Is Bruce Lee the greatest fighter who ever lived?

[Legend of Josh]

bruce lee can beat 2 mountain lions

I heard he made the legendary sasquatch of the Himalayas scream uncle during a match, while blindfolded and tripping off LSD. That's pretty damn impressive.

[Legend of Josh]

That is just the thing... Michael Jordan IS a proven basketball player. He's proven it against the best in the world.

Bruce Lee is NOT a proven fighter. He hasn't proven it ever. Nobody has ever seen him fight apart from a few "witnesses", who are his close friends and family.

Bruce Lee is not proven at all. Not even on paper.

Fair enough. Do you think Bruce Lee's legend was just some elaborate lie?

[bmd]

Fair enough. Do you think Bruce Lee's legend was just some elaborate lie?

I don't know. I don't know if the stories are true, or if they were a lie.

But even if the stories WERE true... it proves nothing. It would be like me saying I beat Jimmy Phillips in basketball today at the local playground. In fact, I crushed him. Your next question would be who the hell is Jimmy Phillips?

That is what Bruce Lee's fight history is like. It is just stories about him winning fights against unknown people.

So even IF the stories were true, I don't see how it proves anything about him being a great fighter when there were famous martial artists back then who ACTUALLY FOUGHT. Not just fought... but fought other famous martial artists.


I have no idea how the Bruce Lee legend was started.

[tontoz]

Chuck Norris was the best fighter of that generation. He was the guy winning world titles in his own weight class AND beating the guys who won the heavyweight class.

Bruce Lee would be sitting in the crowd watching Norris fight but Lee wasn't in the ring proving himself.

Norris >> Lee

[bmd]

Chuck Norris was the best fighter of that generation. He was the guy winning world titles in his own weight class AND beating the guys who won the heavyweight class.

Bruce Lee would be sitting in the crowd watching Norris fight but Lee wasn't in the ring proving himself.

Norris >> Lee

Norris certainly has proven himself more than Lee has.

But even still, Norris competed in non-contact Karate... not exactly a "fight".

[Batz]

Fair enough. Do you think Bruce Lee's legend was just some elaborate lie?

Wouldn't be surprised. The guy was a huge cult media icon. Witty rumors and myths were inevitable to rise. Much like Wilt Chamberlain myths. But people can get really creative with it, I can tell you that much.

[Legend of Josh]

Wouldn't be surprised. The guy was a huge cult media icon. Witty rumors and myths were inevitable to rise. Much like Wilt Chamberlain myths. But people can get really creative with it, I can tell you that much.

I could see how the East would "fall in love" with BL's story, legend. etc (but the West did, too)... but to think it was some marketing, self-driven deception to the West in addition, I can't say for sure.

BL wasn't a boxer... which was the supreme fighting arena around "his time" (in the West anyway).

There's just no way to know... but I think there's SOME truth to his legacy.

[AK47DR91]

1. Charlie Z
2. Ghengis Khan
3. Bruce Lee
4. Carmello Anthony
5. Mike Tyson

FACT.

Godzuki should be up there on the list. He beats up 5-6 message board members at the same time. He's undefeated on ISH.

All hail Godsuki!

[-p.tiddy-]

the actual greatest fighter of all time...

[OhNoTimNoSho]

Realistically, Bruce Lee was an extremely talented fighter, who likes in those tales could take on 10 dudes at once. BUT. Fighting regular people is easy as an elite fighter. Today, fighting has advanced leaps and bounds, a top MMA fighter could probably take out Bruce Lee. Though in a street fight Bruce Lee was probably ruthless, ripping out peoples' eyeballs and shit.

[bmd]

I could see how the East would "fall in love" with BL's story, legend. etc (but the West did, too)... but to think it was some marketing, self-driven deception to the West in addition, I can't say for sure.

BL wasn't a boxer... which was the supreme fighting arena around "his time" (in the West anyway).

There's just no way to know... but I think there's SOME truth to his legacy.

So? Boxing was mainstream, but martial artists competed in martial arts tournaments.

Some even competed in "MMA" type matches. Like when "Judo" Gene Labell fought boxer Milo Savage in 1963.

Here is a video: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=n9mER2BmNRA

There were full-contact "Vale Tudo" (anything goes) fights in Brazil all through the 20th century.

Or about Gracie vs. Kimura? Gracie was a Brazilian Jiu Jitsu fighter and Kimura was a Japanese Jiu Jitsu / Judo fighter:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mSPL2BFepgU


As a martial artist, Bruce Lee could have fought in many different types of martial arts matches from no-contact to full-contact to anything goes.

He COULD have. But he didn't.

[bmd]

Realistically, Bruce Lee was an extremely talented fighter, who likes in those tales could take on 10 dudes at once. BUT. Fighting regular people is easy as an elite fighter. Today, fighting has advanced leaps and bounds, a top MMA fighter could probably take out Bruce Lee. Though in a street fight Bruce Lee was probably ruthless, ripping out peoples' eyeballs and shit.

Even trained fighters can't take 10 guys at once.

And what makes you think he would "rip out people's eyeballs"? From the stories we know about his fights on the street, he has never done such a thing.

[Jackass18]

If you ask the majority of the world population who's the best at each respective skill, who do you think gets the most votes?

Who cares? That would be basically finding out who the most well known fighter is.

[DonDadda59]

Some even competed in "MMA" type matches. Like when "Judo" Gene Labell fought boxer Milo Savage in 1963.

Here is a video: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=n9mER2BmNRA

Wasn't Gene Labell the guy who choked out Steven Seagal and made him shit himself while passed out?

And I don't think I've ever heard anyone call Bruce Lee the greatest fighter ever. Guy was an actor. That's like saying Christian Bale is the greatest crime fighter ever, makes no sense.

[bladefd]

Chuck Norris was the best fighter of that generation. He was the guy winning world titles in his own weight class AND beating the guys who won the heavyweight class.

Bruce Lee would be sitting in the crowd watching Norris fight but Lee wasn't in the ring proving himself.

Norris >> Lee

Bruce Lee can destroy a Chuck Norris, Steven Seagal and Jackie Chan trio into pulp solo while blind-folded.

Bruce Lee can run 100 yards and squish Chuck Norris' balls before he can blink.

Bruce Lee can lift Chuck Norris and toss him a whole football field distance with one hand.

Bruce Lee can beat up Chuck Norris 1v1 with his both hands tied behind his back, eyes blindfolded and a shoe partially up his ass.

Bruce Lee can put Chuck Norris out faster than Charles Barkley can eat a munchkin.