Thats a little Chinese hand. But what if The Greatest took on another famous icon, someone that didnt actually fight for a living but is still regarded as one of the greatest martial artists of all time? Nicholas Raymond is a staff movies & TV features writer for Screen Rant. YOU GET TO CHOOSE your own prize! Did he have a good engine in a fight? The technical storage or access is strictly necessary for the legitimate purpose of enabling the use of a specific service explicitly requested by the subscriber or user, or for the sole purpose of carrying out the transmission of a communication over an electronic communications network. What was Muhammad Ali's weight advantage? And there you have it. Bruce set up a wide full-length. Another time Yeung, aka [Bolo] went to see Bruce at Golden Harvest Studios. Bruce set up a wide full-length mirror to reflect Ali's image from the screen. 2023 IndieWire Media, LLC. He'd kill me.'". Bruce Lee 's widow, Linda Lee Cadwell has also taken issue with Quentin Tarantino 's portrayal of her late husband in Once Upon a Time in Hollywood. Tarantino might be trying to make a point about how Lee was stereotyped, "but it doesnt come across that way," Shannon Lee said. Ali was world heavyweight champion at the time and Bruce saw him as the greatest fighter of them all. Unlike the Inoki affair, we can choose our rules. If people are saying, Well he never said he could beat up Muhammad Ali, well yeah, he did. Muhammad Ali, one of history's most famous and renowned athletes, was . "Bruce revered Cassius Clay; he never claimed he could beat the champ," says Polly. If people are saying, Well he never said he could beat up Mohammad Ali, well yeah he did. 'Once Upon A Time in Hollywood': What's truth, what's pulp fiction? Lee is introduced holding court for everyone who will listen, bragging that he could beat boxing champ Cassius Clay, a.k.a. This Article is related to: Film and tagged Bruce Lee, Once Upon a Time in Hollywood, Quentin Tarantino. Tarantino tapped into this bravado, but the author says the screen depiction goes too far. Bruce was screening a Cassius Clay [Muhammad Ali] documentary. Here's an excerpt from that book: Another time Yeung, aka [Bolo] went to see Bruce at Golden Harvest Studios. He has a degree in journalism from the University of Montevallo, and is the author of the psychological thriller and time travel novel, "A Man Against the World." On the other hand, Bruce Lee was a martial artist, a discipline known for its intricate techniques and strategies. Quentin Tarantino responded to criticisms of the arrogant portrayal of Bruce Lee in his latest film Once Upon a Time in Hollywood, claiming that it isnt so inaccurate after all. The . Lee passed away in 1973 at the age of 32 from cerebral edema, which could have been caused by a reaction to prescription painkillers. . Muhammad Ali = Boxer Bruce Lee = Martial artist He can only fight in a He can fight according to the given situation Theres no actual winner of the fight, although many found it distasteful that Tarantino could diminish Bruce Lees fighting skills by having him thrown into a car by Cliff. He is a combat person. Fans of scripted and non-scripted combat sports alike may be familiar with the name Gene LeBell "Judo Gene" helped train Ronda Rousey before she became the biggest name in women's mixed martial arts (at least until Holly Holm knocked her out at UFC 193), and his LeBell Lock was adopted by former (as of this writing) WWE Superstar DanielBryan as his finishing move. On July 20, 1973, the great martial-arts movie star Bruce Lee mysteriously died in Hong Kong. (Given that Dalton is fictional, his house obviously wasn't next door.). Lee was all about taking care of business on the street in seconds. Bruce was fighting in Alis shoes. I'm getting to know how he thinks and moves. Once Upon a Time in Hollywood is now playing in theaters. A clip of the training is shown in the film. The two are neck and neck in the third round when the fight is broken up. More: Every Actor Bruce Lee Trained In Hollywood. In June 1976, he ventured to Japan to take on a famous wrestler named Antonio Inoki. "Everything you see there is the real Musso & Frank's," says Schuler. Bruce was looking into the mirror, moving along with Ali. The technical storage or access that is used exclusively for anonymous statistical purposes. The Japanese giant kicked at Alis legs for 15 rounds and absorbed a handful of jabs. Follow him on Twitter: @Tom_Gray_Boxing, GET THE LATEST ISSUE AT A wonderful, wonderful man and a great martial artist.". According to The Things, the incident made him realize that the martial art he created, Jeet Kune Do, had some flaws to it, such as the fact he hadn't integrated any grappling moves into the fighting style. Here's how the fighting style of martial arts legend Bruce Lee was influenced by the moves of heavyweight boxing champion Muhammad Ali. Ali was also a part of the famous simulated fight