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im 33! <45>
Anyone else lol when someone mentions Bruce Lee in a serious MMA-context?
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John Kavanaugh is a JKD instructor. Just sayin.
TJ basically fights from the JKD stance. As does Rockhold, Anderson, Bisping, and many other great strikers. The only striking art I'm aware of that emphasizes keeping your power side forward.
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Bruce Lee ripped a patch of hair off of Chuck Norris's chest.
That is all that needs to be said.
That is all that needs to be said.
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its pathetic. bruce did a pretty decent job of exposing his own bullshit -
bruce learned to fight without ever doing any actual fighting
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Like most things, the truth is somewhere in the middle between myth and reality.
Since it's all just opinions, I think I'll believe someone like Ron Van Clief. He actually knew and trained with Bruce Lee. He also came back to fight in UFC 1 at age 51. I'd especially believe him over some nobody, keyboard warrior, on Sherdog.
http://www.sherdog.com/news/articles/Ron-Van-Clief-Where-Is-He-Now-18699
While Lee is mainly known for his many martial arts films, he was also interested in grappling and had begun integrating it into his fighting philosophy, under judo legend Gene LeBell.
“He was a mixed martial artist, he was grappling back then,” Van Clief said.
And how would he rate the legendary Lee if given the opportunity to train and compete today?
“I think if he put his mind to do it, he would've been an excellent lightweight, as good as any of the lightweight MMA guys around. He was tough, he really was tough. Most people didn’t realize that, he could take it and dish it out. It’s kind of rare in any weight division.”
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That's a good point. If Bruce Lee were alive today and young enough to fight, he would have access to modern medicine, modern nutrition, modern technology, modern gyms, etc. It's such a silly and disrespectful conversation to even be having, though. Lee's concepts and theories about fighting are all a part of the foundation upon which the edifice of modern MMA was built. Without him and all of the other influential figures in the martial arts community, we wouldn't even have this sport.
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that doesn't contradict what I said. that's still no one relevant coming from jeet kune fucking do. I don't even suppose that's not a good martial art to learn, and not effective, it just makes my eyes roll watching idiots and the media portray Bruce as the father of MMA when there's a whole history of it before and after him and his impact to actual professional MMA is close to zero.
I get tired of people assuming that just because I respect Bruce Lee, and think he was a truly amazing martial artist, that I think he could beat anyone alive. Could he fight well? Perhaps. There's a lack of evidence so that is debatable. However, his enthusiasm and love of the martial arts inspired millions of people to take up martial arts themselves and become great fighters. How can you not think the guy is great?
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Bruce Lee was dead in the 70s, who gives a fuck. It looks like you made a thread just to bash him.
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I wouldn't say that JKD directly influenced MMA but as a style it does make an appearance here and there. It's not so much in itself a martial art, but more of a philosophy on fighting. Though Bruce didn't like focusing on any one discipline, I do believe that the theories of JKD requires some type of striking background to be fully effective.
I would agree that the comment that he is the godfather of MMA is a bit of a stretch, but he's influenced martial arts as a whole and how people view martial arts, and that effect can be felt in people enjoying watching martial arts today. He was probably the first person who made martial arts "fun" and accessible to many.
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First of all, Bruce Lee was an amazing fighter. Second, Aikido IS SUPERIOR to MMA. You can be the UFC heavyweight champ but have Seagal jab you in the throat and then kick you in the stomach with his 300 pound leg and MMA means nothing. One of Bruce Lee's moves was a quick jab to the eyes. MMA fighters would fall on the ground writhing and screaming for a ref stoppage. You see, you are comparing fighting with rules to real world fighting and that is where the two are completely different. How many times do you see a fighter get "grazed" in the cup and fall to the ground like a pansy when IN THE UFC, kicks to the groin were once legal and you had to defend against them. You can attack with all of the confidence in the world when you know your opponent cannot "illegally" strike you in the eyes, groin or back of the head and you can touch the ground with your palm and not fear getting kicked in the face but get into a real fight and watch what happens. Don't dismiss the legends who have contributed so much to this sport just because your guy looks good in a speedo and runs around with a gold belt. In a real world fight scenario, the gold belt means nothing except that now you have a weapon you can use to smash your opponent with.
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JKD is a philosophy not a fighting style. Lee believed in incorporating all styles that worked in live combat and discarding what didn't work. People can say he never fought in real competition but MMA didn't exist back then like it does now. All out sparring sessions were something he did do and would likely be similar to what fighters do today while training for fights.
Lee's impact is inspirational. He inspired an awful lot of people to get involved in martial arts. That's why so many people mention him even today.
E
Edwin
Guest
Blame the UFC.
They released a Bruce Lee documentary (that was very good btw) some years ago and Dana White even appeared in it saying he was a pioneer and that he even influenced in the gloves used in MMA.
The only people that buy into this are the people who think MMA is more about tradition, history, respect, etc. and less about money.
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I am kinda with ts. I credit him more with introducing m arts to the west and his outside the box thinking of fighting. He was beating one dimensional guys, so he was a pioneer. I rank him below guys like the gracies for sure.
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Every sport has a history. There is nothing wrong with mentioning Bruce Lee in MMA in a historical context. He was a pioneer of mixed martial arts.
Even if he didn't get the opportunity to put his philosophy into practice, at least he developed a philosophy of getting rid of techniques that don't work, and incorporating techniques from other styles.
This influenced many people to develop their own systems.
Therefore, Bruce Lee has a place in the history of mixed martial arts.
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There are lots of idiots who think he could wreck UFC fighters with the skill set he had. LOL.
I respect him for what he did, but Cody Mckenzie would choke him out in under a minute.
I respect him for what he did, but Cody Mckenzie would choke him out in under a minute.
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he influenced the public to care about that sort of thing, sure. as I said, I have no hate for Bruce Lee at all...
this is what bothers me: http://bleacherreport.com/articles/33160-bruce-lee-the-first-advocate-of-mma http://www.mmamania.com/2015/11/27/...ather-of-mma-on-what-would-be-75-birthday-mma and so on... with even the UFC calling him 'the father of MMA' at some point.
when it was actually brazilian vale tudo that 'fathered' MMA
http://www.sasori.ro/stiluri-view/Vale-Tudo.21.html
You mentioned the gracie family. The Gracie not only adapted Judo to ground fighting making BJJ the most dominant martial art in a vale tudo fight, they have campaigned heavily for demonstration fights and events through an entire century. They also literally dominated early UFC with Royce submitting guys twice his size.
MMA is modern vale tudo. vale tudo has been around since before Bruce Lee. It doesn't even make any sense to say the sort of thing people say. as if MMA came out of nowhere after Bruce Lee said grappling was important. It's fucking stupid.
