Arguably the most iconic martial arts fight scene ever is Bruce Lee vs. Chuck Norris in The Way Of The Dragon, which was actually filmed illegally.
In 1972, a Bruce Lee vs. Chuck Norris illegal fight scene was filmed that evolved into one of the most iconic martial arts showdowns of all time. The fight in question happened in The Way of the Dragon, which was Lee’s third kung fu movie, which culminates in the Chuck Norris Bruce Lee fight scene in the Coliseum. Following Bruce Lee’s starring roles in The Big Boss and Fist for Fury with Golden Harvest, he signed a contract to make another movie with the Hong Kong studio. This time, Bruce Lee was to not only play the lead in The Way of the Dragon but also to write the script and direct the project.

Having been given complete creative control over The Way of the Dragon, Lee was allowed to deliver the kung fu experience he wanted, which he ended with a dramatic, ten-minute face-off between his character and Chuck Norris’ Colt at the Colosseum in Rome. Remembered in part for being Chuck Norris’ breakout role, Way of the Dragon’s Chuck Norris vs. Bruce Lee battle has a special place in the history of kung fu movies, due to the visceral feel of the fight and the stunningly well-done choreography. While Bruce Lee and Chuck Norris’s Way of the Dragon fight has become one of the most iconic onscreen martial arts battles of all time, it was actually filmed illegally.
Why Bruce Lee’s Chuck Norris Fight Was Illegal

After giving up on his original United States filming plan for Way of the Dragon, Bruce Lee moved the project to Rome, so he could shoot the final fight in the Colosseum. According to Bruce Lee: A Life by Matthew Polly, Lee wanted to fight a Western villain in the Colosseum after being inspired by the events of the 1960 historical epic, Spartacus. The problem is that filming inside the Colosseum is illegal. That’s why scenes are very rarely shot inside the amphitheater, even when it’s part of the story. Hollywood movies like Spartacus or Gladiator recreated the Roman landmark. While filming restrictions stood in the way of others, it didn’t stop Bruce Lee.
Lee understood the issues with shooting in the Colosseum and took steps to bypass them. Polly wrote in his book that to shoot the necessary footage, Lee and the Way of the Dragon movie crew had to bribe Roman officials. Afterward, they were allowed to sneak cameras in their bags, as long as they pretended to be tourists. Because of these strict rules, they were only able to stay for a few hours. This gave the filmmakers enough time to film a few shots, but not the entire sequence. They had to leave and shoot the rest of the Chuck Norris vs. Bruce Lee sequence back on set at Golden Harvest and blend the footage together.

Bruce Lee & Chuck Norris Fought In Real Life
Probably owing to the epic nature of their choreographed onscreen showdown in The Way of the Dragon, people have often wondered if Chuck Norris vs. Bruce Lee ever really happened. The answer to this question will always be shrouded in some mystery, as the rumored real-life Chuck Norris/Bruce Lee fight hasn’t been fully confirmed or denied by Norris. However, the two were friends in real life and trained together, training which Norris has confirmed included some sparring. While this may not constitute a real fight, it probably helped the legendary Way of the Dragon fight between the two attain its breathtaking authenticity.

Illegal though it was, the extra trouble that went into making The Way of the Dragon’s showdown in the Colosseum paid off in a huge way, as did the perfect casting of Chuck Norris to face off against Bruce Lee and their realistic choreography. The atmosphere of a place with a history as grand as the Colosseum further enhanced the excitement of the fight between Bruce Lee and the Karate champion, which is still thought of as one of the best of its kind.
Why Chuck Norris Became An Internet Punchline
Although Chuck Norris is a respected martial artist and movie star, his role in Walker, Texas Ranger laid the groundwork for him to become an Internet punchline – but also to secure his place in meme history. Banking on Norris’ many archetypal action movie characters who rise against near-impossible odds, Walker, Texas Ranger takes it to the next level by seeing Norris’ Sergeant Cordell Walker accomplish absurd feats of alpha masculinity. In the ’90s action crime series, which ran from 1993 to 2001, Walker fights a bear, allows himself to get imprisoned to stop a prison fighting ring, is able to win fights while blinded, and even becomes the principal of a school.
After its eight-season run, Walker, Texas Ranger reruns continued to be shown on television throughout the 2000s. In 2004, Late Night With Conan O’Brien took advantage of the NBC Universal merger to show random clips of Walker, Texas Ranger whenever Conan pulled a nearby lever. Apart from being one of the bits that made Conan O’Brien’s Late Night stint arguably the best era in talk show history, Conan’s Walker, Texas Ranger lever was what truly planted the seeds for Chuck Norris to get immortalized in memes.
In 2005, Chuck Norris’ reputation as the Internet’s go-to tough guy was sealed when a teenager named Ian Spector launched the Chuck Norris Fact Generator. Originally developed as the Vin Diesel Fact Generator, which allowed fans of The Pacifier to collate facts about Vin Diesel, Spector ended up soliciting suggestions for replacing Diesel when the website’s popularity fell. Egged on by Conan’s increasingly popular Walker, Texas Ranger lever bit, Spector’s community voted in Norris as Diesel’s replacement by an overwhelming margin.
The Chuck Norris Fact Generator led to absurd “facts” such as Chuck Norris being able to count to infinity twice, and how he has no chin behind his beard – only another fist. Combined with real stories of how Chuck Norris influenced Bruce Lee’s fighting style and other reasons why Norris is a badass in real life, the Chuck Norris Fact Generator paved the way for the actor to be used in thousands of memes. Although Norris became the butt of jokes, his hyperbolic reputation as the perfect man only affirms his status as a legendary action movie star. Moreover, this phenomenon is also why younger generations are familiar with the over 80-year-old actor.
What Bruce Lee & Chuck Norris Said About The Fight
The Chuck Norris vs. Bruce Lee illegal fight has become something of a legend for action movie fans. As mentioned, Lee commented about it and that was mostly told in his Bruce Lee: A Life biography. With that said, Chuck Norris has also talked about the moment when they filmed the scene. Norris loves the success the movie had, and not just because it made him a rising star. Norris pointed out that it was a monster success, making $60 million despite only costing $145,000 to produce (via Far Out Magazine). He called it an amazing stat and also talked about his respect for Bruce Lee.
“I enjoyed working with Bruce Lee in the film. It was a lot of fun, the fight scene is considered the classic martial arts fight scene of all time. So it’s nice to be involved in a fight scene that everyone [loves].”
The scene was illegal to film there, but when it comes to Chuck Norris vs. Bruce Lee, Norris only had good things to say about the actual fight itself, believing that was more important than how they got permission to shoot the scene there. Norris also added some steam to the people who come up with Chuck Norris facts. He said there was a moment when Bruce Lee reached down and pulled hair out of Norris’ chest. The martial artist said a fan sent him a letter and asked, “Did Bruce really pull the hair out of your chest? If he did, you’re really a stud.” Norris said it wasn’t for real, but it shows how that one scene resonated with the world.

Post navigation