Is there any martial art fighter right now that has reach the level or equivalent to Bruce Lee?

Bruce Lee's 'level' was awesome and so unlike anything back in those days.

Jet Li, or other stylist today dont compare to Bruce. I am not refering it to who would beat who, I am also refering it to the knowledge and understanding of Martial Arts itself.

Bruce Lee was always learning... and he even made his own style which was going a direction along todays MMA style. If Bruce didnt die when he did, Jeet Kune Do (his style) could have been a very 'influencial' art. They say that when Bruce died he took about 80% of his Jeet Kune Do with him.

Although Bruce Lee entered the world of films and acting... he knew what people wanted to see in his fights. In real life, he was a very clever technical fighter. He was VERY quick with his hands and feet. He even took on board the understanding of grappling/wrestling, and was even good friends with "Judo" Gene LeBell who I am sure guided him on the wrestling and submssion on many ocassions..

Bruce Lee practically took on board everything to improve the system and the world of martial arts. He even studied styles like fencing to improve speed and movement for example.

Dont get me wrong as Jet Li has done very well during his athlete, competition days but Bruce Lee goes much deeper on improving many systems and physical cultures.

I look up to many fighters and study them maturely. Like Frank and Ken Shamrock, Mario Sperry, Keszushi Sakuraba, and of course Bruce Lee. **many others also**

Martial Arts was his life and it was ashame he died when he did. Who knows how important he would have been today and how much improvements he placed!! It is a possibility!!

Does anyone even know about Bruce Lee's ability?
Most of what the general public knows is from Hollywood.
I have never seen real footage of him fighting, I can't confirm that he was any good. Sure he had good philosophies but what do we know of his fighting prowess? Can anyone else say he was the greatest with any level certainty?

I feel Bruce did a great thing by being an ambassador for the martial arts in America but I have not seen any support to say he was the best ever.

I think there are plenty of fighters that have reached or exceeded Bruce Lee's skill. I don't think Jackie Chan or Chuck Norris are on that list though.

I believe Inosanto once said that Lee would not have been able to beat his Muay Thai instructor (and would not have claimed to be able to either). I can't seem to find the link right now though...

of course there are people just as good or even better than Bruce lee was they train just as hard and longer than Bruce did.

There are tons. Even if we put debates about bruce lee's actual skill level aside and take it that he was absolutely the best that would still be as of 30+ years ago. His concepts, if they were revolutionary back then, are obsolete today.

the "way of the intercepting fist" as he had it back then, becomes inherently flawed in theory when you are facing someone taller or with longer reach than you. His students, and others have built on his concepts. I would have at the very least that Insonato is better today than he was then.

Much of this is true because he died, had he lived then it might have been him evolving his concepts and fighting system, but it was not so he did not, so he did not evolve as a fighter and did not get better because he died.

When you look at it it is really an unfair comparisson.

EDIT: Spidertiger: Here is some fight footage of bruce lee sparring- he (I believe) is the one in black.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=aky-PLIEBQA

EDIT #2: It would be interesting and accurate to discuss different people's impact on martial arts. Or thier "level" of popularity as a martial arts actor (thats the only way jet li or jackie chan should even be mentioned. They are ACTORS)

Are you guys even serious here?

You are comparing videos with videos. Bruce Lee was a pioneer of fight philosophy, nothing more.

there are many great fighters that win based on their philosophies and techniques.

Just as Jimi Hendricks was a guitar pioneer, so too was Bruce Lee in fight mentality, but many equal or betters have emerged, it is just that the first is remembered the longest.

There are fighters that could beat bruce, but pound for pound, prob not. Let's just say that nobody famous has reached Bruce's level.

Probably someone who nobody really knows about.

NOPE!

Lee was an excellent martial artist. He may well have been the best FAMOUS martial artist, but most top martial artists remain in obscurity, teaching their students. Many live in remote monastaries. Lee's contribution to martial arts movies & popularizing MA may never be matched.

I would say yes, but not anyone famous. Jackie Chan is almost a comic fighter considering the fact he can use a dishtowel to whoop 5 people's asses. Just think about this: Somebody on the receiving end of a Bruce lee side kick with 1 foot of padding described the feeling as getting hit by a truck.

I'd say yes. But we probably don't know about most of them.

As for the Bruce footage. How do we REALLY know it's him? Was that from the Long Beach Intls?

Probably thousands of people. Anyway, to judge Lee's fighting skill we would first need to see him fight. I hear he liked to teach. You know what they say, those that can do...and those who can't...teach...and become hollywood actors in Lee's case.

Ok, some of these arguments are ludicrous! Anyone who says Bruce Lee just did movies is missing a major point. He was challenged, on the street, to fight on a regular basis. Anyone who says "someone could study just as long and hard as Bruce did..." are missing the point. I could practice golf all I want, but could never be as good as Tiger. Bruce had a natural gift. He was also an incredible physical specimen, and worked his body into tip top shape. In many martial arts speed is power. Bruce had to SLOW DOWN HIS MOVES so they would show up on camera. They would look at the NEGATIVES frame by frame, and each frame would be blurry. Jet Li and Jackie Chan are FORMS people, Bruce Lee was a fighter.

TO GREEN GRASSHOPPER: It was footage from his Green Hornet audition.

As a physical specimen and practicioner of their art, yes. As an innovator no. Bruce Lee's gift was Jeet Kune Do, not as a style but as a methodolgy. It was intended to show fighters that they can't rely upon their style and must look past rigidity of kata and style to fix the holes in their game. Today that sounds like common sense. In his day it was highly controversial. No one has given anything like this yet with perhaps the Gracies as an exception. They introduced Brazillian Jiu-Jitsu to the rest of the world but even the seeming inviciblity of that style has fallen to the wayside as people learned how to beat it by either consicously or unconsiously following the tenant of Jeet Kune Do. Don't be fooled by movies. Bruce Lee was a hell of a martial artist but not invincible. He was a lightweight at best and stood just a much chance of getting knocked out or submitted as any other fighter.

No....but Jet Li is a bad dude!

I would have to say that Chuck Norris has almost reached the level that Bruce Lee set and he is the only one out there that would come close.

Jackie Chan-actor
Jet Li-can fight but his movies are choregraphed (his movies are insane though)

Maybe Tony Jaa or some monk in the hills of China and Tibet and Nepal.

Jet Li? Jackie Chan? NO WAY

Trust me, no one will ever be better than Bruce.
Jackie Chan - stun moves
Jet Li - he can't really fight.

Watch Bruce's videos and compare with modern fighters; you will see why.

Jackie Chan

if ur asking for an opinion i'd say it would be between jet li,jackie chan,or chuck noris