Question for Prof. Beasley..

[fenwick99]

So many Bruce-Lee-lineage persons have studied BJJ or submission wrestling of some kind ( examples- Dan Inosanto and Chuck Norris w/ the Machados,
Hartsell w/LeBell, Pat Strong w/Rickson Gracie, and Vu w/ Rorion), has your reserach revealed at what point did Bruce and/or the jkd community get serious about grappling? Even Jim DeMIle, a prototype striker if ever there was one, has incorporated some sort of Hawaiian jiujitsu into his WCD.
One can only image that Bruce would be evolving today in this direction.
BL trained with three of the leading grapplers in the USA during the 60s:
Gene LeBell, Hayward Nishioka, and Wally Jay. Joe Lewis and Bill Wallace were grapplers before they turned to striking, and Taky Kimura was in judo and had been injured in a match around the time he met BL.

[Aikia]

No facts and figures research only opinion. I remember that Larry was the designated grappler in 1983 when I took my first JKDC seminars in Charlotte, NC. You are correct that Joe started as a pro wrestler. Bill wrestled in college. Bruce worked with Wall Jay as early as 1962, Gene LeBelle in the 60's. I don't think the martial arts community as a whole took grappeling seriously until after the Gracies took on all commers from 1993. The modern MMA movement places grappeling on the same level as striking.
One other point I remember as a kid in the 60's people always spoke of the "judo" chop. My first TKD instructors in '67/68 also taught judo throws and locks. The idea that the fight could , indeed should be won from the ground proabably goes back to the '93 UFC. Hope that helps.

[bbbb]

No facts and figures research only opinion. I remember that Larry was the designated grappler in 1983 when I took my first JKDC seminars in Charlotte, NC. You are correct that Joe started as a pro wrestler. Bill wrestled in college. Bruce worked with Wall Jay as early as 1962, Gene LeBelle in the 60's. I don't think the martial arts community as a whole took grappeling seriously until after the Gracies took on all commers from 1993. The modern MMA movement places grappeling on the same level as striking.
One other point I remember as a kid in the 60's people always spoke of the "judo" chop. My first TKD instructors in '67/68 also taught judo throws and locks. The idea that the fight could , indeed should be won from the ground proabably goes back to the '93 UFC. Hope that helps.

What do you mean, " ...indeed should be won from the ground..."?!

We are taught: "You don't wanna go to the ground!".

[Aikia]

The phrase was used in early-mid 1990's ads for jujitsu instruction intended for UFC style sport competitions. It is not original with me.. Stay with what you were taught.