Who is the most influential martial artist of our era?

[DWx]

That is to say: who, right now, is having the biggest impact on the Martial Arts world?

A couple of decades ago we could have brought up names like Bruce Lee, Anko Itosu, Gichin Funakoshi, Jigoro Kano, Helio Gracie... But who right now will we look back on as being influential?

[Spartacus Maximus]

If this is meant as who has had the biggest impact overall, the possible candidates would be limited to only the most reknowned. Very few are universally so, and most are only known within their system/martial art. It is a tough question indeed. Even more so depending on how "our era" is determined. When does "our era" begin? Is it the last 50 years? More recent?

[Wado Heretic]

This is a difficult one to answer because the criteria is quite broad. I think if I was to choose it would have to be based on both their legacy thus far, but also any continuing influence.

1. Royce or Rickson Gracie, with a leaning towards Rickson. Rickson helped with the birth of MMA in Japan. Also, Japan through Pride and Pancrase kept the MMA dream alive during the years the UFC was struggling to get a hold in North America. Rickson has also been active as an instructor and continues to have an impact on BJJ today. His legacy is only marred by the fact he did not face some of the toughest competition of his day in Japan, and his influence right now is controversial due to some comments he has made regarding the quality of modern fighters in MMA.

2. Antonio Inoki; through his development of the strong style, and his Inter-Styles matches. Through him was born Shooto, Shoot-Wrestling, and eventually Shoot-Fighting. He also continues to promote MMA events, and was the main force behind the rise of Lyoto Machida, and some other fighters. To be fair, he has been around a bit so might be unfair to include him.

3. Patrick McCarthy; again one who has been around a while, but when it comes to "practical" karate I think one can make an argument for him being among the first. His approach has broadly influenced others, and his research has helped breakdown a lot of myths. He already has a legacy of note, and continues to be an influence. Iain Abernathy would be my other pick regarding this area.

4. Ken Shamrock; I think in many ways this pick speaks for itself. His impact on Pancrase and the UFC, bringing in cross over appeal thanks to his tenure in the WWE, and now trying to fight the cause of letting older men fight if they can pass the health checks. He also produced many notable fighters via the Lion's Den, and continues to do so. I would be tempted to add Frank as well because he was the first to hold a title in two weight divisions, and was a Pancrase, UFC, and Strikeforce champion, and was perhaps the first to well and truly develop a for-purpose training regime for free-fighters and mixed martial artist.

5. A dishonorable mention; Kazuyoshi Ishii. Primarily for his work in creating a truly inter-style kick-boxing format via K-1; which alongside Shoot-Wrestling laid the foundations for mixed martial arts. Also though showing that martial arts can be a money making venture. Sadly, he shall also be remembered for his less than stellar behavior, and reminding us all of the danger of when money meets martial arts. A visionary, and inspired martial artist, might not necessarily be a good person. I know the habit is to choose those we admire, but I feel one must include the ugly in any good list.

[Nidan Melbourne]

I think of the Gracie family for further developing jujitsu. Then of Jesse Enkamp, Iain Abnerthy and an honorable mention to Wastelander (Noah).

I feel like Wastelander is rather influential, and will be moreso in the coming decades

[DavyKOTWF]

Past 25 years? Royce Gracie.

Past 50? Bruce Lee.

[kenpokarate805]

1 ED Parker

2 Jesus Flores

3 Dan Inosanto

4 Ginshin funakoshi

5 Kancho kanasawa

Their my 5 best pick

[sensei8]

Yes, difficult to say across the board!!

In my 51 years in the MA, many fill the bill as those who've influenced me on and off the floor, and that's to also say that those who've influenced me will quite differ from anyone here at KF as well as those outside of KF.

Not every MAist that has influenced me is well known, and that's been their choice, to be that unknown, to just teach one student at a time.]

I can only hope that I've been of some positive influence to those directly under my watch, as well as those outside of my watch. To be honest, at all times, in and out of the MA so as to not portray an ego as well as anything negative. Not only through my techniques, knowledge, and experience, but through my humbleness towards my fellow MAist.

But, I'd be wrong to not put Yoshinobu Takahashi...my Sensei...Dai-Soke...at the top of any list...however, he's unknown to the world outside of the Shindokan network, which, too, was his choice; he too, wanted to just teach one student at a time.

[JR 137]

I guess I'd have to define "our era" as the almost 40 years I've been alive...

1. Bruce Lee - a household name. Changed the way many MAists think. If you polled the biggest names in MA today, he'd get more votes than probably everyone else combined. Not sure he'd be everyone's #1, but he'd be everyone's top 3 at least.

2. Mas Oyama. The number of Kyokushin practitioners worldwide is astronomical. His former top students are a who's who of Japanese karate. Watching the movie Fighting Black Kings, Google search the Japanese competitors. They've all founded huge schools. The top teachers of those guys did as well - Tadashi Nakamura, Shigeru Oyama, Ashihara, etc.

3. Royce and/or Rickson Gracie. Not sure if you can say one over the other; the competitor or the mastermind. More people know Royce Gracie's name. Look at the numbers BJJ has put up. BJJ is a household name/term after the UFC.

Personally say Mas Oyama as number 1, but he's not a household name, nor is Kyokushin. But I think Kyokushin numbers alone worldwide would back up my claim. Then add the students who broke away and started their own school, and their students who did as well. I'd say more MAists can trace their lineage to Oyama than anyone else after the Funakoshi/Miyagi/Kano/etc. era.

[sensei8]

I guess I'd have to define "our era" as the almost 40 years I've been alive...

1. Bruce Lee - a household name. Changed the way many MAists think. If you polled the biggest names in MA today, he'd get more votes than probably everyone else combined. Not sure he'd be everyone's #1, but he'd be everyone's top 3 at least.

2. Mas Oyama. The number of Kyokushin practitioners worldwide is astronomical. His former top students are a who's who of Japanese karate. Watching the movie Fighting Black Kings, Google search the Japanese competitors. They've all founded huge schools. The top teachers of those guys did as well - Tadashi Nakamura, Shigeru Oyama, Ashihara, etc.

3. Royce and/or Rickson Gracie. Not sure if you can say one over the other; the competitor or the mastermind. More people know Royce Gracie's name. Look at the numbers BJJ has put up. BJJ is a household name/term after the UFC.

Personally say Mas Oyama as number 1, but he's not a household name, nor is Kyokushin. But I think Kyokushin numbers alone worldwide would back up my claim. Then add the students who broke away and started their own school, and their students who did as well. I'd say more MAists can trace their lineage to Oyama than anyone else after the Funakoshi/Miyagi/Kano/etc. era.

Solid post!!

[username19853]

I think as far as the most people being impacted by certain individuals goes, most of the most "influential" men and women in today's society are going to be MMA fighters.

Ronda Rousey in particular. Sure, there have been plenty of women that have been amazing in their art, but Ronda has become famous for it. She's been in movies, she's now a model, she's inspiring lots of women to pick up self defense classes, Judo especially. Many people are even comparing her to the male fighters and I think she'd stack up very well against a lot of them.

Depending on how her comeback goes, I think men and women fighting each other COULD be a possibility in the future. To be fair though, I don't think that idea was even considered until Ronda started dominating the MMA world.

I'm not very into MMA though, because 90% of them abandon the discipline and respect they learned in martial arts once their skill made them athletes instead of martial artists. #1 reason why I stopped watching once GSP left.