Bruce Lee (November 27, 1940 to July 20, 1973) was a Hong Kong American actor, director, martial artist, martial arts instructor and philosopher. He is the founder of Jeet Kune Do, a mixed martial arts philosophy, which integrates different martial arts disciplines and is generally considered to pave the way for modern mixed martial arts (MMA). Commentators, critics, media and other martial artists all believe that Li is the most influential martial artist ever and a pop culture icon in the 20th century, bridging the gap between East and West. He was praised for helping to change the way Asians perform in American movies