Rare Unseen Image Shows Bruce Lee Leaving Grandmaster Stunned With His Side-Kick

Published 04/25/2023, 11:15 AM EDT

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Bruce Lee met several talented practitioners in his journey to becoming the greatest martial artist ever. He picked something unique from each of them and included it in his fighting style. Taekwondo grandmaster Jhoon Rhee was one such personality from whom Lee learned powerful side kicks. Recently, the internet came across an unseen image of the two legends where Lee was seen executing a sidekick on the grandmaster.

Jhoon Rhee first met Bruce Lee in 1964 at an international karate event in Long Beach, California. Both of them were impressed by each other’s combatting styles, which grew into a spontaneous friendship between them. The duo began discussing several aspects of martial arts. Rhee also taught some effective Taekwondo moves to Lee. On April 24, Bruce Lee’s memoir page on Instagram shared a rare image of Jhoon Rhee and Bruce Lee indulging in a showdown.

The Bruce Lee-Jhoon Rhee throwback photo

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The latest Instagram post of Bruce Lee featured the Little Phoenix training with Jhoon Rhee on the shore of a beach. The two legends stood on boulders near the sea, experiencing breezy weather. The stunning black-and-white imagery captioned, “Bruce and Grandmaster Jhoon Rhee” looked nothing less than a movie scene.

 

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A post shared by Bruce Lee (@brucelee)

In the picture, the master was seen launching a power-packed sidekick with his right leg on Jhoon Rhee. However, the Taekwondo legend defended it with his hand holding a stunned facial expression. Interestingly, it is believed that Rhee himself taught Lee the unique sidekick. The two legends can be seen wearing traditional martial art attires. While Rhee donned a white Taekwondo uniform, Lee was bare-chested with a pair of black Kung Fu pants.

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The two shared a special relationship both as friends and master-pupil. Lee helped the grandmaster get a lead role in the 1973 action movie When Taekwondo Strikes. As a tribute to the Little Phoenix, Rhee also wrote a book on their friendship, Bruce Lee and I in 2000.

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The origin of Jeet Kune Do

Bruce Lee had a showdown with legend Wrong JackMan , the same year he met Jhoon Rhee. Although the Little Phoenix won the fight against his rival using Wing Chun, he realized that his fighting technique was not efficient. Hence, Lee decided to invent a fighting style that was fast and effective.

Actor and martial artist Bruce Lee (1940 – 1973) in a publicity still for ‘Enter the Dragon’, directed by Robert Clouse, Hong Kong, 1973. Stichwort: Muskeln, Kampf, Kampfsport. (Photo by FilmPublicityArchive/United Archives via Getty Images)

In his pursuit, Lee invented Jeet Kune Do, a hybrid fighting style. The core of its techniques was to intercept the opponent’s next move. To create the super-fast moves of his newly found combat style, Lee applied everything he learned his entire life. From the little Taekwondo lessons to his Cha-Cha dance moves, Lee made JDK the most flawless fighting art. Indeed, Bruce Lee made the best use of the knowledge that he attained from legends like Jhoon Rhee.

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Watch This Story:  Relive the Iconic On-Screen Fights of the GOAT Bruce Lee From His Collection

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Written by:

Muskan Sharma

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Muskan Sharma is a sports writer at EssentiallySports, specializing in Martial Arts, NHL, and other American sports. She is a degree holder in Journalism and Mass Communications. Muskan has been able to bring her unique set of skills and sensitivity while covering news stories.
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Edited by:

Nidhi Rana