Who Do You Think Are The Best Martial Artists Today?

Littledragon

Above The Law
Zagon said:
first of all, this is about who is the greatest fighter. How else can you determine how 2 fighters stack up unless they were to fight, even if its hypothetical? This thought that they wouldnt have fought each other is true, but irrelevant.

Everyone having different styles is kind of the point. You have to imagine how Chuck Norris' fighting techniques would stack up against Inosanto's. Or how would Jet Li's speed help him in a fight against Gracie. And the whole thing about Bruce Lee, is he has no style. Jeet Kune Do “favors formlessness so that it can assume all forms and since Jeet Kune Do has no style, it can fit in with all the styles.”



This is why i'm having serious regrets about having engaged you in a conversation about fighting -- if you think size matters in a fight, respectfully, you obviously havent trained or been in any fights yourself.

Bruce Lee: "A powerful athlete is not a strong athlete, but one who can exert his strength quickly. Since power equals force times speed, if the athlete learns to make faster movements he increases his power, even though the contractile pulling strength of his muscles remains unchanged. Thus, a smaller man who can swing faster may hit as hard or as far as the heavier man who swings slowly.

The athlete who is building muscles though weight training should be very sure to work adequately on speed and flexibility at the same time. In combat, without the prior attributes, a strong man will be like the bull with its colossal strength futilely pursuing the matador or like a low-geared truck chasing a rabbit."





thank you.




So he deferred that time. And? That's your argument that he wasnt the best fighter of his time? That's weak. There are a hell of alot of people on record who saw firsthand Lee get challenged on an almost daily basis on his sets, and he wiped the floor with each and every one. This is fact.


That was fantastic, I couldnt have said it better than that! *Applaud*
 

Donald Lee Wilkey

A Steven Seagal fan
O'Sensei would think the attacker falling and hence

Littledragon said:
Ok when do you want to come over? LOL

I am only 15 years old! I study the martial arts every day, 4x international tkd champion imo I have superb knowledge evven more than people older than me who have been doing it for a long time.

Bruce used the one and three inch punch, he wanted to show the public how so much energy could be absorbved with just little space... He only used one inch - 3 inch to just tap the guy and make him fall all the way back.

the attacker would fall
No need to use physical moves to do this
O'Sensei is the best martial artist in our time
 

Donald Lee Wilkey

A Steven Seagal fan
Bong Soo Han and Tom Laughlin would have done it better

Littledragon said:
Who else could have done it better than Bruce Lee?..

;-)
In fact, "Billy Jack" films were on the screen long before Bruce Lee's movies came into existence
 

Donald Lee Wilkey

A Steven Seagal fan
Bruce never bad-mouthed aikido

Littledragon said:
Bruce Lee mostly show? Give me a break.

He could beat all the best martial artists at the day, Walley JAY, Chuck Norris, Mike Stone, Joe Lewis, Jhoon Rhee, they all admit it too.

Steven Seagal stated this about Bruce Lee's awareness of aikido
 

Donald Lee Wilkey

A Steven Seagal fan
I'd agree with you on your statement Littledragon

Littledragon said:
He was being sarcastic. He could beath the UFC guys, his speed and power is incredible

Steven Seagal's extemnsive knowledge of internal energies would dislocate the UFC fighter's leg or arm joints and render their hits and kicks harmless in a real street fight, not to mention limit the UFC fighter's range of movement

Jet Li would paralyze those UFC fighters in pressure points on their bodies with careful placement of acupuncture needles, as Jet Li displayed in his movie "Kiss of the Dragon"
 

Donald Lee Wilkey

A Steven Seagal fan
I didn't see that show, but

aikijones said:
I concur that a Martial Artist will not put themself in a path of distruction. For Budo is the teaching of protecting all things.
So this is just for fun. In the early ninties Steven Seagal said on David Letterman when asked "could he beat Van Damm" Seagal said "Van Damm would beat him in the legs but he could take him in the upper body."​
Well you know how Letterman is, he wants a yes or no and picks till he gets it. So Seagal said ok David I'll take him.LOL​
Does anyone here remember that?​

Did you see the Arsenio Hall show with Jeff Speakman appearing
Arsenio asked Jeff Speakman this question, "Who would win in a real fight between yourself, VanDamme, and Seagal ?"
Jeff Speakman replied with this statement, "You put me on the spot. All i can say is, all of these people are martial artists and you have to respect that"

On Latenight with Conan O'Brien, Conan asked Chuck Norris, "Could you beat Steven Seagal in a fight ?"
Chuck Norris replied to Conan, "Let's get Steven Seagal and me in a the ring and find out what happens ?"

