Despite being known as “the strongest woman in the world,” Chun-Li is still outmatched by these five characters in Street Fighter (2026).
Portrayed by actress Callina Liang, Chun-Li is a kung fu master and undercover Interpol agent who featured prominently in promotional campaigns for the 2026 blockbuster Street Fighter. Although her actual screen time was reportedly shorter than many fans had hoped, she still lives up to her title as “the strongest woman in the world” with several spectacular fight sequences.
Despite not showcasing her signature energy-based attacks, Chun-Li remains one of the film’s strongest fighters. The Interpol agent makes a particularly impressive showing when she takes on two heavily armed opponents, Vega and Juli, with her bare hands.
However, despite this remarkable feat, five characters in the movie surpass her in both strength and combat skills.
1. M. Bison
The most obvious candidate to outrank Chun-Li is the film’s main antagonist, M. Bison. Although the live-action adaptation does not give him much opportunity to demonstrate the full extent of his martial arts abilities or his supernatural Psycho Power, he still proves that he is far superior to Chun-Li.
Shortly after she finishes fighting Vega and Juli, Bison takes Chun-Li down with a single signature Psycho Crusher attack. Admittedly, this is not exactly a fair fight, as Chun-Li is already exhausted and injured. Nevertheless, the ease with which Bison defeats her suggests that he would likely come out on top even if she were at full strength.
2. Ryu
As the champion of the first World Warrior Tournament, Ryu is undoubtedly one of the strongest fighters in the movie. Whether he could defeat Chun-Li under normal circumstances remains debatable. However, by the end of the film, Ryu completely succumbs to the dark power of the Satsui no Hado and comes dangerously close to killing her.
3. Ken Masters
Ken also demonstrates superior strength compared to Chun-Li. Although promotional materials previously teased a confrontation between the two, they never actually face off on screen. Nevertheless, Ken is clearly on par with Ryu. The two have trained together for most of their lives, and while Ryu usually wins their sparring matches, Ken ultimately proves that he has the edge.
In the film’s final moments, Ken defeats Ryu with a fiery Hadouken, freeing his fellow martial artist from the violent influence of the Satsui no Hado. Since Ken manages to defeat Ryu, who had previously overpowered Chun-Li, he clearly has what it takes to take down the Interpol agent as well.
4. Akuma
Akuma has completely mastered the Satsui no Hado, transforming himself into an almost unstoppable demonic force. He brutally kills Joe, the champion of the second World Warrior Tournament, by flooding his opponent’s body with dark energy until he explodes into ashes.
He also kills Gouken, the master of Ryu and Ken, who is considered one of the strongest fighters in the original games. When Ryu falls under the influence of the Satsui no Hado, Chun-Li is completely powerless to stop him. As a result, she would undoubtedly face an overwhelming challenge if she ever had to fight Akuma.
5. Blanka
The original games have never portrayed Blanka as an exceptionally powerful character, but the live-action adaptation turns him into a genuine monster. His incredible physical strength, surprising agility, and ability to generate electricity from his body make him an extremely dangerous opponent.
The fight between Blanka and Ryu at the Metrolau prison is left unresolved after Ryu blasts a hole through the wall to help his opponent escape. Even so, the fact that Blanka manages to hold Ryu off for so long is enough to demonstrate his formidable combat abilities. Without any comparable superhuman powers, Chun-Li would likely be completely outmatched if she went up against this electrifying beast.
Sources: gamek