Given the apparent differences between the Bruce Lee vs. Cliff Booth fight scene in "Once Upon a Time in Hollywood" and how Lee had a much more positive real-life relationship with Gene LeBell, it's not surprising that Lee's friends and family were very critical of how Quentin Tarantino wrote his character. 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? -- One of the greatest . Brad would not be able to beat up Bruce Lee, but Cliff maybe could, Tarantino said. If people are saying, Well he never said he could beat up Muhammad Ali, well yeah, he did. Like bigjeffoh, I quickly thought of Super Chicken. "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). This article originally appeared on USA TODAY: 'Once Upon A Time in Hollywood': What's truth, what's pulp fiction? 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. On the other hand, Bruce Lee was a martial artist, a discipline known for its intricate techniques and strategies. As explained by The Things, Bruce Lee was taking his status as a legitimate fighter a little too seriously when he was playing Kato on "The Green Hornet" in 1966. Bruce was screening a Cassius Clay [Muhammad Ali] documentary. Why? Sign up for our Email Newsletters here. "I taught him judo and wrestling and stuff like that and some finishing holds which he later worked into some movies, and he showed me most of the kicks and striking which even today I use in the movies. "Ali was world heavyweight champion at the time and Bruce saw him as the greatest fighter of them all. Lee studied his fights intensely with the intention of getting to know how he thinks and moves. "Bruce Lee was kind of an arrogant guy," Tarantino said. Some people thought Lee would be able to dominate Ali in a fight, while others argued Ali would knock Lee out easily. Bruce Lee on the left and prime Mike Tyson on the far right, red line marks Goku's height. Did he fade when the going got tough? One fan previously caused quite a stir online after asking who would win in a fight between Lee and Mike Tyson. One Winner will receive $500 in FREE authentic, licensed, Rock Music Merchandise from RockMerch. What Bruce Lee is talking about in the whole thing? Muhammad Ali eats Bruce Lee for breakfast. One critic wrote: 'Those who watched him would bet on Lee to render Cassius Clay senseless if they were put in a room and told that anything goes." What would Ali have made of Lee? The reality of the situation is this: Cliff is a Green Beret. Did he have a good engine in a fight? Furthermore, Lees martial arts philosophy was built on the idea that a fighter shouldnt be stuck on a particular style. He was worlds ahead of everyone else. Many people close to Lee have raised concerns about the portrayal in this film. Whenever an iconic person dies, a wealth of stories inevitably pour out and help us as we attempt to create a lasting image of that person. Bruce Lee was 5'8 130lbs while Ali was 6'3 215lbs. At the young age of 22, Ali became the heavyweight boxing champion of the world after defeating Sonny Liston in 1964. Quentin Tarantino broke his silence on the backlash to Once Upon a Time in Hollywood during the films recent Moscow press conference. The three-time World Heavyweight Champion boxer died this evening," Bob Gunnell . And there you have it. It also has a soundtrack packed with decade-appropriate big hits and deep cuts, with none of those present-day covers designed to make old music sound hip and modern to younger listeners. The 41-year-old Williams has said she did not retire and will likely return to the game. Randy Couture's manager, Sam Spira, who is a martial artist and big in the MMA community, says he saw Chuck Norris and Bruce Lee spar. 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. 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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.". Bruces right hand followed Alis right hand, Alis left foot followed Bruces left foot. Brad [Pitt] would not be able to beat up Bruce Lee, but Cliff maybe could. If for nothing else, the scene was wrong as Muhammad Ali had already changed his name from Cassius Clay before The Green Hornet ever started production so Bruce shouldnt have been using that name anyway. Bruce was looking into the mirror, moving along with Ali. He has killed many men in World War II in hand to hand combat. If I say Cliff can beat Bruce Lee up, he's a fictional character, so he could beat Bruce Lee up.". Bruce Lee, is another legendary fighter, actor, and founder of Jeet Kune Do, a martial arts philosophy. "Look at my hand," he said. Even if they were the same size, Id still go for