When one has no form, one can be all forms. —Bruce Lee

A visionary, a true martial artist. He used everything. Really, he invented MMA years ago. -Lyoto Machida on Bruce Lee

Miguel Torres: Bruce Lee is the first true mixed martial artist

Miguel Torres feels that Bruce Lee was the first true mixed martial artist, who cross-trained and brought multiple styles together. If Bruce Lee was alive today, Torres feels that he would be at the forefront of the mixed martial arts universe.

Frank Mir: Bruce Lee is a Legend

Frank Mir's reverence for the late Bruce Lee:
Bruce Lee's a legend. For a guy who passed away at 32 years of age to have such an impact still, 40 years later, every martial artist in some way has some kind of influence in their life by him; I don't know what else you could say about a human being.

Mark Munoz: Bruce Lee Created Mixed Martial Arts

Mark Munoz on Bruce Lee being the Godfather of MMA:

He's the first one who created mixed martial arts because he took the very first forms of fighting and made his own form: Jeet Kune Do; which is taking each style and make it part of your own.

Jon Jones on Michael Jordan, Kobe Bryant, Muhammad Ali, and Bruce Lee

Jon Jones on some of his favorite athletes which he has studied.

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Quotes from other MMA fighters:

Anderson Silva
Fedor Emelianenko
Georges St-Pierre
Jon Jones
Ronda Rousey

Bruce Lee's influence on Georges St-Pierre

Bruce Lee has inspired millions across the globe including UFC champion Georges St-Pierre. For GSP, Lee inspired him in one way with his quote on being like water: formless, shapeless, and being able to take the shape of whatever container it's poured it. Water can flow, crash, creep, or drip And GSP follows this maxim in the sense that he can adapt to any situation; he trains in every area and is so proficient that no matter what the situation he can adapt to it. Additionally, he constantly works on innovating his game so that he can be like water and flow into any area the fight goes to. And also Georges St-Pierre is big on being able to adapt to his environment and make sure he finds a way to become the one that survives and remains at the top.

Also, Bruce Lee influence Georges St-Pierre with his famous quote about not fearing a man who has practiced 10,000 kicks once, but being fearful of the man who has practiced one kick 10,000 times. It's the repetition of one technique that is done 10,000 times that makes it perfect and all the more deadly. GSP is a guy who will go through thousands of repetitions of a technique because he is a perfectionist and it's ingrained into his DNA.

 

Anderson Silva on Bruce Lee and Jackie Chan

Anderson Silva on Jackie Chan and Bruce Lee:

As far back as I can remember, I adored the martial arts and idolized its practitioners. In my mind, Bruce Lee and Jackie Chan were nothing less than superheroes. I watched all of their movies several times over and dreamed of the day when I could learn all the moves that allowed them to best any foe.

Amazingly Anderson Silva has actually achieved this dream. The moves he pulls off in the cage are so remarkable and unique, that if one were to describe them beforehand people who retort that they are not possible. But Anderson has been able to practice them so diligently and believe in himself to the point that they become a natural part of his game. The seemingly "impossible" movie-esque type of techniques become reality inside the UFC Octagon or any of the other rings and cages Anderson has competed in.

Jon Jones on using Bruce Lee's Crash and Flow style

"Empty your mind, be formless. Shapeless, like water. If you put water into a cup, it becomes the cup. You put water into a bottle and it becomes the bottle. You put it in a teapot, it becomes the teapot. Now, water can flow or it can crash. Be water, my friend.”  
- Bruce Lee