Most Influential Martial Artists
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
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.
Taught Bruce Lee and Chuck Norris, Excellent Judoka. Also choked out Steven Seagal