lot longer than he had any business lasting.

* Despite not having any martial training and being rather small in size, ''[[Franchise/{{Tintin}} Tintin]]'' often beats people in physical confrontations. One of the best examples is from "[[Recap/TintinTheBlackIsland The Black Island]]":

** [[Characters/{{GLGreenLanternCorps}} Green Lantern]] Kyle Rayner once fought Yellow Lantern ComicBook/{{Sinestro}} without any of them being allowed to use their power rings. Sinestro bragged about his unique fighting technique "Hammerfist" taught to him by Korugarian Grandmaster Tivas Kark. When asking Kyle who taught him to fight, the answer is delivered together with instant proof: Characters/{{Batman}}! See [[http://www.funnyjunk.com/Avengers+age+of+ultron/funny-pictures/5397889/ here]]

* Celestia mentions to being a fan of this in ''FanFic/DiariesOfAMadman'', but has trouble finding sparring partners. Nav and Sombra also engage in a fistfight later on.
* Seen in ''FanFic/MegaManReawakened'', as Robert sometimes fights this way as opposed to weapons or battle chips.

* ''FanFic/FantasyOfUtterRidiculousness'': In a land full of reality-breaking powers such as Yukari's boundary manipulation, Megas's own "ability" seems rather mundane. As Yukari herself notes, however, it provides a good explanation for how Coop escaped the Infinity Zone...

* ''Videogame/AsurasWrath'': Asura's main fighting style is all about this. In contrast to Yasha's precise chops and slices, Asura mostly fights by flailing his arms wildly and punching as fast and hard as he can.

* ''Videogame/CityOfHeroes'' has the Street Justice powerset, which is all about this kind of fighting, as opposed to Martial Arts. Both sets have their strengths over the other. In addition, City of Heroes represents this through some of the Enhancements that Natural-Origin heroes can acquire to boost their powers. In addition to the Dragon-Style martial art techniques and the Military Trainin techniques, Natural heroes could also gain Back Alley techniques, such as the Back Alley Nerve Strike's ability to increase the duration of sleep-causing powers (even if the powers themselves didn't involve physically touching an enemy.)

* ''Franchise/TheElderScrolls''

* In ''VideoGame/TheGodfather: The Game'', you as Aldo Trapani don't have any fancy evasive rolls in the style of ''VideoGame/DevilMayCry''-esque "Stylish Action Games", {{Vacuum Hurricane Kick}}s, [[WrestlerInAllOfUs wrasslin' moves]] or WaifFu-like flips [[{{Series/Firefly}} a 90-pound girl]] might use, only simple punches, a lunging grab and [[ExtremityExtremist maybe the occasional kick.]] Unfortunately, this means that you have trouble dealing with three or more enemies at once.

* In the ''Videogame/{{Yakuza}}'' series, Kazuma Kiryu's fighting style can only be described as just street-brawling taken to the extreme, even as he adds in fancy maneuvers such as wrestling moves, training from ancient martial arts mastsers or environmental attacks. The various other protagonists are also not all that different, particularly Taiga Saejima, who backs up a straightforward style with raw inhuman strength.

* ''Webcomic/{{Homestuck}}''

* ''WebComic/HeroOhHero'' has the main character of [[FourLinesAllWaiting one of the three parallel storylines,]] Burk and his {{Foil}} The Aristocrat, who both prefer fighting with their hands.

* When [[http://bobadventures.thecomicseries.com/comics/952 Lari the Ninja fights Rocko Sasquatch]] in ''Webcomic/TheInexplicableAdventuresOfBob,'' the former of course uses martial arts, while the latter just punches really hard. They're pretty evenly matched, and it [[http://bobadventures.thecomicseries.com/comics/955 eventually degenerates]] into a BigBallofViolence, [[http://bobadventures.thecomicseries.com/comics/956 which is even lampshaded.]]

* Played with in ''Manga/{{Holyland}}''. Most fighters have some martial arts training as a base, even if they adapt it to the needs of the street, and effectiveness varies. The closest ones to styleless brawling uncramped by martial arts training are Yuu and Katou, although neither sticks to just hands; Yuu eventually uses kicks, elbows, and wrestling, while Katou uses knees ([[GroinAttack to the groin]]), headbutts and takedowns.

Ah, the FightScene: Noble sport and elegant artform that elevates two fictional combatants through ritualized combat, proving their prowess by savagely beating each other upside the head with [[ImprovisedWeapon 2x4's or whatever else they can get their grubby little paws on]].

* Flip-flopped in ''Film/IpMan''. Wong Leung and his friends' skills with street fighting prove no match for Ip Man's martial arts, and they're soundly beaten. Then again, Twister's Western boxing proves brutally effective against Chinese martial arts, enough to [[spoiler:actually cause Master Hung's death]] and give [[ShowyInvincibleHero Master Ip]] the fight of his life.

