Few names in the world of martial arts movies are regarded as highly as Bruce Lee, who punched, kicked, and headbutted his way into the annals of the action movie hall of fame before tragically passing away at 32 years old. The actor left behind dozens of performances for film fans to marvel over for decades to come, but footage of the martial arts master engaging in any actual fights is hard to find, which makes the below video all the more exciting.
In the video above, Lee is reportedly fighting Ted Wong, one of his top students. The fighters wore protective gear for their bout, which was the state rule for the time, and based on Lee’s moves, we’re sure Wong is glad those rules were in place.
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Born Lee Jun-fan, the actor’s legacy is hard to understate, as he was an actor, director, philosopher, and founder of the Jeet Kune Do martial art. Thanks to his wide swath of talents, Lee is considered to be a seminal figure in changing the perceptions of how Asians were represented in American films.
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Lee was born in Chinatown, San Francisco, before he and his family moved to Hong Kong, where he grew up. The actor’s first experience with the film industry was as a child actor, his father having helped him land roles.
When Lee turned 18, he moved back to the United States to pursue an education at the University of Washington in Seattle, where he also began teaching martial arts. He eventually dropped out of college to pursue teaching martial arts full-time with James Yimm Lee, a well-known martial artist.
After being spotted during a martial arts exhibition in Long Beach, Lee was invited to audition for the TV series The Green Hornet, in which he starred as “Kato.” After the show’s cancellation, Lee collaborated with some of his students to develop films, while also taking on henchmen roles in movies and serving as a fight choreographer.
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It wasn’t until Lee returned to Hong Kong that he earned leading man status, with one of his breakout roles being as the lead in The Big Boss. He also starred in films like Fist of Fury, Way of the Dragon, and Game of Death.
During an ADR session for Enter the Dragon, Lee collapsed and was taken to the hospital, ultimately being diagnosed with having a cerebral edema. Two months later, Lee passed away due to swelling in his brain from an allergic reaction to medication, officially being ruled as “death by misadventure.” Considering his fame at the time, many rumors surrounded his death, including assassination by triads and falling victim to a curse.
