Sifu Ian John McDonough

Sifu Ian John McDonough is the founder and head instructor at Chinese Combat. Since the club's beginnings, he has helped students grow in Learning Wing Chun, martial arts, confidence, well-being and has always seen the club's students/members as friends.

Born in Lancashire to a family of Irish heritage in the early 1980s, Sifu Ian's family moved around a few times before settling in Wigan, where he grew up. Rugby League was a must growing up, but Martial arts and weight training grew too, with Bruce Lee films being loved from an early age and Arnold Schwarzenegger being another hero. Like most kids, he did Karate, but in his early teens, he discovered Thai Boxing at a local gym and Jeet Kune Do. Although the other martial arts were excellent fun and very much enjoyed, when one day at the age of 18, his Thai Boxing club moved to another location, he followed. He noticed, among the other martial arts sharing the new venue an advert for Wing Chun. He was excided at being able to learn the original martial art of Bruce Lee. To add to this fantastic discovery was the Wing Chun classes Sifu teaching it, Ian was inspired by Master Tong Liu. Master Tong's personality and ability added to Ian's love of Wing Chun.

Sifu Ian and Master Tong Liu

Sifu Ian Joined the Army and was in the Infantry but still came back to Wing Chun and Master Tong, learning all parts of Wing Chun's forms and the system, taking part in full contact fighting competition, becoming a barber and becoming the owner of a Barber shop with a Gym in for his own martial arts training and weight training and moving to the Wirral to start his young family.

In 2012, Sifu Ian began teaching Wing Chun in Neston, Wirral. A year later, on 18th June 2013, Sifu Ian's Sifu, Master Tong, recognised and approved Ian as a senior instructor with the title of 'Sifu'. In 2016, Sifu Ian founded the Chinese Combat Association. Chinese Combat is still at the same location as he started teaching in 2012.

Sifu Ian John McDonough, besides his main base in Wing Chun, has also trained in other martial arts to varying degrees, including Thai Boxing, Jeet Kune Do, and Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu.

Our Clubs Lineage

Sifu Ian John McDonough was taught under Master Tong Liu.

Master Tong Liu was taught under Joseph Cheng, Ip Chun and Ip Ching.

Joseph Cheng was taught under Grand Master Lee Shing who Great Grand Master Ip Man taught. Grand Masters Ip Chun and Ip Ching were also taught under Great Grand Master Ip Man and were also his sons.