Bruce Lee: One of a kind martial artists

Wai Jia: The Kung Fu Forum Kung Fu Forum
1

Bruce is the man!!!

Any guy that can invent a totally new and unique martial art, become the master of Wing Chun and kali, invent cross training, invent MMA, be able to defeat 3 of the most feared fighters ever (Norris, Wallace and Lewis) in the ring, turn Joe Lewis into a champion, credited by everyone including a certain Brazilian family as being the ultimate most feared fighter, become a master thespian and renowned philosopher gets my respect.

Props to you BL, where ever you are!:slight_smile:

The Real Original Lucky Louie

2

Bruce Lee, like William Shakespeare and Albert Einstein, never existed.

3

I love Bruce Lee movies, I’m a fan.

However, I wouldn’t call him a “Master” of Wing Chun (I believe he studied less than 5 years) or Kali. Also, are you sure he faces Chuck Norris in the ring? I don’t believe Bruce Lee ever fought in a sanctioned event.

My feelings on Bruce Lee is that he helped popularize MA in the west, and for that I’m thankful. But Bruce Lee was just the first Van ****, the first Seagal the west seen. I wouldn’t put any of them in the top 5 or 10… and if I really took the time, studied tape and footage, not even the top 50. No way.

Pretty much you have the present and most recent past UFC champions. Present and recently past Pride Champions… all of them light years ahead in unarmed combat.

Gene LeBell and folks like him.

Hell, a whole new generation of MMA stylists, including myself, I think would school Bruce Lee. I’ve seen actual footage of him sparring in tournaments (with lots of gear)…looked like black belt level karete sparring.

No disrespect to the man. I just wouldn’t label Stalone a great military warrior or boxer just because he portrayed one on screen. John Wayne could ride horses and own and shoot guns… he’s not getting on the back of a bull in Madison Square Garden.

Don’t believe the hype.

4

Pina

Man you are dillusional, You would have not even touched Bruce, remember the movies are make believe and NOT REAL, also as far as the current MMA Fighters are concerned , give, anyone the best anabolic steroids and a dose of hard headedness and you can fight in those things. KC

5

No one ever schooled Bruce. He was a champion of many roof top fights, he created one of the greatest ring champions that will ever walk the earth, he fought, defeated and made students of all the greatest legendary fighters. If Bruce was alive today he would have progressed way past what the so called “ultimate” fighters are doing and still be making students of them. Not a master of Kali? Then how come all of the leading Kali men are students of Bruce. All of them. And all the current Wing Chun masters know who was the real deal when it came to that art, and it was Bruce Lee.

When it comes to Bruce Lee, there just isn’t any hype.

The Real Original Lucky Louie

6

theres no doubt that bruce lee would get beaten today by an MMA, but definitely not by ray (please stop being full of yourself) bruce lee would get beaten due to age factor and with the help special vitamins. then again if he was still alive he would continue training as he did and he was known to be a cardio freak and trained for hours.

he was the forefather of MMA, he started like most fighters started with traditional chinese martial arts, but realized that you need more than just one style to be well rounded, he began to study western boxing, judo, catch wrestling, TKD, jujitsu, and silat. this sounds familiar, wait this is the foundation for MMA.

alot of fighters have given credit to bruce lee for getting them into martial arts. one thats funny alot of “so-called” martial artist come down on CMA because they say it isnt effective, yet they came from a CMA background, isnt martial arts the proccess of learning, evolving and becoming better?

here is bruce lee’s on his challenge match against wong jack man.

“Bruce Lee’s description of the fight was that Wong Jack Man challenged him to a duel over his decision to teach non-Chinese students. Bruce Lee accepted the challenge. Many who witnessed the fight believed Lee had won the duel, however Wong disputes this. Lee later took the view that the fight took “too long” because traditional martial arts techniques were too rigid and formalistic to be practical in scenarios of chaotic street fighting. Perhaps as a result of this fight, he decided to develop a system with an emphasis on practicality, flexibilty, speed, and efficiency.”

7

some sighted Bruce was talking to Elvis on the strip in vegas.

I said well that probably some other people dressed and impersonated them.

One dressed in yellow as Uma in “kyll bill” and the other dressed in white with some sparkles.

:eek:

8

Thank God

For two things . . .

  1. This isn’t in the JKD section

  2. The “BL” is not a reference to bloominglotus

Also, if you recall, The Norris’ loss to Bruce Lee is a product of the single greatest feat in special effects history.

9

I’ve seen actual fight footage – not sparring, not movies … Bruce Lee “fighting” in a karate type tournament.