* Chinese Martial Arts, believe it or not. Yeah, they may look all frou-frou and fancy, but when it comes to application, it's really about anything goes. Tiger Claw? Fancy name for "drive your palm into their nose/chin, and then your fingers into his eyes". Snake fist? Means poke'em in the eye. Monkey steals the peach? Nab the other guy's balls in your hand and ''squeeze like hell'' (one guess what the "peach" was referring to). Attacks to the groin, throat, and eyes are heavily emphasized, particularly in Southern Styles. Kung Fu was always a self-defense thing.

* This is Joker's fighting style in ''VideoGame/MortalKombatVsDCUniverse'', complete with the traditional pose.
** It's his fighting style in ''VideoGame/BatmanArkhamCity'' too. [[https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QuyuE5wK5Iw He even does a little dance.]] Against Batman, however, he gets floored in a few punches and then resorts to calling out 15 {{Mooks}}, a [[TheBrute Brute]] with one arm who wields a sledgehammer, and of course, a [[GiantMook Titan]].
** And then STILL loses. [[spoiler: The only reason why he isn't actually defeated is due to a DiabolusExMachina helicopter strike that buries Batman.]] [[CombatPragmatist The Joker decides to go with a knife from then on.]]
*** Although... [[spoiler: it's actually Clayface, not Joker, and thus, basically threw the fight, because he's nearly [[NoSell impossible to damage]] conventionally in his final boss fight without Freeze Grenades.]]
* Most of the combat in ''VideoGame/ZenoClash''. While some enemies use elaborate spin kicks and martial arts, [[PlayerCharacter Gant's]] unarmed fighting style essentially boils down to bashing his foes with his fists until they get dizzy, then smashing their skulls against his kneecaps.
* In ''VideoGame/TheGodfather: The Game'', you as Aldo Trapani don't have any fancy evasive rolls in the style of ''VideoGame/DevilMayCry''-esque "Stylish Action Games", {{Vacuum Hurricane Kick}}s, [[WrestlerInAllOfUs wrasslin' moves]] or WaifFu-like flips [[{{Series/Firefly}} a 90-pound girl]] might use, only simple punches, a lunging grab and [[ExtremityExtremist maybe the occasional kick.]] Unfortunately, this means that you have trouble dealing with three or more enemies at once.
* Balrog is like this in the ''Franchise/StreetFighter'' games, using American boxing. (Without gloves.) Unfortunately, he's handicapped as a fighter, because he can't use any kick-based moves at all. (Trying to do so in games where he's a playable character just results in a low punch; suffice to say, he's not the best fighter among the bosses.)
* Terry Bogard, protagonist of ''VideoGame/FatalFury'' is stated to use self-taught moves from years of wandering the streets of Southtown, getting in fights, and learning what worked and what didn't. That doesn't really explain how he figured out how to throw energy waves or flaming, explosive punches, though[[note]]He ''did'' train for a bit under Tung Fu Rue, so maybe he learned them from him.[[/note]].
* In ''VideoGame/GuiltyGear'', Slayer, immortal and powerful vampire, uses only his bare hands. His Insta-Kill is simply punching his opponent into another galaxy.
* ''VideoGame/{{Tekken}}'' has a few examples. In the first four games, the various Jacks typically have "Brute Force" listed as their only style, and since they're all [[MightyGlacier gigantic robots]], it only makes sense. But this trope started getting taken into overdrive with the newest games in the series; the UpdatedRerelease ''Tekken 5: Dark Resurrection'' introduced Lili, who is a wealthy ballerina with "street fighting" as her official style, while her actual movelist incorporates ballet and gymnastics. Miguel is later introduced in ''Tekken 6'' as was specifically designed to be nothing but a brawler, with no combat pose to speak of and punches and kicks which seem very casually thrown with no training behind them. Finally, with ''Tekken 6: Bloodline Rebellion'', Alisa Bosconovitch introduced into the series, who [[RobotGirl fights by detaching her own head, shooting her arms as projectiles, flying on retractable thrusters]] and has ''[[ChainsawGood friggin chainsaws on each arm!]]''
* In ''VideoGame/TeamFortress2'' the Heavy's default melee weapons are simply his fists. Taunting with it [[FingerGun kills any foes in front of him instantly]].
* ''Videogame/CityOfHeroes'' has the Street Justice powerset, which is all about this kind of fighting, as opposed to Martial Arts. Both sets have their strengths over the other. In addition, City of Heroes represents this through some of the Enhancements that Natural-Origin heroes can acquire to boost their powers. In addition to the Dragon-Style martial art techniques and the Military Trainin techniques, Natural heroes could also gain Back Alley techniques, such as the Back Alley Nerve Strike's ability to increase the duration of sleep-causing powers (even if the powers themselves didn't involve physically touching an enemy.)

