Post: #1

Growing up, there were no expressive, masculine asian role models in the media, so when I saw Enter the Dragon for the first time, I became an instant fan of his films.

Since then, I've seen a few documentaries on him, seen all of his films, and some interviews that are scattered around youtube.

People credit him as being the first real mixed martial artist

I wasn't aware of his iconic status until my late teens/early twenties.

This post is mostly for the older guys on the site who remember him while he was alive. Was there buzz around him back in the late sixties/early seventies?

In this trailer, he is called the "Elvis of martial arts". I know a lot of hyperbole is thrown around in these tribute documentaries, so I'm not sure how big he really was.

Hat tip to Parlay44 for posting this in that other thread about drink limits:





Also feel free to post interviews, quotes, memories of watching his films, thoughts, or appreciation for this great man who shared so much with the world until his premature departure to the afterlife.

Post: #2

Empty your mind, be formless, shapeless - like water. Now you put water in a cup, it becomes the cup; You put water into a bottle it becomes the bottle; You put it in a teapot it becomes the teapot. Now water can flow or it can crash. Be water, my friend.

Post: #3

Bruce Lee would get his skinny little ass stomped by Chuck Norris.

Post: #4

(01-14-2013 05:57 PM)Aliblahba Wrote:  Bruce Lee would get his skinny little ass stomped by Chuck Norris.

Yeah riiiiight.....

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wtZNvK3fTlM

Bruce Lee would crush Fag Norris anytime

Post: #5

I'm stoked, I'm learning Kung Fu and my Sifu's lineage traces back directly to Ip Man, Bruce Lee's one and only Kung Fu teacher. Also, I have lineage directly tracing to Bruce through Dan Inosanto, my Kali instructor trained Jeet Kune Do and Kali for 10 years with Inosanto, and for anyone who knows Inosanto was one of Bruce's best friends and his top student.

Post: #6

Bruce Lee was probably the 2nd biggest influence on my life outside of Muhammad Ali.

I have always thought I was equal parts Muhammad Ali, Bruce Lee and Jack Dempsey.

I would love to see an interview with both Bruce and Ali. That would probably make the Earth start spinning the other direction.

He is one of the reasons why I get so irate at Asian guys on here that aren't proud of their heritage.

With him and Manny Pacquiao, you have two of the greatest role models of all time.

Post: #7

(01-14-2013 06:46 PM)thegmanifesto Wrote:  Bruce Lee was probably the 2nd biggest influence on my life outside of Muhammad Ali.

I have always thought I was equal parts Muhammad Ali, Bruce Lee and Jack Dempsey.

I would love to see an interview with both Bruce and Ali. That would probably make the Earth start spinning the other direction.

He is one of the reasons why I get so irate at Asian guys on here that aren't proud of their heritage.

With him and Manny Pacquiao, you have two of the greatest role models of all time.

Were you born before Bruce Lee passed? My friend's father is a huge Bruce Lee fan, but I never got a chance to sit down and talk to him about that. My father didn't move to the states until after Bruce Lee's death.

Was he a big deal while he was alive (international star) or did his aura, so to speak, grow only after his death.

They couldn't have put in a better track for a tribute to Bruce Lee and Ali? I had to put it on mute halfway through.

Post: #8

From what I understand, Bruce Lee was not really too famous in America until he died.

Enter The Dragon came out after he passed (that is my understanding anyways, and why it was so tragic that he died when he did).

I think his influence in life was no where near his influence in death. Although when he was alive he trained a lot of G's like Steve Mcqueen and Kareem Abdul Jabbar. Most great athletes of other sports considered Bruce Lee the best. Much like great athletes today say similar things about Pac-Man. I can't remember who said it, but some top notch football player said Pac's footwook is the best of anyone in any sport. Things like that. Many also considered Bruce Lee to have the best physique of any athlete alive at the time and many still consider him to be that to this day.

He was really a special human that comes along once a century or so. Similar to Ali.

His philosophies where some of his greatest work in my opinion. He might have been one of the first to blend Eastern and Western philosophy. But don't quote me on that.

Any child of the 70's was "Kung-Fu Crazy" though.