I’m not thinking about the posters, the flying kicks, the screams… I’m thinking about a smaller, lighter Chinese man with the skills I saw. I feel in my heart I could beat that man that I saw.

I don’t care either way. If people want to make more of Bruce Lee that’s great.

I would not want to study Kali under someone who claimed Bruce Lee as their only instructor in the art. Who taught Kali to Bruce Lee and for how many years?

If anything, I’d study under Bruce Lee’s student, Isontano, who appears to have put more time into that art.

Also, just because you say it’s true does not make it true. When and where did Bruce Lee fight in a sanctioned ring event?

And if you seriously believe the kick boxing of the 70s and 80s (I was studying Issin-Ryu at the time and my sensei’s son was a pro kick boxer, saw Suger Foot Wallace fight on the same car at the Garden) is at the same level of MMA today there’s nothing really to discuss.

Who has Bruce Lee seriously fought (not sparred, taught or played with for publicity) and beat? I know he practically got ran out of NYC by a crew of Southern Mantis folks.

I’m not full of myself … and I also have a brain and don’t get caught up in media and self promotion. Bruce Lee was an actor first and foremost. If he was a fighter, he’d be like a Chuck Lidell… a fighting champion who makes movies.

Can you please answer the bolded questions of who trained Bruce in Kali and for how long to make him a master in that art… also, when and where did he fight in a sanctioned ring event making him one of the best ring fighters of all time… and outside of the ring, who of note did he really fight … and beat?

I’m open to have my mind changed if evidence can be presented.

10

Serious question,

Didn’t Gene LeBell school Bruce Lee? It is not talked about much; yet, people will carol over the match with Wong Jack Man.

mickey

11

[QUOTE=kwaichang;729440] give, anyone the best anabolic steroids and a dose of hard headedness and you can fight in those things. KC[/QUOTE]

  1. Do you really think it’s that easy? DO you think if you juiced you would miraculously have the skills, balls and ability to beat Chuck Lidell?

  2. What you say is an insult to everyone who trains hard to develop their structure, mechanics and skill.

I used to think that way when I was doing form and studying Hung Gar. Than I thought would would it take for me to fight at that level, even amatuer. It wasn’t steroids. It was training harder and more realisticly.

12

[QUOTE=hjt;729452]
he was the forefather of MMA."[/QUOTE]
This is a nice thing to say, and perhaps someone who doesn’t know how to think, research and find answers for themself (perhaps this describes you, I don’t know) would buy that and then repeat it as gospel over the internet and at tea parties.

Have you ever heard of the chariot, the bow-n-arrow… these are two ancient weapons developed in Eygpt a loooong time ago. Guess what? The Romans thought it was a good idea and incorporated it.

I guess you don’t even know your own CMA history… how many styles are a mix and match of multiple styles.

Use your brain before you make a general, assanine coment. Also, before you start attacking me personally about a thread that has nothing to do with me… consider if you’re willing to get your ass kicked by me. I’m in NYC for 4 more weeks and occasionally you like to jab at me.

We met once at a Throwdown. You’ve seen my handwork and I’m sure there’s no doubt in either of our minds of what the outcome would be like. So why not be nice?

13

Bruce Lee fought in high school in the ring. He fought “street fights” mostly as a thug in Hong Kong I dont think they were sanctioned?? Also some of the baddest dudes do not fight in these so called MMA tourneys. Also the fights of the 70,80 's had different rules but there are those of that time that would have given Liddel and others a good run for their money. I fought during that time and if the MMA were going on at that time I would have done it. Those guys are filled with enhancing “vitamins” and other things that enhance their performance I am sure much like Lance Armstrong but at that level it is hard to detect. To compare the MMA fighters with Kick Boxers of that era is ludicrous apples and oranges. KC

14

[QUOTE=Ray Pina;729482]This is a nice thing to say, and perhaps someone who doesn’t know how to think, research and find answers for themself (perhaps this describes you, I don’t know) would buy that and then repeat it as gospel over the internet and at tea parties.

Have you ever heard of the chariot, the bow-n-arrow… these are two ancient weapons developed in Eygpt a loooong time ago. Guess what? The Romans thought it was a good idea and incorporated it.

I guess you don’t even know your own CMA history… how many styles are a mix and match of multiple styles.

Use your brain before you make a general, assanine coment. Also, before you start attacking me personally about a thread that has nothing to do with me… consider if you’re willing to get your ass kicked by me. I’m in NYC for 4 more weeks and occasionally you like to jab at me.