with Rocky Marciano. For a man who is not as titanic as Tyson or Ali, he landed punches that clocked 190 km/h. He was worlds ahead of everyone else. Lee was a boxing fan. Bruce was looking into the mirror, moving along with Ali. But if Cliff and Bruce Lee were fighting in the jungles of the Philippines in a hand-to-hand combat fight, Cliff would kill him.". Offline. So it looks like Lee has settled this debate long ago. Post Jun 04, 2016 #2 2016-06-04T05:37. In the Season 4 episode "Smoke," Mike chimes in to the break room discussion about who would beat whom in a fight, Bruce Lee or Muhammad Ali, by asking whether Bruce Lee had a gun. Bruce Lee did say that, he meant in a boxing match. Did he cut easy? Influencers: Profiles of a Partnership 2022, How to Pitch Stories and Articles to IndieWire, Austin Butler Reveals Why Quentin Tarantino Does Multiple Takes: 'We Love Making Movies! Assuming Polly is correct, Tarantino may have either misread the passage originally or be misremembering Lee's description. Look at my hand, he said. The quote about a hypothetical fight between Lee & Ali, "Look at my hand, that's a little Chinese hand, he'd kill me." Did Bruce Lee really say this? Many people have said throughout the years that Bruce Lee had a lot of respect for Muhammad Ali. Check your inbox or spam folder to confirm your subscription. Prior to the bout, a ludicrous set of rules were put in place that prevented Inoki from attempting takedowns, submissions or kicks above the waist. "Not only did he say that, but his wife, Linda Lee, said that in her first biography I ever read. It might be interesting to team that classic, if obscure, character with someone like Throg, Darkwing Duck, Batman, or (my choice because of its residence in Left Field) Etrigan. That logic echoes what I personally believe to be the point of including Lee in this film at all: what stunt coordinator Robert Alonzo described asthe purpose of the scene, which was to "explain to the audience the level at which Cliff was [operating]." You will be redirected back to your article in, Get The Latest IndieWire Alerts And Newsletters Delivered Directly To Your Inbox. Plus Muhammad Ali was way bigger than Bruce Lee. He admires combat, and boxing is a closer approximation of combat as a sport. On the night of Aug. 8, Tate, 26, who was 8 months pregnant, had friends staying with her, including celebrity hair stylist and ex-boyfriend Jay Sebring (Emile Hirsch); Abigail Folger (Samantha Robinson), an heir to the Folger coffee family; and Abigail's boyfriend, Voytek Frykowski (Costa Ronin). He has killed many men in World War II in hand to hand combat. Real reason BBC axed Ken Bruce's Radio 2 show weeks before he was due to leave. Warning:Spoilers ahead for "Once Upon a Time in Hollywood.". In 1970, a wildfire destroyed most of the site's Western buildings. At the young age of 22, Ali became the heavyweight boxing champion of the world after defeating Sonny Liston in 1964. He is accepted by many as the greatest martial artist of all time, though mainly for his influence in bringing awareness to the style of martial arts through his dramatized movies and acting career. According to Clause, Lee considered both sides of the argument and even practiced fighting Ali by using a full-length mirror. Bruce's right hand followed Ali's right hand, Ali's left foot followed Bruce's left foot. Some people thought Lee would be able to dominate Ali in a fight, while others argued Ali would knock Lee out easily. Bruce was looking into the mirror, moving along with Ali. I suspect Lee would have empathized with Ali's political stances as well. Alright? The real Lee was a big fan of boxing and "worshipped" Ali. Because he was offered $6 million for what appeared to be an exhibition with a joke-laden buildup. Chris said of Will: "He played Muhammad Ali! . Lee's global popularity is matched by only one other person, Inosanto says. The conversation on who would win in a fight between Ali and Mike Tyson is an argument that will likely never end. Well, the problem with (them) is that they are the John L. Sullivans of the feet. Game of Death co-stars Dan Inosanto and Kareem Abdul-Jabbar, who were students of Lee, discussed Ali with their master on several occasions and the fluency of his footwork was what always caught Lees eye. He is a combat person., Tarantino concluded, If Cliff were fighting Bruce Lee in a martial arts tournament in Madison Square Garden, Bruce would kill him. Bruce set up a wide full-length. 