Bruce Lee claimed as 'father' of Mixed Martial Arts

[Soulbringer320]

Nearly 40 years after his
death, Bruce Lee is still one of the most recognisable faces in the world


Almost 40 years after his death, a documentary on the life
of martial arts legend Bruce Lee is being released, showing him as a film star,
fighter and philosopher, and produced by his daughter Shannon Lee.

Of all the credits attached to the name Bruce Lee, one of the bolder claims
made in the documentary I Am Bruce Lee, is that he was the de facto father of
Mixed Martial Arts (MMA).

Often criticised for its brutality, MMA, and its most popular form the
Ultimate Fighting Championship (UFC), has overtaken boxing as the most watched
full-contact sport in the world.

Bruce Lee was honoured with a
statue in Hong Kong

Its invention is credited largely to the Gracie family of fighters from
Brazil, who founded the Brazilian jiu-jitsu utilised in "anything goes" combat
of the early 20th Century.

However, Bruce Lee's daughter Shannon Lee agrees it is unlikely that one man
or family single-handedly invented something as universal as mixing different
forms of combat.

"Certainly, there are very few wholly original ideas in the world, there are
usually people coming to the same conclusions or carrying out experiments,
whether publicly or privately."

But she adds: "One thing I will say about my father is that he was very much out in the forefront talking about his beliefs about being a complete fighter and attaching a philosophy to that and teaching it.

"While there may have been people prior to him who thought about mixing one
or two forms, it was really my father who took it to a public level."

If Lee was responsible for mixing fighting styles together, he also married
the physical and the philosophical, thanks to his studies at the University of
Washington as a young man.

MMA combines disciplines
ranging from kickboxing and karate to judo and jiu jitso

"You know how I think of myself?", he said once in an interview. "As a human
being.... under the sky, under the heavens there is but one family."

Next year marks the 40th anniversary of his death, from a cerebral oedema, a
fatal build up of fluid on the brain. He was just 32 and the father of two young
children with his wife Linda Lee Cadwell.

It is also the 40th anniversary of his most famous film, Enter The Dragon,
released months after his death, bringing him international, albeit posthumous,
acclaim.

In fact, his tragically short career has prompted other documentary makers
though the years to examine his life, begging the question of whether there is
any need for another one.

Inosanto still owns the
nunchucks which he used to fight Lee in Game of Death

"There have been many documentaries," admits Shannon Lee, who acted as
executive producer of I Am Bruce Lee.

"In fact, when the idea of this documentary came about, even I was a little
wary.

"What's so great is that my father is extremely present in this film, it's
not just people talking about him. You get a sense that he's there and he's
offering the viewer an opinion on himself."

I Am Bruce Lee also omits more obvious talking heads, such as fellow martial
arts stars like Jackie Chan and Jet li, in favour of aficionados such as Modern
Family actor Ed O'Neill, basketball player Kobe Bryant and Black Eyed Peas star
Taboo.

Lee's friend and student Dan Inosanto also speaks movingly about him. The
pair fought against each other in Game of Death, a film only half completed by
Lee before his death.

Much of what is known of Lee's life and philosophy comes from a 1971
interview with Pierre Berton, probably now the definitive interview with the
late superstar, certainly the only surviving television interview, done just two
years prior to his death.

Clips from the interview feature extensively in I Am Bruce Lee, as he
explains his beliefs to an increasingly bemused presenter.

"He was being himself to such a high degree," says Shannon. "In fact
sometimes Pierre is looking at him as if to say, 'What is this guy talking
about?'. But I do think it's a special piece of film."

Over the past 40 years, pirated
copies of Lee films have been widely disseminated

Initially an actress who made her film debut in Dragon, the 1993 biopic of
her father, Shannon Lee is now president of the Bruce Lee
Foundation, a non-profit organisation aimed at protecting the star's legacy
and offering educational scholarships to "students who... exemplify Bruce Lee's
passion for education".

Four decades after his death, his name is still a business worth
up to $5m a year. However, the figure is small fry in comparison with the
estates of other top earning dead celebrities.

The problem, Lee says, is that her father is still one of the most iconic
film stars of the 20th Century and it is a daily battle tackling the illegal use
of his image and piracy of his films.

"We'll spend a week getting everything taken down and two weeks later, all
new stuff is up," she says.

