Who Do You Consider to Be Your Favorite or to be the Greatest Martial Artist?

[VinnyMac]

I read online that today is Chuck Norris Birthday and it made me wonder who was the greatest Martial Artist of all time. It's practically always been an irrefutable fact that Bruce Lee holds that title. I read that he once fought Chuck Norris.

My favorite Martial Artist has always been Jackie Chan. I love that he has his very own unique style and that he brings humor to all his performances. I loved Jackie's early performances and especially enjoyed The Rush Hour series where he starred alongside Chris Tucker and Shanghai Noon & Shanghai Knights, alongside Owen Wilson.

I always thought Chuck Norris was a phenomenal Martial Artist and I loved him in 'Walker Texas Ranger.' I first saw Jean-Vlaude Van Damme in 'Blood Sport.' I don't know very much about Jet Li, but I do know that he is an accomplished Martial Artist as well.

Bruce Lee

Jackie Chan

Chuck Norris

Jet Li

Jean-Claude Van Damme

[zeitgeist057]

One of my all time favorites is Lerdsila, and I'm not even a huge Muay Thai fan (I like Muay Thai, and respect it):

https://www.youtube.com/embed/JxNGCrMuiTc

Lerdsila to me is a great example of what a martial artist should be: kind, clever, fast, fun and easygoing, no hard feelings type, low ego, with excellent technique and passion for the art. Very "same same but different" is Saenchai. Excellent character from both.

https://www.youtube.com/embed/HMZ1yoHBAhU

(The video is not of them fighting, but comparing their styles. There is a bit at the end where they are play-sparring together.)

Another incredible fighter, though not as admirable for lack of ego, is Khamzat Chimaev. He also makes smashing thorough top notch fighters look like child's play.:

https://www.youtube.com/embed/hgBTZz0RsMg

Of the poll options, I would say I like Jackie Chan the best, for his playfulness. Though Bruce Lee is legendary, I have no idea how great he actually was. Chuck Norris is actually the one who got me into martial arts. Not because of his work in film, but because I randomly picked up his book: " The Secret Power Within: Zen Solutions to Real Problems". The respect I have for Norris stems from that book, rather than his epic beard.

One more epic video, of Khabib:

https://www.youtube.com/embed/_9XZBsj47mM

But still, Lerdsila is my favorite, he has the amazing style, and fantastic personality to match. <3

[HighlyVolatile]

I think Bruce Lee is the most important figure in that list in the context of martial arts since he brought pragmatism to a world of martial arts that was largely governed by dogmatism. He challenged wide-held dogmatic beliefs that one form of martial art was superior to another or that one style is superior to another while taking inspiration from all sorts of sources including boxing and wrestling.

Arguably, Bruce Lee was the father of modern mixed martial arts as we know it today. I see a lot of people challenging how good of a martial artist he was and I think they missed the point and even missed his point. It's his pragmatic philosophy towards martial arts that was so influential as I see it.

That said, I'm talking about who I think is most influential to the world of martial arts! I have to admit that I never quite enjoyed Bruce Lee's films all that much compared to Jackie Chan who I consider more a stuntman than a martial artist. Jackie Chan is epic!

https://www.youtube.com/embed/lwDU3IOBEIk

JCVD films are also my ultimate guilty pleasure, especially with Bloodsport and Kickboxer.

https://www.youtube.com/embed/VnYDrs2ykcI

[HighlyVolatile]

Moon Lee on women's side:
https://youtu.be/V5j_b4n8_BA

[wheresmrcunnunglis]

Jackie Chan is what I grew up on. My grandma loved watching his movies although she couldn't understand a lack of English.🤣 I started falling in love with Kung fu and just action movies in general from there on. I remember always mimicking the bad voice overs. Ya know how the lips would still move despite the sentence being over? That used to ctfu something fierce over that.

[DizzyDesii]

I enjoyed the show Walker Texas Ranger and the movie Universal Soldier. But I Can watch Jackie Chan and Jet Li all day. Jackie gives me strength with comedy. Jet Li gives me confidence and strength. I’m not saying they’re the greatest but they’re my absolute faves

[TommyMountainFigure]

My favourite has to be obviously Bruce Lee because he was the pioneer of Kung Fu in movies. in terms of fight scenes though I would probably choose Tony Jaa.
Now as for the greatest fighter in movies it really can only be Chuck Norris, and I will explain why.
If you stage a fight and rehearse it you can be made to look great or make someone else look great BUT, Chuck Norris was a World Karate Champion. which meant ANYTHING goes, you can use whatever is in your Arsenal to win, rules withstanding of course but no rehearsals!
That is why Chuck Norris has my vote.

[TommyMountainFigure]

Ir is true that Chuck Norris and Bruce Lee fought in a movie, but that was staged the night before in rehearsals. Within the Kung Fu Fraternity it is widely known that Chuck Norris WAS the greatest fighter in movies.

[Chattyguy44]

There are a few more that I'd like to make an honourable mention.
Scott Adkins
Benny The Jet
Michael Jai White.

and my 3 new favourites.
Tony Jaa
Iko Uwais
Donnie Yen

[TheSpaceGnome]

Jackie Chan hands down, he did all his own stunts, while still being an affective comedian.

[MCheetah]

Everyone on here who isn't Bruce Lee is a joke. Might as well have added Steven Seagal, while you're at it.

[Iron_Man]

Bruce Lee even though Chuck Norris was a world champion back then

[Chattyguy44]

But Bruce beat chuck in Way of the dragon in their fight to the death

[Iron_Man]

That’s a Hollywood script

[Chattyguy44]

I know @Iron_Man but I think in a real fight, bruce would fuck chuck up royalls, he's too fast for chuck, chuck is just a karate fighter, bruce knows at least 5 different styles as well as his own.

[Iron_Man]

@Chattyguy44 could be

[Chattyguy44]

bruce knocked joe lewis down with a one inch punch onto the chair and joe was a world champion as well.

[AndrésC64]

None of these clowns would stand a chance in the UFC. I'd go with Jon Jones, GSP or Anderson Silva.

[TsAubreyKate]

OYAMA‼️

[Xoirwinkan]

I don't know about greatest, but I always like Donnie Yen's 'hook-kick style'.

[Bourbon_]

Jet li but Jackie Chan is very close

[Chattyguy44]

Jet is pure kung fu, jackie is more slapstick entertainment.

[Aurora1010]

Bruce Lee and Jackie Chan

[Wise4myage]

Bruce Lee was amazing.

[Anonymous]

Chuck Norris is a racist redneck "Bruce-Lee" wanna be!

[exitseven]

Chuck Norris was the real deal.