* ''VideoGame/{{Psychosomnium}}'': Mitch, the only combat character in the game, has a pair of beefy fists he uses to get rid of certain nasty obstacles.
* Liquid Snake from ''VideoGame/MetalGearSolid'' shows off his pugilist skills during a bout against Solid Snake. And he's not afraid to fight dirty.
** Also, the Cyborg Ninja: if Snake holsters his weapons and attacks hand-to-hand, the Ninja will pay the same respect.
* The ''VideoGame/TalesSeries'' has many a BareFistedMonk in its playable casts, but Eizen from ''VideoGame/TalesOfBerseria'' stands out among the fist fighters with his rough style that emphasizes brute force augmented by his innate elemental powers. His first [[LimitBreak Mystic Arte]], for instance, simply has him go to town on the victim with a Dempsey Roll before finishing with an uppercut, while the third just has him [[MegatonPunch slug them into the stratosphere.]] Being not only a ReallySevenHundredYearsOld Malak with SuperStrength but with a powerful curse on him that ''forces'' him to slug his way through various foes, it's not surprising he's capable of kicking all sorts of ass.

* Some of the units in ''VideoGame/TotallyAccurateBattleSimulator'' use their own fists, which they flail around in an effort to punch them much like they would with a weapon.

* Doomfist of ''VideoGame/{{Overwatch}}'' is based around throwing really strong punches despite being in a FirstPersonShooter. His only ranged attack is the ShortRangeShotgun implanted in the knuckles of his artificial left arm but to compensate he has a lot of mobility and his moves recharge much faster while letting him pull in other players [[GroundPunch "Seismic Slam"]] or get to places higher up and strike at airborne players [[{{Shoryuken}} "Rising Uppercut"]]. His Ultimate "Meteor Strike" is a just a (much) stronger version of Seismic Slam.
* [[ImplacableMan The Stranger]] in ''VideoGame/GodOfWarPS4'' fights exclusively with his fists and needs absolutely nothing else. He manages to give a hard time to Kratos who is armed with an [[AnAxeToGrind magical axe]], but its justified since [[spoiler:he is a PhysicalGod blessed (or rather [[BlessedWithSuck cursed]]) with near-invulnerability and superhuman strength, giving no need to use any other weapons]].
** Kratos' own unarmed fighting style typically revolves around punching as hard as he can with as little flash as possible (though he typically augments it with a weapon of some sort such as a pair of {{Power Fist}}s or a shield). Like the above, he has superhuman strength and can shatter stone with his punches.
* ''VideoGame/TheLegendOfHeroesTrailsOfColdSteel'' has Angelica whose normal attacks are punches on enemies though she does have a few kicks of her own, including her [[LimitBreak S-Craft]]. Rean, who normally is a swordsman, can and does fight barehanded if he has no weapon available to him, shown when he has to fight someone in a HumongousMecha with his own newly acquired SuperRobot at the climax of the game.
* ''VideoGame/TheWitcher3WildHunt'': During his fight with Vesemir, [[ImplacableMan Imlerith]] decides that his mace and shield are slowing him down (not good, given he’s fighting a FragileSpeedster), so he tosses them aside and ''[[LightningBruiser bull rushes]]'' his opponent. Vesemir barely has time to react before Imlerith [[CombatPragmatist smashes his rib cage in with a brutal kick, stomps on his sword arm until it breaks, and then begins savagely punching him to make sure he stays down]]. [[spoiler:Later, when Geralt fights him, Imlerith does this trope again; his reaction to being stabbed is to use his fists to break Geralt’s sword, closing the distance before attempting to strangle him.]]

* ''VideoGame/MrShifty'' uses his fists to solve most of his problems.
* The UsefulNotes/PlayStation2 gladiator sim ''VideoGame/ColosseumRoadToFreedom'' allows four main fighting styles: [[JackOfAllStats One Sword]], [[DualWielding Two Swords]], [[LuckilyMyShieldWillProtectMe Shield]] and Striker, which is this trope. Fighting without weapons gives you fast attacks and a lot of cool-looking moves that make you look more like a pro-wrestler than a gladiator, but the damage is abysmal and you have no ability to block or parry attacks (though you can still dodge). Striker is kind of CoolButInefficient because you need very good reflexes and careful use of skills to make it effective - most people only fight with their fists because they were disarmed and punching is a last resort, but a small crazy elite actually use it as a main fighting style.
* Pretty much everyone in ''VideoGame/TheWarriors'' will fight without any kind of form and will play dirty by grabbing anything they can use for a makeshift weapon. Some characters can use a GroinAttack and you can use spray paint as makeshift pepper spray.

* In ''VideoGame/DarkDevotion'', the player character is perfectly capable of punching her enemies to death if you chose not to equip any weapons.

** Otto von Chriek then subverts it in ''Literature/TheTruth'', when he proves that good old fisticuffs can be quite deadly if powered by supernatural strength.