I mean hell, this track came out then and was a mega world wide hit (not to mention one of the dopest tracks ever):





It is hard to imagine how big this stuff was for someone that didn't grow up then.. Bigger than MMA today. I mean there is no hit track called "MMA Fighting" now is there?

I think that is one of the reasons The Wu-Tang Clan was so heavily influenced by Hong-Kong Cinema.

Every kid that grew up then was.

I loved when they used that track in City of God:

Post: #9

(01-14-2013 05:57 PM)Aliblahba Wrote:  Bruce Lee would get his skinny little ass stomped by Chuck Norris.

While I haven't met the man himself, I know people who have trained with him. Word has it that he's a great guy, and the memes about him are only slightly overstated.

A bloke named gene lebell (who has an even more legit claim to being the first mixed martial artist) was descibed by Chuck Norris as "the toughest man alive" and could reputedly could choke out any man - he's choked out bruce lee, he choked out Brandon Lee, he's choked out steven seagal (who subsequently shat his pants) but the one man he couldn't choke out, was Chuck Norris.

Post: #10

(01-14-2013 07:46 PM)LooTa Wrote:  he's choked out bruce lee

I think that is internet myth.

My understanding is they trained together and showed each other technique. Labell, once wrote an article called something like "Bruce Lee: The worlds Greatest Martial Artist" or something. So their respect for each other was huge.

But you are welcome to prove me wrong.

Post: #11

There was this monster hill that I used to skate down when I was 8 or 9, but I would always fall before I got to the bottom.

Kung Fu fighting was the song I was listening to when I finally made it all the way down the hill. That was my song for the longest time.

Also, there is a decent documentary on Netflix that is about Bruce Lee. I doubt it's anything you haven't already seen or heard about before.

Post: #12

(01-14-2013 08:11 PM)thegmanifesto Wrote:  

(01-14-2013 07:46 PM)LooTa Wrote:  he's choked out bruce lee

I think that is internet myth.

My understanding is they trained together and showed each other technique. Labell, once wrote an article called something like "Bruce Lee: The worlds Greatest Martial Artist" or something. So their respect for each other was huge.

But you are welcome to prove me wrong.

I can't prove anything, it's just what I've been told by people who I trust and are in the know. If you're training hard with top level fighters, odds are you're going to get knocked/choked out at some point.
I don't doubt for a second they had mad respect for each other, but respect and the ability to choke someone out aren't mutually exclusive.

Post: #13

(01-14-2013 08:11 PM)thegmanifesto Wrote:  

(01-14-2013 07:46 PM)LooTa Wrote:  he's choked out bruce lee

I think that is internet myth.

My understanding is they trained together and showed each other technique. Labell, once wrote an article called something like "Bruce Lee: The worlds Greatest Martial Artist" or something. So their respect for each other was huge.

But you are welcome to prove me wrong.

He did often tap out Bruce Lee, but it was in training. It's understandable because before Bruce and Gene met, Bruce Lee had very little ground training, which is why he went to train with Gene in the first place. Gene was a national champion judo practitioner. The timing is also important.

Chuck Norris is now a Brazilian Jiu Jitsu black belt, which he earned from the Machado brothers. If Gene trained with Chuck after he started becoming proficient in jiu jitsu, then I understand why he wouldn't get choked out. But Chuck didn't start training BJJ until the mid 80's, after Bruce Lee's death.

What was more important than Bruce Lee's actual skills was his philosophy. But I don't doubt his skill and athleticism. Would Bruce have gotten smashed by Jose Aldo if Jose traveled back in time and faced Bruce? Of course, but the "technology" of fighting has changed so much in 40 years.

It's like saying who would win in a gunfight someone with a musket or someone with a semi-auto AR-15. The guy with the musket may be the better shooter, but the technology he is equipped with is far inferior. If Bruce Lee had the type of training we have today, he could probably compete at the top level.

He was also a goddamn movie star on top of all of that.

Post: #14

(01-14-2013 07:46 PM)LooTa Wrote:  

(01-14-2013 05:57 PM)Aliblahba Wrote:  Bruce Lee would get his skinny little ass stomped by Chuck Norris.

While I haven't met the man himself, I know people who have trained with him. Word has it that he's a great guy, and the memes about him are only slightly overstated.

