Alright Planeteers, I've been arguing on message boards with people about this off and on for a couple years now and I want to get CP's input on it. The question is this: Who would win in a fight between Bruce Lee and Mike Tyson in his prime? Let's hear it! [Reply]
Originally Posted by Whosurdaddy:
Bruce Lee was a martial arts actor in an age before much of the martial arts mysticism had been exposed as impractical and ineffective in real cross disciplinary fighting. Mike Tyson in his prime was an unbeatable boxer. It wasn't BJJ, but it's still a real fighting discipline and would have 60 lbs on him. Nobody hit as hard as fast and hard as Tyson when he was on top, nobody.
This thread.
Except that Bruce Lee was the one that exposed that by creating an art that basically became the basis for MMA. He's the one who believed that martial arts needed to incorporate other forms of fighting like boxing to be effective at "street fighting."
He wasn't just an actor, for christ's sake. I agree he wasn't a fighter that we know of. But he was a hell of a lot more than just an actor. [Reply]
Originally Posted by redhed:
Fight conditions:
•Both are in their prime.
•Both are unarmed. No brass knuckles or nunchaku.
•Bruce Lee's height, weight, reach, and muscle mass are all scaled up to match Tyson's.
•This does not affect his fighting ability, and the square-cube law is not in effect.
•Fight takes place in a UFC octagon (no rules).
Some responses:
I've seen every fight machida had ever fought and whoever thinks he would have any fucking chance of "rocking" Tyson must be on life support because they are obviously too stupid to breathe on their own.
Originally Posted by chiefzilla1501:
Except that Bruce Lee was the one that exposed that by creating an art that basically became the basis for MMA. He's the one who believed that martial arts needed to incorporate other forms of fighting like boxing to be effective at "street fighting."
He wasn't just an actor, for christ's sake. I agree he wasn't a fighter that we know of. But he was a hell of a lot more than just an actor.
His knowledge of martial arts isn't a question. He wrote multiple books and everyone agrees that his mastery and understanding is superb. Go to youtube and type in bruce lee exhibition and there are several videos that show his training method. Again, most of these show his mastery and practice of the arts. Not much evidence of how he'd react in a competitive scenario. Talking purely from an exhibition, teaching, and practice standpoint. [Reply]
Originally Posted by JASONSAUTO:
What was he then?
If Bruce Lee wasn't in movies, he'd be considered a martial arts expert, innovator, and teacher. And his athletic ability would still be considered topnotch. What martial arts actors can brag that they revolutionized martial arts (literally transformed it) and created an entirely different form of martial arts? The fact that he was the first to adapt martial arts to become more practical to street fighting and that he was extremely well versed not just in the how, but the why, says that his understanding of martial arts went well beyond choregraphing movies. His martial arts was meant to prep for real fights.
So again, I agree that just because he taught and understood, doesn't mean he would know how to react in real time. But saying he's just an actor diminishes his really impressive credentials as an expert. He created his own fighting style which is heavily borrowed to this day. He created his own conditioning programs. And my guess is, if MMA existed today, he'd adapt that training and his approach would be pretty damn good. [Reply]
Originally Posted by TimBone:
You're doing brilliant things in here, Halfcan. Just brilliant.
And people probably still think Tyson would win under the rules I posted-which are from the World Karate Championship. They are the basis for most competitions. Tyson would still have the size advantage-but it would not matter-it would come down who the best fighter is.
Oh that's right Tyson would KILL that phony karate-chop actor with the first punch-he would just fall over dead like all the tubby punching bags Iron Mike fought. [Reply]
Originally Posted by Halfcan:
And people probably still think Tyson would win under the rules I posted-which are from the World Karate Championship. They are the basis for most competitions. Tyson would still have the size advantage-but it would not matter-it would come down who the best fighter is.
Oh that's right Tyson would KILL that phony karate-chop actor with the first punch-he would just fall over dead like all the tubby punching bags Iron Mike fought.
Those things that happen at karate tournaments? They aren't fights. [Reply]
1.) smash some puss
2.) looke nicer than those other brothers from Catskill.
3.) beat bruce Lee down to his second death.
4.) Smash some puss.. [Reply]
