best martial artist?

[AdamKralic]

This is almost the third time I've started a response and not finished...dagnabit I'm posting this one.

It's subjective.

I like Bruce Lee for deceased and Jet Li for alive. I like action martial artists on film. I can never get enough: martial arts movies or zombie movies. Sue me. Also a huge fan of Tony Jaa.

[Zoodles]

Here's a few that may not immediately spring to most people's minds

1) Sugar Ray Robinson: Greatest boxer ever

2) Fedor Emelianenko: Greatest MMAer of all time

3) Alexander Karelin: Greatest Greco-Roman wrestler of all time

4) James Figg: An 18th century champion bare knuckle boxer in a time when boxing was quite literally no holds barred and included kicking and wrestling. James figg was also a master fencer and stick fighter.

5) William Marshal: A 12th century knight who is said to have defeated over 500 knights in tournaments and duels. At the time tournaments were basically small staged battles and deaths were common. He was still leading his men from the front and engaging in personal combat in battles into his 60's. He rose from utter obscurity to become regent. Prior to him the rank of Marshal was simply the head of household security. After him the rank of Marshal came to signify the highest and most prestigious ranks in the army.

[The Greatest Disciple]

Frank Hargrove. The iron butterfly.

[ShotokanMaster]

Ginchin Funakoshi Ed Parker kancho kanazawa Jeff Speakman Bruce lee jackie chan chuck norris a lot

[sensei8]

By what I'm reading here...

No one's picked their own instructor....hhhhmmmmmm!?!?!?!?!?!

[sensei8]

No such thing as a best martial art. There is however, great martial artists.

Solid post!

[CredoTe]

By what I'm reading here...

No one's picked their own instructor....hhhhmmmmmm!?!?!?!?!?!

Absolutely... Of the MAs I know personally, my two instructors have had the most influence on me, and therefore they are "the best" to me. Subsequent to that, the higher ranked instructor that's over my CI, he's a tough-as-nails bear, and is a great MA and instructor, but I haven't worked out with him nearly as much as my two primary instructors.

At large, I'm not sure who would qualify as "the best". As folks have pointed out, having a title of "the best" is difficult and ever-changing. We could start with modern day with folks like Paul Vunak who's involved in training US Navy SEALs (is there anyone here can verify whether he's still doing that or not? ), or any of the top MMA athletes, then back in history to folks like Bruce Lee, Yip Man, the Okinawan Karate Osenseis and Chinese Kung Fu masters of the 1700's - early 1900's, and so on back.

Internally, in a life and death situation, I must believe that I am the best MA; don't get me wrong, this is not about my ego / pride. We quite often tell our students that at anytime there's someone out there better than you. But, in the instance of a life and death situation, I (or you) must be the best MA in that situation, to have the right mindset to deal with the situation appropriately (which includes deescalation, diffusion, and / or running away!), because the instant that doubt sets in, then the battle is already half-lost. My instructors aren't going to be there to save me, Bruce Lee, Yip Man, or Paul Vunak aren't going to be there, it's just me and the aggressor(s).