Li Xiaolong, the quest for “no style” pt. 3
So what does all this have to do with MMA? Bruce Lee created the blueprint for the sport, and inspired many of the top fighters today. Jeet Kun Do lives on in the cage, as evidenced by the following videos.
Although many martial artists combined styles and techniques, Lee's philosophy of "no style", improvisational fighting was a landmark. As he says in Tao of the JKD: "It's not daily increase but decrease - hack away the unessentials!"
Rather than sticking to a method, allow oneself to grow and change. This is the lesson all fighters can learn from Bruce Lee. Adaptation is the key to success, both in and out of the cage. Scientific advances in virtually every field dealing with human bodies has shown that we are remarkably adaptive. This inherent potential is what must be unlocked, not once, but continuously through meeting new challenges. MMA is always evolving at several levels, both in the ring and as a form of entertainment. In the articles to come I will discuss the various facets of this change, including the rise of current fighting organizations, society's perception of fighting, and the tactics that have emerged from Lee's shadow.
