Martial arts school founders

Bruce Lee was a Hong Kong and American martial artist, actor, and filmmaker. He was the founder of Jeet Kune Do, a hybrid martial arts philosophy, which was formed from his experiences in unarmed fighting and self-defense—as well as eclectic, Zen Buddhist, and Taoist philosophies—as a new school of martial arts thought. With a career spanning Hong Kong and the United States, Lee is regarded as the first global Chinese film star and one of the most influential martial artists in the history of cinema. Known for his roles in five feature-length martial arts films, he is credited with helping to popularize martial arts films in the 1970s and promoting Hong Kong action cinema.

Carlos Ray "Chuck" Norris was an American martial artist, actor, screenwriter, and author. He held black belts in karate, taekwondo, Tang Soo Do, Brazilian jiu-jitsu, and judo. After serving in the United States Air Force, he won numerous martial arts championships and later founded his own discipline, Chun Kuk Do. Norris began working in the American film industry as a martial arts instructor for celebrities before making his screen debut with a minor role in The Wrecking Crew (1968). Friend and fellow martial artist Bruce Lee invited him to play one of the main villains in The Way of the Dragon (1972). While Norris continued acting, friend and student Steve McQueen suggested he take it seriously. Norris took the starring role in the action film Breaker! Breaker! (1977), which turned a profit. His second lead, Good Guys Wear Black (1978), became a hit, and he soon became a popular action film star.

Japanese swordsman, philosopher, strategist, writer, artist, and rōnin (1584–1645)

Japanese aikidoka (1883-1969)

Bodhidharma was a semi-legendary Buddhist monk who lived during the 5th or 6th century CE. He is traditionally credited as the transmitter of Chan Buddhism to China, and is regarded as its first Chinese patriarch. He is also popularly regarded as the founder of Shaolin kung fu, an idea popularized in the 20th century, but based on the 17th century Yijin Jing and the Daoist association of daoyin gymnastics with Bodhidharma.

Japanese educator and judoka (1860–1938)

Japanese karateka (1868–1957)

Korean-Japanese full-contact karate master, the founder of Kyokushin (1922-1994)

Japanese professional wrestler, businessman, and politician (1943-2022)

American actor and martial artist (1973–2022)

Chinese martial artist (1868-1910)

Korean army general and martial artist (1918–2002)

Israeli Krav Maga practitioner (1910–1998)

martial artist (1913–1987)

Brazilian practitioner of Brazilian jiu-jitsu

Japanese martial

American kickboxer, martial artist, martial arts choreographer, and actor

Japanese karateka, developing the style Shitō-ryū

martial artist (1931–2019)

Japanese judoka

Japanese martial artist

Australian stuntman and actor

Okinawan karateka (1870–1944)

martial artist (1928–2008)

Japanese karateka (1888-1953)

Brazilian mixed martial artist

Japanese martial artist

American novelist, short story writer, martial arts instructor (born 1951)

Canadian-American martial artist and fight choreographer (born 1956)

martial artist (1913-2013)

martial artist (1892–1982)

martial artist (1929–2004)

American martial artist (1926–2009)

Japanese full-contact karate master, the founder of Ashihara kaikan (1944-1995)

Japanese aikido master (1915-1994)

German author of a versified martial arts doctrine from the late 14th or early 15th century CE

Japanese judoka (1878–1941)

South Korean judoka

Japanese samurai

master of the various martial arts & founder of the Wǔ Méi Pài (Ng Mui style), Wing Chun, Dragon style, White Crane, and Five-Pattern Hung Kuen from Shaolin Temple

samurai in Japan's Sengoku period

Japanese master of Shotokan karate (1935-2006)

Brazilian Brazilian jiu-jitsu practitioner

Japanese aikidoka (1907-2003)

American martial artist (1931-1990)

Chinese legendary character

Japanese full-contact karate master, Representative Director of Shinkyokushinkai

Chinese martial artist (1799–1872)

South Korean martial artist (1904–1986)

Chinese martial artist (1797-1882)

Okinawan karateka (1907–1997)

Chinese martial artist (1860–1933)

South Korean martial artist and actor

kickboxer (1944-2012)

martial artist (1912-1981)

samurai

Japanese karateka

Japanese professional wrestler

Japanese samurai

Serbian aikidoka (1947-2013)