We met once at a Throwdown. You’ve seen my handwork and I’m sure there’s no doubt in either of our minds of what the outcome would be like. So why not be nice?[/QUOTE]

ray

throwdown? i m actually getting pretty annoyed with you calling me and others out when they criticise or challenge you on the forum. its show your intelligence level.

i seen your hand work and i have nothing to say regarding that, but if you wish to continue this matter please PM me, because i dont wish to continue this discussion in this thread nor forum.

hjt

15

[QUOTE=mickey;729477]Serious question,

Didn’t Gene LeBell school Bruce Lee? It is not talked about much; yet, people will carol over the match with Wong Jack Man.

mickey[/QUOTE]

he did schooled him, but after that bruce started training judo under gene. thats what has been written

16

[QUOTE=Ray Pina;729482]Use your brain before you make a general, assanine coment. Also, before you start attacking me personally about a thread that has nothing to do with me… consider if you’re willing to get your ass kicked by me. I’m in NYC for 4 more weeks and occasionally you like to jab at me.

We met once at a Throwdown. You’ve seen my handwork and I’m sure there’s no doubt in either of our minds of what the outcome would be like. So why not be nice?[/QUOTE]

That’s a wondrously thuggish thing to say and oh so mature. Disagree with me and I’ll pound you.

Just cause you hit someone does not make you right or deserving respect. That last post makes you sound like a bully.

Michael

17

[QUOTE=kwaichang;729483] To compare the MMA fighters with Kick Boxers of that era is ludicrous apples and oranges. KC[/QUOTE]

I agree with you.

I’m not saying Bruce Lee was a kook. I’m saying he was a small, light man. A ripped man at 130lbs. still aint going to compare with a seasoned fighter of 225lbs… which there were plenty of in his day.

This isn’t an attack on Bruce Lee. Its an attack on people who can’t let go of what they want to believe and look at the reality of the matter… perhaps, because once they do that it may change the way they have to look at the way they’ve been looking at things.

I’m not talking about comparing then vs now. That’s no question. But to me, equally of no question is comparing Bruce to others back then.

What ring fights did he fight in high school? Any records of that, or does just saying that help you. Street fights? What healthy young boy/man hasn’t been in one.

Even if he beat everyone he fought in Hong Kong… who where they? Do you really think he was able to beat the Russian, UK, US heavy weight boxing champions of the time?

Do you think if he could, with his ego, he wouldn’t have… and promoted the hell out of it?

18

And if you seriously believe the kick boxing of the 70s and 80s (I was studying Issin-Ryu at the time and my sensei’s son was a pro kick boxer, saw Suger Foot Wallace fight on the same car at the Garden) is at the same level of MMA today there’s nothing really to discuss.

You have to look back to the fights of the 60’s and 70’s where people were being maimed and killed all of the time. Those men were fighting at a much higher level than most of those who fight now. I think one reason for the fighters of Bruce’s time being more deadly was that they were closer to the original training methods, now things are watered down. Have you ever heard of Count Dante? He was the one man that might have defeated Bruce Lee, but no matter what the winner of that fight would have been crippled. Those men were serious about fighting as the Dojo Wars of the 60’s and early 70’s proved.

And thank goodness the Gracie family came up with a very safe martial art that even children can do safely. Rorian single handedly saved the martial arts from itself.

The Real Original Lucky Louie

19

He just fought one ring fight to my knowledge a no body just another boxer. At that time people who fought on the street did not end it with a gun as they do now. It was mano a mano. You continually want records or something all I have is the 1st hand story of an eye witness who saw Bruce hit a man with a 1 inch punch the man was a foot ball player who wighed 225. he knocked the man six feet into a pool and bruised the mans heart. the man was hospitalized for a day or so. CAN YOU OR LIDDELL DO THAT ? I would say no. also this was through a phone book approx 2 inches thick. It may look like a trick until you received the impact. Physics, velocity X mass = one he// of a punch. If you want to do grappling given Bruce may have been beaten if you could get a hold of him and to compare a 225 seasoned fighter to a 135 pound fighter is wrong. again the mass overcomes the velosity especially when there is no room to move.
Also steroids play a major role in the MMA matches of today , Let me think die at 45 from cancer or live to 85 practising a CMA I wll do the CMA also the MMA fighter is also a ring fighter as well so they have limitations as well KC

20

[QUOTE=rogue;729493]You have to look back to the fights of the 60’s and 70’s where people were being maimed and killed all of the time.

[/QUOTE]

it’s true! I was killed twice, maybe three times, back in those days