Thanks to YouTube, I can get a quick dose of motivation to either train or head for the work out equipment, from a short video clip of Bruce Lee. Although the results can fluctuate by the minute, entering Lee’s name produces 31,900 video clips to view. This is currently more than any other martial art movie star. However, with the thousands upon thousands of video clips of different topics available, each one also allows viewers to post their comments and herein lies the intrigue.
The majority of the comments for Lee’s clips appear to be positive and praising, seemingly from new admirers who were not even a thought in their parent’s young adolescent minds yet when the “Little Dragon” was alive and (literally) kicking. Then, of course, there are those comments from the insecure martial art “experts”, internet tough guys, who go out of their way to view Bruce Lee video clips in order to leave ignorantly rude and immature comments. I believe we are all entitled to our own opinions, which is why I am mainly referring to the comments that would normally entail censorship. Some of the more mild statements however, are the assertions that Bruce Lee was: “Over rated”, “fake”, “just a Hollywood actor”, “gay”, or that he was not a “real fighter” because he never competed in tournaments.
The comments led to comparisons of UFC fighters and that led to the opinion that Lee would have been “destroyed” if he fought in the UFC octagon. They believe because Jet Li admitted he would have been “killed” if he actually fought in the octagon, as depicted in his film Cradle to the Grave, then it must surely apply to Bruce Lee as well.
Now, I’ll be the first to admit there are many Bruce Lee fans that think Lee was the totally invincible fighter who could not be beaten by anyone, based on his movies. Although those who knew him state he could actually do many of the things he did in his films, true fans would enlighten themselves to realize Lee meticulously choreographed those fight scenes, therefore he naturally dominates all of his opponents in his films. I believe Lee Jun Fan (Bruce Lee’s birth name) and his performance in a UFC match should be viewed as realistically as possible without movie fantasy.
First, it should be cleared up that Lee was not an unbeatable, invincible fighter. Ed Parker Jr., son of the late Kenpo karate master, revealed an incident that most Lee fans may not be aware of. While a young Bruce Lee was still filming episodes of the Green Hornet, Gene LeBell managed to get him into a hold that he could not get out of. Supposedly, this incident prompted Lee to begin learning the grappling arts in earnest. I’m sure many will immediately imagine Royce Gracie quickly taking Lee down, easily putting him into a armbar and forcing him to tap out. At this point, it is a plausible scenario.
Indeed, it is difficult to picture a man, 5′ 7