I can't remember which talk show this was (David Letterman, Arsenio Hall, Jay Leno, or Conan O'Brien, but the talk show host inquired of Jean Claude VanDamme, "could you beat Steven Seagal in a fight ?"
VanDamme laughed and replied, " You have to ask him that ?"

I think Jeff Speakman's reply was the most curteous and respectful answer out all of these actors i've mentioned concerning Steven Seagal
 

reno77

Member
I'm suprised that JefF speakman vanished from the public eye so quickly. His first film did well at the boxoffice and he received fairly decent reviews as to his fighting presence on film. He also has the look of a leading man and appeared on a number of talk shows to promote himself so I find it odd that his career did evolve further.

Personally I would say that Chuck Norris is one of the few true fighters out of the selections that other people posted although I did not find his films nor some of his fight choreography that entertaining.

As Suziwong stated, Jackie Chan is funny and likeable although I do not care too much for his films. Likewise, I find Sammo Hung likeable with some interesting staged fights.

I remember watching Jaguar Lives with Joe Lewis and found the fighting scenes well done.

As for Steven Seagal, I think that Above the Law had the best fighting sequences of all his films. He was also in good shape and moved quite fluidly.
 

reno77

Member
I recently saw Tony Jaa in The Protector (USA title) and thought some of the early fights scenes were creative. He does pattern a lot of the fight scenes/ acrobatics on Jackie Chan, without the comedic touches. I haven't seen the rest of the movie as it is on a two part vcd a friend gave me.

I don't know if he is an actual Thai fighter/ competitior, but some of the choreography was well done. His previous picture Ong Bak had far too much sped sequences and wire work for my tastes ( I grew up on Bruce Lee movies), and I thought the fighting went on way too long.

Most of the new crop of MA films tend to have a great deal of what I call comic book type and fantasy fighting, which may appeal to some (especially children) but I find it silly and unentertainig. It also removes a serious element from the film.
 

SRPKINJA

New Member
Maybe you knew this old story, but i'll put it here anyway. Good to read again.
A young boy traveled across Japan to the school of a famous martial artist. When he arrived at the dojo he was given an audience by the Sensei
"What do you wish from me?" the master asked.
"I wish to be your student and become the finest kareteka in the land," the boy replied. "How long must I study?"
"Ten years at least," the master answered.
"Ten years is a long time," said the boy. "What if I studied twice as hard as all your other students?"
"Twenty years," replied the master.
"Twenty years! What if I practice day and night with all my effort?"
"Thirty years," was the master's reply.
"How is it that each time I say I will work harder, you tell me that it will take longer?" the boy asked.
"The answer is clear. When one eye is fixed upon your destination, there is only one eye left with which to find the Way."
 

charles

Charles
The BEST fight scene in a martial arts film that I've seen in a LONG time is in Sha Po Lang (a.k.a. Killzone), and is between Donnie Yen and Sammo Hung. Check it out and look for Donnie Yen's mad skills. The seen where he fights the knife-wielding assassin with a police baton was mostly improvised, and is simply jaw-dropping.
 

MrE

New Member
reno77;166710 said:
I recently saw Tony Jaa in The Protector (USA title) and thought some of the early fights scenes were creative. He does pattern a lot of the fight scenes/ acrobatics on Jackie Chan, without the comedic touches. I haven't seen the rest of the movie as it is on a two part vcd a friend gave me.

I don't know if he is an actual Thai fighter/ competitior, but some of the choreography was well done. His previous picture Ong Bak had far too much sped sequences and wire work for my tastes ( I grew up on Bruce Lee movies), and I thought the fighting went on way too long.
There was no wire work in either Ong Bak or Tom Yum Goong (The Protector), it was all done for real. Jaa is a truly astonishing performer. How he'd stack up in real competition i'm unsure, but he's amazing to watch.
 

Mike_Smith

New Member
Maestro Andrea Lupo Sinclair and Maestro Paul MacDonald
2 great masters and the best teachers i have come across in western martial arts
 

DRAGONKING

DRAGONKING
The best martial artists in the world are probably the ones least known by the general public. These masters will generally not want to be known, but will only care about constant training and honing of their technique. They will also be the keepers of the secrets of true Budo. However, it is my opinion that of the old school martial artists, Master Ueshiba and Master Takeda were in a league of their own.

Dragonking.

" Do not look upon this world with fear and loathing. Bravely face whatever the Gods offer."
 

Mike_Smith

New Member
i agree with dragonking, i get the impression that this thread should be 'best on-screen eastern martial artists' judging by the majority of answers
 
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