Bruce Lee and MMA

I've just smoked some excellent weed and am ready to rant!!

I am sorry to go over old ground but some of the comments about Bruce Lee being insignificant to MMA and being just a movie actor I remember reading on 606 by some of you guys have inspired me to reply, well that and some good green Mind you, it didn't help that the people defending him didn't front a particularly strong argument, spouting kick speeds and one finger push ups.

He was a movie actor, yes and not a particularly good one but he was passionate about martial arts. In his later movies he started to throw elements of his views and philosophies out there, which if you can get past the over dramatic style of chinese acting, made a lot of sense.

To put it bluntly, Bruce Lee's philosophy and practice of martial arts is almost entirely represented by all successful mixed martial artists today.

He believed that no one style or form of martial art was perfect in itself and took a lot of shit from the traditional Chinese masters when he expressed these views in public. The rumour is some of these masters issued challenges which he accepted and in all cases proved his point. Now I don't know if THAT is true but looking at the point he is making, all successful fighters today are skilled in more than one particular style. A well rounded game is essential.

He took the most useful aspects of a number of martial arts, the stances, striking techniques, grappling, that were actually effective and would teach students to use only those that would suit their physical advantages and using different skills for different opponents. He was an eternal student of martial arts and studied and practiced intensely. He did not teach large classes as different people needed to learn differing techniques that suited them individually which wouldn't work in a large group. Because he cared about his art!!!!

A lot of 606ers said he wouldn't be skilled enough to fight today. That could perhaps be true. After all, he would be what was a no holds barred fighter, with nut shots and eye pokes being standard stuff. But I think he would do pretty good. He is very quick and very fit and great balance and footwork. I don't know what weight he walked around at but he looked tiny.

If he was brought into the present, in his prime and fought someone like Torres or Bowles, I think he would most likely lose, mainly if it went to the ground. Give him 6 months or a year and his passion and thirst for knowledge would have him up to date and the makings of a great fighter. It is entirely hypothetical of course but I would imagine a style similar to Machida with a bit of Cung Le, only quicker in movement and strike speed.

Well, sorry for the bollocks. I'm off for a munch...... gotta stop smoking

Good rant and why would you stop. The Green makes the world a nicer place

haha Ill second that! Good article Ill hold my hands up to being one of the guys who labeld him a "Tv actor" etc.. But it was more in retaliation to guys who blindly said how he would beat any fighter in UFC.

His teachings were way before his time, I remember him saying give a guy 2 months of Wrestling and 2 months of Boxing training and he will beat any Karate Blackbelt... or something along those lines. Ive never seen an actual Bruce Lee fight so im not sure what to judge him againt. His abilities have been greatly exadurated over time which is a frustrating thing, Much like Muhammed Ali who is Laughabilly labeld the "Greatest Boxer ever" and most halfwits and casual fans who dont know who Robinson is take it as gospel.

Being is such fantastic physical shape im sure he would excel at MMA if he was in his prime today. He has an extensive Martial arts background so im sure a few months with Modern MMA fighers and he would be able to hang with the best but again its really hard to judge a figher on legend and things you read, Ive never seem any of his fights...

Id actually like to see any if anyone can post them or If anyone has any officail fight records id like to see them, I know he was a good boxer in his youth..

The documented history of Bruce Lee's combat experiences are as follows:

1) Lee's brother, Robert, stated that Bruce went looking for fights in high school. Lee's nickname in high school was "King Gorilla."

2) Lee had many rooftop battles in Hong Kong with the last of these confrontations resulting in Lee seriously hurting the son of a Triad family. This fight was one of the reasons why Lee's family shipped him to the United States.

3) Lee got into 2 street fights in the early 1960's. Lee punched out a Japanese challenger in Oakland and he fought Wong Jak Man in 1964. Both fights were witnessed by several individuals.

4) Lee got into more street fights than Chuck Norris (e.g., one fight while in the service) and Bill Wallace (e.g., no street fights) combined.