A bloke named gene lebell (who has an even more legit claim to being the first mixed martial artist) was descibed by Chuck Norris as "the toughest man alive" and could reputedly could choke out any man - he's choked out bruce lee, he choked out Brandon Lee, he's choked out steven seagal (who subsequently shat his pants) but the one man he couldn't choke out, was Chuck Norris.

I used to train a Gokor's gym in Hollywood. Lebell was good friends with Gokor. That story about Segal is priceless.

The whole gist was Segal is a prick and actually punches the stuntmen, basically a bully. Lebell is a known stuntman and choked him until he shit his pants. Awesome that you know about that.

Post: #15

(01-14-2013 09:44 PM)Fisto Wrote:  

(01-14-2013 07:46 PM)LooTa Wrote:  

(01-14-2013 05:57 PM)Aliblahba Wrote:  Bruce Lee would get his skinny little ass stomped by Chuck Norris.

While I haven't met the man himself, I know people who have trained with him. Word has it that he's a great guy, and the memes about him are only slightly overstated.

A bloke named gene lebell (who has an even more legit claim to being the first mixed martial artist) was descibed by Chuck Norris as "the toughest man alive" and could reputedly could choke out any man - he's choked out bruce lee, he choked out Brandon Lee, he's choked out steven seagal (who subsequently shat his pants) but the one man he couldn't choke out, was Chuck Norris.

I used to train a Gokor's gym in Hollywood. Lebell was good friends with Gokor. That story about Segal is priceless.

The whole gist was Segal is a prick and actually punches the stuntmen, basically a bully. Lebell is a known stuntman and choked him until he shit his pants. Awesome that you know about that.

I wish Ariel Helwani would ask Seagal about that shit in an interview.

Post: #16

(01-14-2013 05:19 PM)BalkanCynic Wrote:  Empty your mind, be formless, shapeless - like water. Now you put water in a cup, it becomes the cup; You put water into a bottle it becomes the bottle; You put it in a teapot it becomes the teapot. Now water can flow or it can crash. Be water, my friend.

Sounds like he is on drugs?

And if you put water in a girls pussy it becomes?

Game of death was good:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LsSoX6qB9N0

"Lifes about, shooting your load"

Post: #17

(01-14-2013 06:08 PM)Scarecr0w Wrote:  

(01-14-2013 05:57 PM)Aliblahba Wrote:  Bruce Lee would get his skinny little ass stomped by Chuck Norris.

Yeah riiiiight.....

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wtZNvK3fTlM

Bruce Lee would crush Fag Norris anytime

No way in hell. Lee was a skinny little vagina. It took him like five minutes to beat someone up in his films. Weak. Here's Norris staring a man to death in just over a minute. This shit is real:





And for the record, Lee didn't die in his sleep mysteriously. Chuck Norris willed it.

Post: #18

(01-14-2013 08:38 PM)LooTa Wrote:  

(01-14-2013 08:11 PM)thegmanifesto Wrote:  

(01-14-2013 07:46 PM)LooTa Wrote:  he's choked out bruce lee

I think that is internet myth.

My understanding is they trained together and showed each other technique. Labell, once wrote an article called something like "Bruce Lee: The worlds Greatest Martial Artist" or something. So their respect for each other was huge.

But you are welcome to prove me wrong.

I can't prove anything, it's just what I've been told by people who I trust and are in the know. If you're training hard with top level fighters, odds are you're going to get knocked/choked out at some point.
I don't doubt for a second they had mad respect for each other, but respect and the ability to choke someone out aren't mutually exclusive.

In training that makes sense. The way you wrote it before it seemed like an actual fight or bout.

Steven Seagal Denies Getting Choked Out by Gene LeBell

Post: #19

Anyone seen Dragon: the Bruce Lee Story? I don't know how true to life it is, but: alpha as fuck. Someday before I die I want to walk into a room and say, "I can beat any man here in 60 seconds."

Great, great relationship game throughout, too. Bruce, Chinese immigrant in 1960's America, has a hot blonde all-American girlfriend.

Bruce: "Have you told your mother about us?"
Gf: "No...have you told your father?"
Bruce: "Yes."
Gf: "What did he say?"
Bruce: "It doesn't matter what he said. What matters is that I told him. "

Post: #20

Bruce is such an inspiration. He had life all figured out. I get just as rev'd up listening to him talk as I do watching his movies. A true original. A true international playboy.

