Most Influential Martial Artists

The Top Ten
1 Morihei Ueshiba

Morihei Ueshiba (December 14, 1883 - April 26, 1969) was a martial artist and founder of the Japanese martial art of Aikido. He is often referred to as Kaiso "The Founder" or Ōsensei "Great Teacher".

The son of a landowner from Tanabe, Ueshiba studied a number of martial arts in his youth, and served in the Japanese Army during the Russo-Japanese War. After being discharged in 1907, he moved to Hokkaidō as the head of a pioneer settlement ; here he met and studied with Takeda Sokaku, the founder of Daitō-ryū aiki-jūjutsu. On leaving Hokkaido in 1919, Ueshiba joined the Ōmoto-kyō movement, a Shinto sect, in Ayabe, where he served as a martial arts instructor and opened his first dojo. He accompanied the head of the Ōmoto-kyō group, Onisaburo Deguchi, on an expedition to Mongolia in 1924, where they were captured by Chinese troops and returned to Japan. The following year, he experienced a great spiritual enlightenment, stating that, "a golden spirit sprang up from the ...more

2 Bruce Lee Bruce Lee (November 27, 1940 – July 20, 1973) was a Hong Kong and American martial artist, martial arts instructor, actor, director, screenwriter, producer, and philosopher. He was the founder of Jeet Kune Do, a hybrid martial arts philosophy drawing from different combat disciplines that is often credited with paving the way for modern mixed martial arts (MMA). Lee is considered by critics, media, and other martial artists to be the most influential martial artist of all time and a pop culture icon of the 20th century, who bridged the gap between East and West. He is credited with promoting Hong Kong action cinema and helping to change the way Asians were presented in American films.

I don't think anyone will ever match the skills of Bruce Lee. He proved in his tragically short life that he was a Leegend.

He was the inspiration behind my brother being a 2nd degree black belt in Lau Gar Kung Fu.

3 Yip Man
4 Jackie Chan Chan Kong-sang known professionally as Jackie Chan, is a Hong Kong martial artist, actor, film director, producer, stuntman, and singer. He is known for his acrobatic fighting style, comic timing, use of improvised weapons, and innovative stunts, which he typically performs himself, in the cinematic ...read more.
5 Jet Li Li Lianjie, better known by his English stage name Jet Li, is a Chinese film actor, film producer, martial artist, and wushu champion who was born in Beijing.
6 Chuck Norris Carlos Ray "Chuck" Norris (born March 10, 1940) is an American actor and martial artist. He is a black belt in Tang Soo Do, Brazilian jiu jitsu and judo. After serving in the United States Air Force, Norris won many martial arts championships and later founded his own discipline Chun Kuk Do. Shortly after, in Hollywood, Norris trained celebrities in martial arts. Norris went on to appear in a minor role in the spy film The Wrecking Crew (1969). Friend and fellow martial artist Bruce Lee invited him to play one of the main villains in Way of the Dragon (1972). While Norris continued acting, friend and student Steve McQueen suggested him to take it seriously. Norris took the starring role in the ...read more.
7 Gichin Funakoshi
8 Rorion Gracie
9 Chōjun Miyagi
10 Kanō Jigorō
The Contenders
11 Wong Fei-hung
12 Mas Oyama
13 Gene LeBell

Taught Bruce Lee and Chuck Norris, Excellent Judoka. Also choked out Steven Seagal

14 Manny Pacquiao Emmanuel Dapidran Pacquiao is a Filipino professional boxer and politician, currently serving as a Senator of the Philippines. He currently ranks #4 in BoxRec's ranking of the greatest pound for pound boxers of all time.
15 Royce Gracie
16 Anderson Silva Anderson da Silva (born April 14, 1975) is a Brazilian professional mixed martial artist currently signed with the Ultimate Fighting Championship (UFC). He is a former UFC Middleweight Champion and had the longest title reign in UFC history at 2,457 days. This started in 2006 and ended in 2013 and included ...read more.
17 Fedor Emelianenko Fedor Vladimirovich Emelianenko is a Russian heavyweight mixed martial artist, sambist, and judoka, currently competing for Rizin Fighting Federation.
18 Jon Jones Jonathan Dwight "Jon" Jones is an American mixed martial artist and current interim UFC Light Heavyweight Champion.
19 Conor McGregor Conor Anthony McGregor (born 14 July 1988) is an Irish professional mixed martial artist and boxer. He is the former Ultimate Fighting Championship (UFC) featherweight and lightweight champion. ...read more.
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