"We have a little running joke in the office, which is 'don't go on the
internet'."

Joking aside, avoiding the internet is not necessarily a bad thing if Lee
wishes to avoid long-running speculation about remaking Bruce Lee's most famous
film.

"I don't think Enter The Dragon should ever be remade," she says flatly.

"I don't think that anyone could try to be my father, I think he was
extremely unique and if anybody were to try to act like him and pull off the
action in the same way, that would be a mistake.

"Trying to give a Bruce Lee-esque performance would be an epic failure."

With talk of releasing a remastered version of the film for its anniversary
next year, perhaps it is a failure that can be avoided for now.

[breahule]

[tnk2k]

De grieken waren er al omtrend 500 BC. bij. Dus nee.

Jammer joh.

[Pansier]

De grieken waren er al omtrend 500 BC. bij. Dus nee.

Jammer joh.

http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedi...M_VaseB610.jpg

Heb ook gehoord (geloof bij human weapon of fight quest) dat dit wellicht de vader van alle vechtsporten kan zijn.

[Briant]

Vechtsport is al zo oud als de mensheid.

[cholitzu]

Cave paintings in the Bayankhongor Province of Mongolia dating back to Neolithic age of 7000 BC show grappling of two naked men and surrounded by crowds. The art of Bökh appears on bronze plates discovered in the ruins of the Xiongnu empire (206 BC–220 AD). Originally, Bökh was a military sport intended to provide mainly strength, stamina and skills training to troops. Genghis Khan (1206–1227)^[1] and the all later Emperors of the Mongol Empire (1206–1368) and also the Emperors of later Khanates were keen to support the sport for this reason so wrestling events were included in local festivals, or Naadam. Wrestling became a key factor when deciding the candidate rankings in imperial martial exams plus outstanding wrestlers were entitled to high distinctions.^[2]

[tnk2k]

Mensen begonnen al te vechten met elkaar toen ze geboren waren, met alle vechtkennis van wat ze toen hadden. Jah. Dus om het nou an BL toe te eigenen dat hij het 'samensmelten' had verzonnen; nee.

7000 BC? Holy crap, dat is wel heel lang geleden.

[tnk2k]

Bokh filmpje (van cho):




Die victory dance is best vet

[T15Boxing]

Ik heb echt zoveel respect voor Bruce lee. Ben al een fan sinds ik klein was.

Maar Helio Gracie is 'Father of MMA'. Zonder hem zou er geen moderne MMA zijn, 100%.

[cholitzu]

Bokh filmpje (van cho):


Die victory dance is best vet

idd die victory dance zouden ze in de ufc moeten doen, veel beter dan op die kooi klimmen en spierballen laten zien..hahaha.

[Briant]

Ik heb echt zoveel respect voor Bruce lee. Ben al een fan sinds ik klein was.

Maar Helio Gracie is 'Father of MMA'. Zonder hem zou er geen moderne MMA zijn, 100%.

helio leerde het van zijn broer carlos welke het leerde van maeda. Maeda was een judoka die judo over de wereld verspreidde oa door het houden van vale tudo wedstrijden. Die Maeda leerde het ook weer van iemand. de gracies hebben veel betekend voor mma maar waren zeker niet de eerste.

[Strange Cutbean]

helio leerde het van zijn broer carlos welke het leerde van maeda. Maeda was een judoka die judo over de wereld verspreidde oa door het houden van vale tudo wedstrijden. Die Maeda leerde het ook weer van iemand. de gracies hebben veel betekend voor mma maar waren zeker niet de eerste.

Dat kan zijn maar het 'moderne MMA' komt toch voor een groot deel van de Gracies. In mijn opinie toch meer dan van Bruce Lee.

[Strange Cutbean]

Bokh filmpje (van cho):




Die victory dance is best vet

Wat een mongolen zeg!

[kooivechter]

Wat een mongolen zeg!

verrekte mongol

[basblue]

Dat kan zijn maar het 'moderne MMA' komt toch voor een groot deel van de Gracies. In mijn opinie toch meer dan van Bruce Lee.

Mee eens, helemaal als je je bedenkt dat de eerste ufc's door de gracie's zijn georganiseerd en Pride in eerste jaren door Rickson werd gedomineerd.

