With all the challenges to the various martial arts that the gracies were having over the past 50+ years, was there ever any interaction between them and Bruce Lee or his students? Surely both sides would have wanted to prove the effectiveness of each style, or even work together to enhance each.
Bruce Lee got his grappling from Gene Lebell, if he would have known about BJJ or I should say a little more accessible he would have crosstrained back in the 70s.
Inosanto went out of his way to get a blackbelt in BJJ.
That pretty much answers that.
As much of a student of martial arts as he was, I'd find it hard to believe he was completely unaware of BJJ. But if so, then I guess it's so...
He knew there was an importance in grappling, which is why he trained with Gene Lebelle. Watch Enter the Dragon, he fights in speedos with some hybrid boxing/mma gloves (Kempo Gloves) he does an armbar from the mount. Some of his early books taught grappling.
If BJJ was available he would have done it, the Gracies were not heavily marketing thier style outside of Brazil in the 60's or early 70's, so even if Bruce Lee heard of them it would have been hard for him to quit teaching his classes, quit making movies and fly his wife, and kids to Rio.
Fair point. I just caught some Inosanto video on youtube, and it made me curious about it. thanks for the info.
I usually talk to girls at termas about BJJ and some know about. One terma chick even mention that this bald Gracie(she can't remember his first name) was a frequent visitor.
shhhhh! The first rule of Termas is....we don't talk about Termas!
Why? Does your wife post here?