Whether fighters like to admit it or not, two of the most influential figures in combat sports and mixed martial arts may be Bruce Lee and “Judo” Gene LeBell. The former has been attributed for helping influence the Ultimate Fighting Championship become the company it is today, while the latter has helped the start of Ronda Rousey shine.
UFC President Dana White has called Lee the “Grandfather of Mixed Martial Arts”, and he has become an integral part of the Ultimate Fighting Championship’s culture. Anderson “The Spider” Silva’s documentary was a bit of an homage to the Lee, as it was called “Like Water”.
Shortly thereafter, White had worked out a deal with the Lee Family to have him appear in multiple iterations of the UFC’s video game, letting fans create fantasy matchups to see how Lee would pair up with some of the UFC’s best.
In the clip below, you can see Lee learning some grappling skills from the legendary LeBell, who has served as a mentor to some of the biggest grapplers in mixed martial arts. Everybody from Ronda Rousey to Josh Barnett looks up to the legend, and you can see why in the clip below. His knowledge is limitless!
Who do you think is the most influential person in MMA?
