UFC’s Valentina Shevchenko says Bruce Lee is the ‘prophet’ in the church of martial arts
- ‘Bruce Lee inspired millions of people like me to start to train,’ says Shevchenko, as ESPN 30 for 30’s ‘Be Water’ returns spotlight to Hong Kong legend
- ‘He was 100 per cent the man of martial arts in his philosophy, in his life, and in his movies’
The storied career of UFC’s flyweight champion Valentina “Bullet” Shevchenko started in her native Kyrgyzstan and took her through successful stints in taekwondo, Muay Thai and kick-boxing before she found fame in MMA.
But the 32-year-old has this week revealed she had always considered herself as someone who was simply following in the footsteps of the kung fu master Bruce Lee.
“If in the future somewhere in the world a church of martial arts is founded, Bruce Lee would no doubt be the prophet in there,” is how Shevchenko describes her regard for her hero.
Lee’s life and times are back in focus this weekend as ESPN screens Be Water on Sunday (US time), the latest documentary to try to unravel some of the mysteries that still seem to shadow the man’s life. Many factors have combined to ensure that air of intrigue still lingers, almost 47 years on from his death.
ESPN said the film would provide a “visual tapestry, capturing Lee's charisma, passion, philosophy and wonder of his art”.
During his 32 years on Earth, the martial artist and movie star liked to espouse his theories on combat, and on life, and such teachings have continued to inspire and educate fighters – and people in general – everywhere, including his “Be Water” speech, most famously revealed on a Canadian television talk show in 1971.