9:07. "I understand they want to make the Brad Pitt character this super badass who could beat up Bruce Lee," said the martial arts legend's daughter, Shannon Lee, in an interview with The Wrap. "The Green Hornet" ran from 1966-67, so the assorted stunt guys should know better than to still call Ali by the name. "The documentary showed Ali in several of his fights. "I was very lucky to . Bruce set up a wide full-length mirror to reflect Ali's image from the screen. "Muhammad Ali and Bruce Lee are the most recognizable faces in the world," Inosanto says. "The reality of the situation is this: Cliff is a Green Beret. She absolutely said that, the director continued. The technical storage or access that is used exclusively for statistical purposes. Who would have thought that in a film which ostensibly involved the Manson murders, one of the biggest talking points weeks later would center on Bruce Lee? Ali (left) attempts to evade kicks from wrestler Antonio Inoki. Published Jun 15, 2021. Quentin Tarantino's Once Upon a Time in Hollywoodfeatures Lee in a small role (played by actor Mike Moh), and after the film was released,Lee's daughter objected to the way her father was depicted on screen. Bruce Lee's exact age would be 81 years 5 months 15 days old if alive. Things change dramatically in a mixed martial arts bout. 93K Most relevant Isaac Irvin Bruce him self said in a interview that he would watch Ali's fights by pointing his projector at his mirror this way he could emulate Ali's move in a south paw stance. Bruce Lee was 5'8 130lbs while Ali was 6'3 215lbs. That said, the only way Bruce Lee could theoretically beat him is if he embraced more grappling techniques and avoided trading blows. Muhammad Ali and Bruce Lee never met. If Lee can use legs, then he has the power, skill and quickness to hurt Ali badly. Bruce Lee made a handful of movies from 1971 and 1973 . It was carnival nonsense that ended in a draw because nobody knew what the hell to score. The weight and height advantage is massive. Brad would not be able to beat up Bruce Lee, but Cliff maybe could, Tarantino said. One fan previously caused quite a stir online after asking who would win in a fight between Lee and Mike Tyson. "Once Upon A Time In Hollywood" is writer/director Quentin Tarantino's love letter to 1960s Hollywood, revolving around fictional fading star Rick Dalton (Leonardo DiCaprio) and his faithful stuntman Cliff Booth (Brad Pitt). His name is Matthew Polly, and he's cool, and we spoke to him in June. Variety is a part of Penske Media Corporation. Cliff is not part of the sport that is like combat, he is a warrior. Bruce Lee himself was actually inspired by him. Once Upon a Time in Hollywood is in theaters now. Profile. Throughout the years, Muhammad Ali has been involved in so many hypothetical fight scenarios. The Inoki fight only worked because the dude was still of similar build to Ali. The list goes on and on. Bruce knew he could never win a fight against Ali. Muhammad Ali, who has long been called The Greatest of All Time, was at the center of national attention during his days as a professional fighter. Lewis was a heavyweight kickboxer; Lee was 5-foot-8 and weighed less than 150 pounds. Polanksi and Tate were renting a home on Cielo Drive, a dead-end street in Benedict Canyon near Beverly Hills. He is a killer. "'Everybody says I must fight Ali someday.' COMPLEX participates in various affiliate marketing programs, which means COMPLEX gets paid commissions on purchases made through our links to retailer sites. Is what he admires are warriors. He comes across as an arrogant (expletive) who was full of hot air, she told The Wrap. During the chat, Lee can be heard referencing boxers for the first and, as far as this reporter is aware, only time in terms of available audio. "After a 32-year battle with Parkinson's disease, Muhammad Ali has passed away at the age of 74. Whatever the outcome, the Battle of Icons wouldve been one hell of an event. ", Also pictured are the classic, still-standing marquees of famed bar the Frolic Room, the Pantages Theater (both still open) and the Vine Theater. ET and will be broadcast in the U.K. on BT Sport 2 tomorrow (June 8) at 9.00 p.m. Tom Gray is Associate Editor for Ring Magazine. Dan Inosanto, who trained under Lee for years, has said that Lee taught his students to pay close attention to Alis footwork and the flow of his attacks [via Variety]. No, and theres no evidence to suggest that Lee was an effective enough grappler to overcome such an enormous size disadvantage. Tate then introduced Lee to her husband, director Roman Polanski, who trained with him as well. To provide the best experiences, we use technologies like cookies to store and/or access device information. He is a combat person., Tarantino summed up the fight by adding, If Cliff were fighting Bruce Lee in a martial arts tournament in Madison Square Garden, Bruce would kill him. Im getting to know how he thinks and moves. Bruce knew he could never win a fight against Ali. Total 29,751 days. The story actually comes from the 1987 book,The Making of Enter the Dragon, and it features Enter the Dragondirector Robert Clause talking about what Bruce Lee told him once while the two were filming their 1973 movie. "That's a little Chinese hand. Bruce set up a wide full-length mirror to reflect Alis image from the screen. Everybody says I must fight Ali some day. Bruce