One of the most iconic fights in the history of action movies is the classic scene between Bruce Lee and Chuck Norris. Way of the Dragon?set a new benchmark for action scenes. It was so convincing that people began wondering if Lee and Norris were actual rivals. But, how did the scene come to fruition?
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Chuck Norris once revealed how he met Bruce Lee for the first time in New York. While acting was never on the charts for the actor, the Little Phoenix convinced him otherwise. What started off as a casual call for a role soon transformed into one of the most epic fight scenes.
Bruce Lee wanted to fight the world champion
Chuck Norris had no intentions of becoming a full-time actor. He met Bruce Lee for the first time in 1968 and trained together for three years before Lee returned to Hong Kong. Fast-forward three years, Norris gets a call from his old training and sparring partner about a special movie. However, Lee had a certain vision for which he only wanted Norris for the role.
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Chinese-American martial arts exponent Bruce Lee (1940 – 1973), in a karate stance, early 1970s. (Photo by Archive Photos/Getty Images)
Before the shoot began, an iconic exchange took place between the stars. Chuck Norris, at the time, held the world title in Karate. When Lee presented to him the idea of a martial arts fight scene in the Roman Colosseum, Norris was curious about who would win. Lee stated the obvious that the protagonist of the movie would win. Norris, however, had a good laugh out of this. After all, would Lee dare to beat the world champion?
Lee took up the challenge. He warned his fellow actor,?“I want to kill the world champion”.?This marked the beginning of an epic camaraderie that remained till Bruce Lee breathed his last. Although the stars gave birth to one of the most classic fight scenes, their friendship is often highlighted first.
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Chinese American martial artist and actor Bruce Lee on the set of Enter the Dragon, directed by Robert Clouse. (Photo by Warner Bros. Pictures/Sunset Boulevard/Corbis via Getty Images)
Since Bruce Lee’s untimely death, Chuck Norris has been subjected to a lot of questions. These ranged from the cause of death to their friendship. Although the legend no longer remains among us, Lee’s legacy is respected and sought after to date.
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