Muhammad Ali, because he actually had competition experience where Bruce Lee did not.. A number of people vehemently deny that, and if you're one of them, consider the following: Here's how the fighting style of martial arts legend Bruce Lee was influenced by the moves of heavyweight boxing champion Muhammad Ali. One has to wonder if this will come up when the new Bruce Lee documentary airs on ESPN on June 7. In June 1976, he ventured to Japan to take on a famous wrestler named Antonio Inoki. And not someone who had to fight triple as hard as any of those people did to accomplish what was naturally given to so many others.. The great boxer Muhammad Ali was still using his given name, Cassius Clay when, in 1961 at the age of 19 years old, he posed for some unusual photographs in a Miami swimming pool. Hed kill me.". Although indirect, that is perhaps the closest these two incredible forces of nature ever came to one another. Bruce knew he could never win a fight against Ali. Filmmakers were able to re-create "pretty much building-for-building what Spahn Ranch used to look like," says Schuler. Muhammad Ali is the GOAT of boxing. 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. The way he was talking, I didnt just make a lot of that up. 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). 8 yr. ago Damn. Bruce Lee was a martial arts legend known for his kung fu skills, but even he felt that there were a few things he could learn from the world-famous heavyweight boxing champion. June 3, 2016, 9:38 PM. Plus Muhammad Ali was way bigger than Bruce Lee. 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. Even if they were the same size, Id still go for Muhammad Ali, because he actually had competition experience where Bruce Lee did not. ', "Bruce knew he could never win a fight against Ali. Post Jun 04, 2016 #2 2016-06-04T05:37. Besides, Ronda Rouseytold Maximlast year that Ali would absolutely crush Lee in a street fight. Muhammad Ali = Boxer Bruce Lee = Martial artist He can only fight in a He can fight according to the given situation In fact, he was into boxing more so than martial arts,". Tarantino takes liberties in depicting the actions of the Manson followers (which we will not spoil). A wonderful, wonderful man and a great martial artist.". By ABC NEWS. Lee's daughter, Shannon, objected to her father's portrayal. ", The Incident That Inspired The Bruce Lee Scene In Once Upon A Time In Hollywood. After watching a lot of Alis fights, Bruce Lee actually admitted that he would lose to Ali if they ever came to blows [via Complex]. It is a whip rather than a club. Bruce Lee made a handful of movies from 1971 and 1973 . Our editorial content is not influenced by any commissions we receive. Real reason BBC axed Ken Bruce's Radio 2 show weeks before he was due to leave. "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. Photo by AP. 4 During the 1960s, Lee also wrote a series of volumes and notes that would be assembled and released after his death in a book titled Tao of Jeet Kune Do. This was the fighting system that Lee himself founded a lethal blend of effective techniques from any and all forms of unarmed combat. MUHAMMAD ALI was once stood up by Elvis Presley - who turned up "drunk or high" at 4am to watch the boxing legend in a sparring session. Lee set up a wide mirror so that he could follow along with Alis movements as they occurred on screen. But if Cliff and Bruce were fighting in the jungles of the Philippines in a hand-to-hand combat fight, Cliff would kill him.. Muhammad Ali would win, because Bruce Lee was an actor and not actually an athlete. 'Look at my hand,' he said. Polanski was out of town shooting that summer. Bruce was screening a Cassius Clay (Muhammad Ali) documentary. If people are saying, 'Well he never said he could beat up Muhammad Ali.' Editors Note: This feature originally appeared in the August 2016 issue of The Ring Magazine. Tyson made his professional boxing debut in 1985, while Ali fought his last professional fight in 1981. With that in mind, Lee started training with LeBell as both men developed a friendship that would last until Lee's death in 1973. COMPLEX participates in various affiliate marketing programs, which means COMPLEX gets paid commissions on purchases made through our links to retailer sites. Profile. Could Cliff beat up Bruce Lee? So yeah, Lee was probably right. Tarantino featured the 100-year-old Musso & Frank Grill and other famed Hollywood Boulevard locations in the film. If you ask me the question, Who would win in a fight: Bruce Lee or Dracula? Its the same question. 