7. Bruce Lee
Golden HarvestOften credited as being the father of mixed martial arts and the founder of Jeet Kune Do, Bruce Lee turned a generation of kids into wannabe martial artists in the late 1960s and early 1970s. Both his memorable roles in feature length films as well as his fight choreography duties meant that everyone wanted to replicate the moves of the Hong Kong master. In particular his kick-ass roles in The Big Boss, Fist of Fury, Way of the Dragon and Enter the Dragon have endured Bruce Lees insane technical skills, hand speed (which was completely unenhanced by film technology) and ultra-lean physique all aided in grabbing hold of the audiences attention. Any child of the 1970s who wanted to be Bruce Lee and is yet to watch a UFC event should remedy this as soon as possible. Lees fusion of different martial art styles had a profound effect on the founding of the UFC, evidenced by his inclusion in the recent EA Sports game. Any fan of Bruce Lees movies who wants to see the late great masters style of fighting being enacted for real will definitely become an instant fan of MMA.