5) Lee did not spar with Joe Lewis or Mike Stone, but he did spar several times with Chuck Norris and Louis Delgado. Richard Bustillio stated that Norris was "red-faced" after a sparring session with Lee and Norris confirms in his book on Zen concepts that he and Lee sparred against each other. Delgado told Fighting Stars magazine that Lee was the toughest man he ever faced.

6) Lee got into 2 fights on the set of Enter the Dragon. One fight was witnessed by Bob Wall and the other fight was witnessed by Dragon director Robert Clouse.

Cheers for that Paddy, Though in a way convinced by this sort of record...

I once got in a 2 on 1 brawl down from Laverys against 2 heavyweights and won...

That record doesnt speak volumes to me... I like to see numbers in peoples record!

Thats why im not 100% sold on Bruce, He did amature boxing didnt he? Didnt he have any sort of record there? Kicking Chuck Norris' ass certainly makes you a straight up bad ass but I dont know, Fighters like Rocky Marciano have a 49-0-0 record in Boxing with 43 KO's and a Wrestling base... Why not him as a guy that would have cleaned up in MMA? I just am never sure why such a fuss is made of him, But like I said I dont know more than Ive read on the internet... and I havnt read much!!

Maby Bruce Lee could have been the greatest MMA figher but I need to have seen them in a good few fights to be sold on anyone... Even look how I act about Lesnar, I refuse to have him as 2nd heavyweight untill I have actually beat down the guys ranked above him, Despite him being such a monster with such promise and a guy id put as favorite to win against anyone from 2 down!

Bruce is kind of the same in my eyes tonnes of potential but nothing really solid to Judge them on... Any Videos even? Ive heard his handspeed etc.. is shocking.. there are facts on Wikipedia about his strength and speed but I dont know how much you can trust Wikipedia, I remember some kid of 606 posting he could lift these inhuman amounts that had clearly been blown out of all proportion for a 150lbs man to lift

Has a lot of stuff became exadurated over time or was he a 1 off physical monster like Lesnar or something? Unbelievable Speed and Strength is a great starting point to become and MMA fighter! in 50/50 I suppose because I dont know enough and cant get actual footage of him in a fight.

If there are big Bruce Lee fans Id love

Unfortunately Bruce Lee wasn't of the youtube generation and actual fight footage would be rare as cameras were relatively expensive back then. He wasn't a sport fighter either so there wouldn't be too much footage of that either. The site below has some footage of varying quality of demonstations and training and give a slight indication of his speed and power as well as some interviews which expand his philosophy.

http://www.maniacworld.com/Bruce_Lee.htm

Here's one which claims to show footage of a sparring session with Helio Gracie but it is very poor quality.

http://www.tapoutlive.com/media/6979/Bruce_Lee_training_and_fight_footage/

I will have a look when I get home as a lot of videos don't play at work.

I've listed some quotes from him that I like personally and are still relevant today in MMA

"Use only that which works, and take it from any place you can find it."

"Jeet Kune Do: it's just a name; don't fuss over it. There's no such thing as a style if you understand the roots of combat."

"I think the high state of martial art, in application, must have no absolute form. And, to tackle pattern A with pattern B may not be absolutely correct."

"Some people are tall; some are short. Some are stout; some are slim. There are various different kinds of people. If all of them learn the same martial art form, then who does it fit?"

I can understand the views of those who said he wouldn't be successful in modern MMA and would agree with them to some extent, to say he is totally irrelevant is well off the mark. I know he wouldn't be able to walk up and beat any modern mixed martial artist, if he were here in his prime, but I sure as hell would love to see him fight for real.

Bruce Lee got me interested in the martial arts and modern MMA to me is an extension of all his learnings and teachings. If you look at the progression of the UFC over time, and how it started as martial art vs martial art, it is now multi skilled fighter vs multi skilled fighter and those with the most tools are those that are most successful. Except for possibly Lesnar (sorry can't stand him). But even he, as Bruce Lee taught back then, uses his physical advantages to create his own style that makes him tough to beat.

Let me know if this is all bollocks. I love his movies as well, no matter how cheesy the acting is and how staged the fights are!!!!