1,386 663. "Bruce revered Cassius Clay; he never claimed he could beat the champ," says Polly. In 1981, world famous boxer Muhammad Ali once talked a suicidal man off the ledge of a building. In 1970, a wildfire destroyed most of the site's Western buildings. One of the two doesnt need the other to be great. So it looks like Lee has settled this debate long ago. He admires combat, and boxing is a closer approximation of combat as a sport. Once Upon a Time in Hollywood is now playing in theaters. I mean, no finesse.. The two are neck and neck in the third round when the fight is broken up. Your destination for the best boxing news, videos and live streams! Despite his reputation, Ali went into the fight as an underdog against Foreman, the then-undefeated champion. The influence Ali had on him is undeniable. If you ask me the question, Who would win in a fight: Bruce Lee or Dracula? Its the same question. 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? Bruce's right hand followed Ali's right hand, Ali's left foot followed Bruce's left foot. (Muhammad) Alis theory is to picture hitting a fly with a swatter.. At 6-foot-3 and 210 pounds in his prime, Ali looked like he could easily clobber the 5-foot-7, 145-pound martial artist master with a single heavyweight punch. If you're a fan of 1960s pop culture, Quentin Tarantino's 2019 film "Once Upon a Time in Hollywood" is a must-watch. Even so, Mass Appeal points out that in his 1989 bookThe Making of Enter the Dragon, directorRobert Clouse revealed that mere sight of The Greatest made Lees blood run cold: Another time Yeung, aka (Bolo) went to see Bruce at Golden Harvest Studios. In Jeet Kune Do, translated from Cantonese as Way of the Intercepting Fist, an individual would use what worked best for them in terms of their size and stature. He knew Lewis personally and says Lewis told him one of the hardest kicks he'd ever endured was from Bruce Lee. It's a fictional character. 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. The real Lee was a big fan of boxing and "worshipped" Ali. Polanksi and Tate were renting a home on Cielo Drive, a dead-end street in Benedict Canyon near Beverly Hills. Bruce was fighting in Alis shoes. Tarantino might be trying to make a point about how Lee was stereotyped, "but it doesnt come across that way," Shannon Lee said. The four friends did dine at the Hollywood landmark El Coyote on the night of the murders before going back to Tate's home. 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]. Enter the Sweepstakes and receive the RockMerch newsletter with exclusive product discounts. "From my point of view, the 20th century gave us just two icons who rose above time, space and race: There was Muhammad Ali, and there was Bruce Lee," says documentary filmmaker Pete McCormack . For a man who is not as titanic as Tyson or Ali, he landed punches that clocked 190 km/h. You will be redirected back to your article in, Get The Latest IndieWire Alerts And Newsletters Delivered Directly To Your Inbox. Not only did he say that, but his wife, Linda Lee, said that in her first biography I ever read. 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. According to Clause, Lee considered both sides of the argument and even practiced fighting Ali by using a full-length mirror. The event was the Long Beach International Karate Championships, where three years earlier Lee's demonstration of such improbable physical feats as two-finger push-ups and one-inch punches got him the attention in the U.S. that led to the role of Kato on The Green Hornet. His conclusion? Cliff is not part of the sport that is like combat, he is a warrior. "The reality of the situation is this: Cliff is a Green Beret. Tarantino tapped into this bravado, but the author says the screen depiction goes too far. Bruce Lee was tiny, and Muhammad Ali was a heavyweight! Ali (left) attempts to evade kicks from wrestler Antonio Inoki. He has killed many men in WWII in hand-to-hand combat. On July 20, 1973, the great martial-arts movie star Bruce Lee mysteriously died in Hong Kong. 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. Aside from all those heroics, one of the more memorable scenes from "Once Upon a Time in Hollywood" features Pitt's character, stuntman Cliff Booth, recalling an altercation he had with Bruce Lee(Mike Moh) on the set of"The Green Hornet"that got him fired. Not influenced by any commissions we receive of them all didnt just make a lot of that up the to! Yeah, he is a closer approximation of combat as a what did muhammad ali say about bruce lee fighting system that himself. 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