Rest in peace my friend

Post: #21

Did he stop himself from bulking up? I read that a while back. It's funny how he would be to skinny for the modern American girl when in reality he was strong as fuck.

Steven Seagal is retarded lol.

Post: #22

Bruce Lee was obsessed with bodybuilding. He didn't train to get big, but trained for functionality. He trained to hit faster and harder than anyone.

At his heaviest he weight about 165. Then shrunk down because he was about functionality.

Bruce is legend. Chuck norris just get's used as an internet meme now.

Post: #23

I was obsessed with Bruce Lee growing up. I subscribed to his magazine 'Kung Fu Monthly' which was really just a folded poster of him with articles on the other side. I knew and still know just about every line of dialogue from Enter The Dragon. My school mate who was crazy about him too would constantly re-enact the film with me and we would always make plans to visit Hong Kong to train in Wing Chun ( he went on to do it ). I went to boarding school at age 11 and one night I found out that there was going to be a showing of Enter The Dragon on tv at 10pm. The problem was we had to be in dorm and lights out by 9pm. Also the only dorm in the school with a tv was sick bay. So at 9pm I went up to the matron's office telling her I was ill and vomiting. She told me to go sleep in sick bay for the night. When I got in there all the beds were full of other kids all faking illness to watch the movie.

Growing up there was always the mythical 'deleted nunchuk scene' from Enter The Dragon. It's hard to believe with today's violence shown in movies that for years the British Film Board censored the film scene when Bruce descends the lift on Han's island and wipes everyone out with Nunchukas. I always dreamed of getting to see the scene but it took till the 1990's for it to be shown and then it was like 'was that it?'. I still think Enter The Dragon is the greatest film of it's genre. Non of Lee's other films matched it although they were still epic to a child's mind.

I grew up believing Bruce was invincible but as you grow up you realise that he would get his ass handed to him if he faced a good MMA fighter. He was too slight being southern Chinese but for the gang rivalry of Hong Kong in the 50's and 60's he was perfectly adapted. Bruce was an icon and the last of such icons really,he wasn't like today's 'sporting stars',like Beckham etc. Bruce lived and breathed it and he was innovative too,adapting his Wing Chun grounding into something more adaptable for the reality of a changing enemy. If he were alive today I think he would welcome MMA and the eradication of styles that MMA has brought about.

Post: #24

(01-25-2013 03:08 AM)houston Wrote:  Did he stop himself from bulking up? I read that a while back. It's funny how he would be to skinny for the modern American girl when in reality he was strong as fuck.

Houston, I don't think "he would be to skinny for the modern American girl"

The whole "Arnie Look" thing that seems to have overwhelmed the forum in the last year or two is really overblown (so to speak).

I have never really seen big meat head guys get a lot of girls my whole life. Maybe in the 80's or something.

Hell, my friends and I used to diss and clown those types of guys non-stop.

The type of cities and places I hang out is well documented.

Maybe it is different at some sh*t hole bar in some sh*t hole state in some sh*t hole hood in some sh*t hole bar. I wouldn't know. But if it does happen, I can only assume that is where it goes down.

But you roll to the beaches of Southern California or Soho in NYC, you won't see these legions of guys with the "Arnie Look" dominating. Hell you rarely see anyone like that period. Southern California beaches, for instance are dominated by surfers and they typically have a physique more similar to Bruce Lee.

Even in South Beach, every time I have seen a guy with the "Arnie Look", they are with sub-par girls.

Go to the hottest restaurant in Soho this weekend and look who the models are with; I guarantee you none of them will be with a guy with the "Arnie Look".

Post: #25

(01-25-2013 04:12 AM)memcpy Wrote:  Bruce Lee was obsessed with bodybuilding. He didn't train to get big, but trained for functionality. He trained to hit faster and harder than anyone.

At his heaviest he weight about 165. Then shrunk down because he was about functionality.

Bruce is legend. Chuck norris just get's used as an internet meme now.

Yeah by guys who don't know what a pioneer Norris was for MMA and other disciplines.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LeqO9Ds0Al8

1991 Norris is showing basic maneuvers that a guy with no grappling background would have had to train quite a while to become proficient. That means he was ahead of the rest of the country by almost a decade.