[T15Boxing]

helio leerde het van zijn broer carlos welke het leerde van maeda. Maeda was een judoka die judo over de wereld verspreidde oa door het houden van vale tudo wedstrijden. Die Maeda leerde het ook weer van iemand. de gracies hebben veel betekend voor mma maar waren zeker niet de eerste.

Meeste mensen kennen Helio's verhaal niet net zoals jij. Hij is the Godfather of MMA.

Maeda en zijn broer etc. ging het puur om Jiu Jitsu. Helio zelf begon mensen van andere vecht stijlen uit te dagen en dat kreeg steeds meer aandacht. Uiteindelijk kreeg hij een eigen tv programma "Vale Tudo"(mma fans hebben vast wel gehoord hoe Vale Tudo al sinds de jaren 50 ongv. bezig is). Zo nam hij het op tegen Judoka's, worstelaars. Natuurlijk de hele bekende partij tegen Masahiko Kimura waarin hij zn arm brak, en dan nog tegen Santana.

Het is dus allemaal dankzij Helio. Zijn zoon Rorion was natuurlijk door zijn vader beïnvloed en creëerde de UFC. Zonder Helio Gracie was BJJ niet verder gekomen en was er geen moderne MMA.

[TheSkindo]

Nu doe je net of alleen de UFC verantwoordelijk was voor het moderne MMA...in meerdere landen waren op hetzelfde moment (of vrijwel hetzelfde moment) de zelfde evoluties bezig, kijk maar naar bv Pancrase of Shooto...Toegeven dat de Gracies een grote rol hadden, net als de UFC maar ze waren zeker niet alleen en ook zonder Helio was MMA er gekomen..

[T15Boxing]

Ik had het over daarvoor. Helio Gracie had zijn eerste bekende Vale Tudo gevecht tegen een boxer in 1932 en meerdere grote gevechten in de jaren 30. Later in de jaren 50 had hij nog een paar grote gevechten tegen Santana, Kimura etc. Dus 60 jaar voor de eerste UFC had Helio allang mma gevechten georganiseerd met zijn familie. Shooto en Pancrase enzo was allemaal geinspireerd door oudere Vale Tudo, en Vale Tudo bestaat dankzij Helio. Zonder hem zou er nu geen MMA zijn, 100%.

Dus tja gezien alle feiten zie ik hem als de echte "Father of modern MMA". Jammer dat men dat niet zo ziet.

[TheSkindo]

Voor het Vale Tudo was er ook al Luta Livre...hoever terug wil je eigelijk? Bovendien gaat het om modern MMA niet om oudere versies (stijl vs stijl zoals in de eerste UFC's) Heel veel vechters vochten toen al tegen andere stijlen (Kimura zelf bv ook)

[T15Boxing]

Luta Livre kwam lang na Helio's eerste gevechten in de jaren 30, dus weer zie je zijn invloed. Mijn punt is dat hij het is begonnen en elke vechtpromotie die na hem kwam heeft beinvloed/geinspireerd, en daarmee de belangrijkste(UFC).

[cholitzu]

The History of Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu:
Some historians of Jiu-Jitsu say that the origins of "the gentle art" can be traced back to India, where it was practiced by Buddhist Monks. Concerned with self-defense, these monks created techniques based upon principles of balance and leverage, and a system of manipulating the body in a manner where one could avoid relying upon strength or weapons. With the expansion of Buddhism, Jiu-Jitsu spread from Southeast Asia to China, finally arriving in Japan where it developed and gained further popularity.

In the last days of the 19th century, some Jiu-Jitsu masters emigrated from Japan to other continents, teaching the martial arts as well as taking part in fights and competitions.

Esai Maeda Koma, also known as "Conde Koma," was one such master. After traveling with a troupe which fought in various countries in Europe and the Americas, Koma arrived in Brazil in 1915, and settled in Belem do Para the next year, where he met a man named Gastao Gracie.
The father of eight children, among them five boys and three girls, Gastao became a Jiu-Jitsu enthusiast and brought his oldest son, Carlos, to learn from the Japanese master.

For a naturally frail fifteen-year old Carlos Gracie, Jiu-Jitsu became a method not simply for fighting, but for personal improvement. At nineteen, he moved to Rio de Janeiro with his family and began teaching and fighting. In his travels, Carlos would teach classes, and also proved the efficiency of the art by beating opponents who were physically stronger. In 1925, he returned to Rio and opened the first school, known as the "Academia Gracie de Jiu-Jitsu."

