Is Bruce Lee Fact or Myth?

[guzi815]

This has been beaten to death. There's lots of other threads on it. You're just going to get the same polarized views as the other threads got. He was only an actor he never fought anybody; he was the greatest p4p fighter of all time etc. Those are the two extreme views with lots in between.

Bruce Lee revolutionised the world of martial arts and was very much ahead of his time. The man dedicated his life to physical fitness and ways of fighting. He trained with the likes of Gene LeBell and Chuck Norris. I think Norris said he was the strongest p4p man ever or words to that effect. I personally believe the people who hate on him just don't like to think a little chinese man could kick their ass. Having said that, little kids who have just watched his films and think he could have beaten King Kong do no favours to the debate.

I've asked a few guys in the martial arts world and they think he was the real deal. Other more extreme views are people thinking Manny Pacquiao could beat him, and while they may look the same sort of size, Lee in reality has many more weapons and would have probably killed him, but that's only my opinion.

Like I said, it's a hugely polarized debate. Lee himself would be sitting laughing his ass off if he could see these debates I bet.

Ay Paul, I hear what you're saying. Back when "The Dragon" was making movies, everybody and thier sister had Karate fever. Especially imitating his infamous howling sounds. When I was growing up, 1975, '76 and '77, Bruce Lee was the man. His demonstation of the "2 inch punch" was quite astonoshing, sending a 200lb man hurling backwards on his ass, after punching him from just 2 inches from his chest!

Bruce Lee created his own style of fighting, evolving from the art form of "Wing-chung". What I can honestly say about Bruce Lee is that he had extraordinary large fore arms for his size, due to extensive wrist rotation exercises with a "baby rattle" shaped weight. His philosophies and veiws on life are from the mind of a wise master. In one of his books he writes....
"You must be like water..water is the most powerful element on Earth, be like water and go through things, around things...be like water". But one saying he had, makes more sense. "Empty your cup...so that you may fill it with wisdom".

Now, on the part about Manny Pacquiao taking Bruce Lee....I would say "The Dragon" eats "Pacman" for breakfast! Lets not forget that Bruce knew ALL the major pressure points in the human body. Bruce once said..."you don't train to fight...you train to die". He never anticipated a fight, always acting on emotion. That is one scary mofo!

[FIGHTING_FLIP]

bruce lee whooped BOLO ( from enter the dragon who looked like a heavyweight or close to ti) in 6 seconds..bruce lee introduced full contact sparring...bruce lee is the real deal

[Liaison]

You can’t use a ground game argument as that’s not what Bruce trained for; his work gravitated towards Thai kickboxing. Watch him, his Wing Chun Kicks and punches are not effective and he (as stated by many who trained with him) didn’t use knees or elbows

I’d probably pick an elite boxer over him, we know he was a physical specimen but there are to much what ifs with Lee’s fighting ability. Major respect for him though.

[guzi815]

You can’t use a ground game argument as that’s not what Bruce trained for; his work gravitated towards Thai kickboxing. Watch him, his Wing Chun Kicks and punches are not effective and he (as stated by many who trained with him) didn’t use knees or elbows

I’d probably pick an elite boxer over him, we know he was a physical specimen but there are to much what ifs with Lee’s fighting ability. Major respect for him though.

I respect what your saying Liaison. An elite boxer and all, but remember now, Bruce Lee knew every pressure point in the entire human body. An elite fighter can withstand a direct hit to the front torso. But from behind.... the ears, under the arm pits, kidnneys, behind the knee...that can cripple a man, if not kill him.

[Grappler_Baki60]

Lee Is Everything People Make Him Out To Be. IF he Wasnt Would We Still Be Talking About Him 30+ Years After His Death. To Lee There Was No Limit To The Human Body. All He Focused On Was Fighting. Why Do U Think He Got In Trouble In China? Because Of All The Street Fighting. I Mean C'mon He Defied Doctors. He Had To Slow Down For The Camera Because Of His Speed. This Guy Has Records People Still Havent Broken. No One Can Punch Faster Then Bruce Lee The Only Person Who Came Close Was Sugar Ray Robinson. Even Louis Braged About How Lee Could Hold 125 Lbs With Arm's Locked. Saying Lee Is A Fake Is Dumb!! U'd Be Calling All The People That Have Watched Him A Liar. Btw Thanxs For Starting This Post

[LISound]

^ Actually Lee was hated by many in China because He didn't believe in descrimination. There were secrets that many martial arts masters believed 'whites' should never learn. Lee taught these secrets to non-Chinese and was scorned for it. Something like a Chinese MLK

[DLT]

For those of you who are mad at me for starting this thread, I thought about that before I did it. Ive seen a few Bruce Lee threads on here but I had never read a single post from any of them so I dont know what peoples views are. I didnt want to bring it up again but I had to know for myself. It got me thinking because I was watching "Enter The Dragon" again. Why is that like the only Lee movie they show anymore? Im sick of seeing that.

One guy on here said something and thats one reason why I made this post. He talked about how Lee whooped Bolo. Ive heard the same exact thing and Bolo was huge. He was big and new Martial Arts like the back of his hand. If Lee is able to whoop him for real then that would have to play in alot of people's minds about what he could do to even large guys. On the other hand, it just doesnt seem realistic.

As for the whole movie thing, I dont buy that. He was a legit fighter and I think he kills Pac due to his versitility but it wouldnt be a huge shock if Pac Knocked Him The **** Out. My question is how is this stuff still unknown? Bruce lived long enough, had enough exposure, and taught in enough schools for people to know the real answer to these questions. I cant believe that we havent heard anything definitive. The only thing Ive heard is that some thought he was a fraud and he use to get challanged all the time but he would destroy those fighters. Still, those were Lee fans who were telling those stories. Who knows?

[JJay]

If bruce Lee stood still,and let tyson or lennox hit him..im sure he'd be out on his ass...but the debate that was going round with the wholeLee Vs Ali thing in the 70's was...could ali catch him,in order to hit him?....as well trained asheavyweight boxers are,they tend not to be too quick..and Ali one of the quickest heavyweights of any era, i dnt think would have been quick enough to get to lee..an would have just tired himself out (as again most heavyweights have poor stamina when going into the latter stages of a fight)...and thats when i think Lee would do his business...to compare pacmans speed against bruce lee'sis laughable...watch some of the footage not used in the original dragon movie..you can download it...watch his handspeed..in some shots its been slowed down,and even then, the camera finds it difficult to keep up,and its still just a blur...he also worked very hard on all aspects of his health...he was very much into his fitness..he did dabble in boxing aswell when he first came to the US,just to learn the fighting style and adapt it....he was a clever guy,alwasy wanting to learn...id give him a chance against most if not all heavyweights...simply because of his speed,and that he knew and studied just about every fighting stle there was in the 70's

[danny stash]

bruce lee was a myth, only people who believe his crap are "weirdo's" and naive people same kinda people who sleep out in front of a store when a new playstation console comes out

you are such a negative loser....You have no facts to back up any your emotional claims.

[THE REAL NINJA]

Greatest martial arts mind of all time with great potential as a fighter but we will never know how good he was or could have been .

A lot of what is said about him is myth, plain and simple the most fair assessment would be that he may have been the greatest martial arts trainer/philosopher of his time but no he wouldn't beat up Mike Tyson or any of the others.

But in a street fight i'd pick him over some heavyweight club fighter that has been ko'd 20 times .