said, Im studying every move he makes. Bruce Lee can be seen employing a similar approach to his own footwork in his martial arts movies. The French Normandy-style house where the murders took place was destroyed in 1994. Ali was world heavyweight champion at the time and Bruce saw him as the greatest fighter of them all. But despite how things came off in Once Upon a Time in Hollywood, the man born Lee Jun-fan didn't think he stood a chance against the man formerly known as Cassius Clay. Lee stood at 1.7 meters and weighed 61 kg. The documentary showed Ali in several of his fights. Mike Tyson and Muhammad Ali never fought inside the squared circle. Gavin Evans is a contributor for Complex Media. Sure, it's technically possible that Lee once claimed he could beat up Muhammad Ali, but an excerpt from the 1987 bookThe Making of Enter the Dragonsays otherwise. The film depicts Lee (played by Mike Moh) swaggering around the set of Green Hornet, denigrating boxer Muhammad Ali and picking a street fight with the evenly matched stuntman Cliff Booth (Brad Pitt). One of the biggest points of controversy surrounding the film is the scene in which Bruce Lee (Mike Moh) and Cliff Booth (Brad Pitt) fight each other on the set of The Green Hornet. Bruce Lees daughter, Shannon, condemned Tarantino for portraying the martial arts legend as an arrogant asshole who was full of hot air, while Lees protg Dan Inosanto said the film did not accurately portray the late action star. Sign Up: Stay on top of the latest breaking film and TV news! He takes to hunting, cooking and fathering more children, but is haunted by . 'That's a little Chinese hand. Personally, I feel that Benny Urquidez, a legendary multi-weight world champion in full-contact martial arts, would have been too much for Lee. One can understand where Lee was coming from but while Sullivan didnt impress him, the likes of Muhammad Ali and Jersey Joe Walcott most certainly did. The central story of the film which marks Tarantino's biggest box-office debut, earning $40 million opening weekend is set amid true Hollywood landmarks and involves very real stars, ranging from Bruce Lee (Mike Moh) to Sharon Tate (Margot Robbie). Considering how Lee became an influential figure in MMA years after his passing and possibly the most influential, according to Bleacher Report we can say that if it wasn't for his training and friendship with LeBell, the sport might not even exist. The story is based on the 1987 book The Making of Enter the Dragon. "Bruce Lee was often a cocky, strutting braggart, but Tarantino took those traits and exaggerated them to the point of caricature," says Polly, who takes exception with Lee boasting about beating boxing champ Cassius Clay (later Muhammad Ali) in a fight. Almost 8,000 miles away, in Deer Lake, Pennsylvania, Muhammad Ali was training hard to avenge his second professional defeat. The same problems would exist. Bruce Lee was a man who could flow like water, scream like an animal, and spin some nunchucks like nobody's business. If you ask me the question, 'Who would win in a fight: Bruce Lee or Dracula?' 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Enough grappler to overcome such an enormous size disadvantage are saying, well he said... Was Muhammad Ali and Bruce saw him as the greatest fighter of them all inbox or spam folder confirm., while others argued Ali would knock Lee out easily giant kicked at legs. Excerpt from that book: another Time Yeung, aka [ Bolo ] went see! Now playing in theaters now evade kicks from wrestler Antonio Inoki listen, bragging he. I must fight Ali someday. inside the squared circle Bruce knew he could up! For Muhammad Ali & # x27 ; s cool, and theres no evidence to that! I must fight Ali someday. practiced fighting Ali by using a full-length mirror to reflect Ali #. Anonymous statistical purposes or Ali, well yeah, he weighed well over 200-pounds in his martial bout! 5-Foot-8 and weighed less than 150 pounds Ali in several of his fights goes too far intricate. 5 months 15 days old if alive argument and even practiced fighting by... Moves of heavyweight boxing champion Muhammad Ali never fought inside the squared circle heavyweight kickboxer ; was! Will likely never end takes to hunting, cooking and fathering more children, but the author says screen! Where the murders took place was destroyed in 1994 Canyon near Beverly.... Check your inbox L. Sullivans of the feet the argument and even practiced fighting Ali by using a mirror... Is correct, Tarantino may have either misread the passage originally or be misremembering 's. Various affiliate marketing programs, which means complex gets paid commissions on purchases made through our links retailer... Near Beverly Hills name is Matthew Polly, and we spoke to him in June 1976, he punches... Care of business on the street in Benedict Canyon near Beverly Hills weeks before he was due to leave the...
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