Since then, Carlos started to share his knowledge with his brothers, adapting and refining the techniques to the naturally weaker characteristics of his family. Carlos also taught them his philosophies of life and his concepts of natural nutrition. Eventually, Carlos became a pioneer in creating a special diet for athletes, "the Gracie diet," which transformed Jiu-Jitsu into a term synonymous with health.

Having created an efficient self defense system, Carlos Gracie saw in the art a way to become a man who was more tolerant, respectful, and self-confident. With a goal of proving Jiu-Jitsu’s superiority over other martial arts, Carlos challenged the greatest fighters of his time. He also managed the fighting careers of his brothers. Because they were fighting and defeating opponents fifty or sixty pounds heavier, the Gracies quickly gained recognition and prestige.

Attracted to the new market which was opened around Jiu-Jitsu, many Japanese practitioners came to Rio, but none were able to establish schools as successful as the Gracies. This was due to the fact that the Japanese stylists were more focused on takedowns and throws, and the Jiu-Jitsu the Gracies practiced had more sophisticated ground fighting and submission techniques. Carlos and his brothers changed and adapted the techniques in such a way that it completely altered the complexion of the international Jiu-Jitsu principles. These techniques were so distinctive to Carlos and his brothers that the sport became attached to a national identity, and is now commonly known as "Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu," practiced by martial artists all over the world, including Japan.

With the creation of an official governing body to oversee the administration of the sport, including competition rules and the grading system, the era of sport Jiu-Jitsu competitions was started. Today, Jiu-Jitsu is a highly-organized sport, with an International Federation as well as a Brazilian National Confederation, both founded by Master Carlos Gracie Jr. Through his work with the Confederation of Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu, Carlos Gracie Jr. contributed to the growth of the sport by holding some of the first organized competitions. Currently, the IBJJF and CBJJ holds competitions in Brazil, the United States, Europe, and Asia, realizing Carlos' original dream of spreading Jiu-Jitsu around the world.

[TheSkindo]

Van wikipedia:

Arrest

Gracie was involved in an attack on Luta Livre teacher Manoel Rufino dos Santos in 1932, at the age of 19. In an interview for Playboy Magazine he regretted that act with this statement:

“It was 66 years ago that I was involved in my biggest trouble. A famous fighter in Brazil (a former Luta Livre Champion) Manoel Rufino dos Santos, said that he was going to show the world that we Gracies were nothing. It was at the Tijuca Tennis Club of Rio that I gave my answer to him. I arrived and said "I came to answer the declaration that you made." He threw a punch and I took him to the ground, with two fractures of his head, and a broken clavicle, and blood spurting out. But it was a foolish act that I did. Today I would never repeat such a thing."

---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Dus in 1932 was deze man al een Lutta Livre leraar en ook nog eens kampioen....
Zoals ik al zei...hoever wil je terug gaan?
Daarnaast is BJJ nog steeds geen MMA hoewel de invloed ervan niet te ontkenen valt weet ik niet of je direct kan spreken van de vader van het MMA....BJJ mixed in principe geen stijlen, het is een aangepaste vorm van Jiujitsu. Erg discutabel punt dus....

[T15Boxing]

Ja Wikipedia, dezelfde site waarop staat dat Luta Livre werd opgericht door een Gracie in midden 20ste eeuw. Dus na de jaren 30. Ik zou wel meer informatie willen zien over die Manoel Rufino. Wat was zijn vecht stijl en meer over zijn kampioenschap. Volgens mij heb ik weleens eerder zoiets gelezen maar dan dat het een Judo leraar was die door Helio werd verslagen.

[McClane]

Vechtsport is al zo oud als de mensheid.

Idem. Gezien de wreedheden van de Maya's zal het me niets verbazen inderdaad als zij ook 'theaterstukken' hadden waar men, slaven tot de dood vochten. Toen heette het echter nog geen MMA en een verwurging van de nek via de rug geen rnc. Het is maar net wie het als eerste een naam heeft gegeven en het ging exploiteren als zodanig naar mijn menig.

[carlsberg]

Bruce Lee heeft vechtsport een gezicht gegeven voor de massa, in mijn jeugt was hij ""vechtsport" heeft niks te maken met MMA
maar hij heeft dus zeker bij gedragen voor de populariteit in het algemeen.