From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia Jump to: navigation,
search  Mano-a-mano is a Spanish and Portuguese construction
meaning "hand to hand." It was used originally for bullfights
where two matadors alternate competing for the admiration of the
audience.[1]  Current Spanish usage describes any kind of
competition between two people where they both compete trying to
outdo each other.  Within the Doce Pares Eskrima fighting
system, it is one of the three ranges of engagement,
specifically the closest one. This does not indicate solely
unarmed combat.  This term has been adopted in English with
similar meaning, possibly by Ernest Hemingway. The English
adoption can be likened to the phrases "one on one," "head to
head," or "single combat" and conveys the idea of intense
competition. It is commonly used by English speakers to mean
"man to man."  French sometimes use this expression in a blend
of Portuguese and Spanish meaning. “Donner quelque chose de mano
y mano” means to give something to someone in person, w