Bruce lee vs Gene Bell? Who is the true father of modern mixed martial arts in your opinion?

It depends on the definition of MMA. If it defined as taking techniques from arts that are proven to be "combat" efficient since the UFC champs have all "proven" the techniques pulled from a few arts are successful in that sporting format. No. If it is defined as absorbing what makes you happy and discarding what doesn't, pulling largely from Jui Jitsu and whatever the popular outlet for punching and kicking, no.

Dan Inosanto is the father of the current beliefs that are the foundation of MMA, and that taking techniques from arts that give skill in the ranges, replicating them as best able. Kicks from Muay, Grappling from Jui Jitsu, punching from boxing and every other striking art. Punching and kicking arts are as trendy as the UFC champ that has success with one.

I see a lot of MMA guys spouting about using what is useful and discarding what isn't, and that basic premise along with multi-arts is what Concepts is. The Escrima has been tossed, but if sticks were allowed in UFC, you would see the Filipino arts back up there as the ones deemed "useful" by MMA people.

Most of the teachers that made MMA training available were the Inosanto people. They are the ones that would be invited to TMA schools. All through the 80's and 90's it was students of Inosanto certified to teach, and their students, that were out there selling that program, mixing techniques. The Gracies managed to get that stuff included with the "proven" arts and teaching Gracie stuff, combined with the Concepts arts is what MMA has turned into, minus lack of understanding for the arts the techniques are taken from.

Inosanto made instructors, so the bulk of the spreading of the art was 2nd generation guys in the late 80's. The 90's and 00's produced 3rd and fourth generation people, teaching. Inosanto passed along watered down JKD, and the subsequent generations totally destroyed it. MMA really doesn't share much with JKD, as JKD is not about accumulating in the Concepts/MMA manner.

MMA "style" competition has been around for thousands of years (even though modern Pankration is nothing like its predecessor), but what Bruce Lee preached was different. It wasn't "Let's just mix a bunch of things together under the same ruleset" or in the case of the original UFC bouts "Let's determine what's the best martial art." It was "Addition by subtraction," and actually approaching martial arts (and life really) as a science. Hybrid martial arts have been around much longer than his time, but it was schools teaching martial arts along side one another. Many martial artists today were inspired by Lee to find out what truly works for them, as no two people fight similar.

That being said, Gene is an amazing Judoka and he Jud0wned Steven Seagal. lol He did participate in the first U.S. sanctioned MMA match as well, and contributed to Lee's grappling. Plus he's still training people at age 80. If MMA still was like that of the 90s (Two people from separate styles fighting each other), that would be valid, but it evolved much like Lee did when he branched off of Wing Chun. They both contributed heavily, however.

Are you refering to 'Judo' Gene Lebell? If so than here is a news flash both Chuck Norris and Bruce Lee learned from him. Beside Chuck was the one who taught Bruce how to do the side kick. And Gene used to say he knew exactly who would win between Bruce and Chuck. And to some the answer may shock you. And Gene did teach Bruce the use of the arm bar.

And FYI MMA has been around for a very long time. Longer than most admit to.

In 1947, Sijo Adriano Emperado with his 4 U.S. Army buddies of Asian descent, GGM Peter Choo, Dai Shihan Joe Holke, "Uncle" Frank Ordonez, and GGM Clarence Chang created Kajukenbo. It is a martial art that combined Tang Soo Do, Judo, Danzan Ryu Jujitsu, Okinawan Kenpo Karate, Escrima, Gung Fu and Western Boxing.

Back in the 1980's when I started training in Kajukenbo, the term mixed martial arts didn't really exist yet. We just had to learn a bit of everything, punching, kicking, breakfalls, trapping hands, throws, armlocks, weapon disarms. I thought it was the norm and I assumed that all the different martial arts taught a bit of everything. It was only later that I found out that most martial arts specialized in one or two things.

I do not consider Kajukenbo to be a mixed martial art like what is commonly done in the UFC. Kajukenbo always considered itself to be the "Hawaiian street fighting art."

Bruce did not always do well early in his career when it came to tournament style matches. I have two of his books. He was ahead of his time because he was a product of cross of cultures. He brought martial arts to the west and started much of what we now see. He crossed styles more than anyone I have known, particularly during that time period. Legendary fighter!

Edward William Barton-Wright.

In the US, when Bruce Lee was just born, Adriano Emperado and his friends and teacher, had developed a Hybrid system that later became known as Kajukenbo.

I would thought YIP Man got most influence than those three.. He is Bruce Lee's Master.. I would think Yip Man probably can take them on.-shrugs-