From establishing his own martial arts style to showing the public how cool a yellow workout suit can be, pop culture at large has proven Bruce Lee’s enduring influence. A renaissance man of his era, he was a renowned martial artist, actor, and philosopher. Such were his fighting skills that he is widely recognized as one of the most influential martial artists of all time. Dana White even considers him the founding father of mixed martial arts.

Despite his massive fame, Bruce Lee was never able to complete more than a handful of feature films before his untimely passing. But the Wing Chun legend’s timeless pieces still manage to inspire many MMA fighters, such as Matt Serra and Conor McGregor. McGregor even believes that the legend could’ve been a UFC champion as he once said, “I have no doubt he would have been world champion in MMA, no doubt. He’s fluid, he’s loose, he’s fast. His movement is fluid, it’s efficient, it’s functional. So many guys are addicted to strength and conditioning, they just get bulked up and stiff and slow. Bruce was free, his body was nimble.”

So, here we will try to help you find your future favorite Bruce Lee movie to make you aware of his greatness and lasting legacy. After all, everyone needs a little Bruce Lee action in their lives. However, we will not be ranking them because, as MMA buffs, we love all of them equally. As a result, these movies are being listed in no particular order. So without further ado, let’s begin!

Our five picks of Bruce Lee that are a must-watch

1. Game of Death

IMDb Score: 6.1

Starring Bruce Lee, Tai Chung Kim, Yuen Biao, Gig Young, Dean Jagger, Colleen Camp, Robert Wall, and Sammo Hung. This feature film is a tragic piece of art that was shot between the end of 1972 and the beginning of 1973. And with only 40 minutes of the film being shot, Bruce Lee died unexpectedly. The production remained unfinished and unpublished until 1977, when the Golden Harvest production company, making use of doubles, montages, and a part of the original filming, completed the work. So this makes it a poignant piece to watch; however, it remains one of the best works by the father of the Jeet Kune Do philosophy.

2. The Big Boss

IMDb Score: 6.9

Starring Bruce Lee, Maria Yi, James Tien, Yin-Chieh Han, and Tony Liu. This is Bruce Lee’s first film with the Golden Harvest production company. In this iconic movie, Bruce Lee’s character is an immigrant who moves to Thailand as an ice factory worker. However, it turns out that it is actually a front for a criminal operation. His character has been best summarized by Lee himself, as he said, “He was a very simple, straightforward guy. Like if you told him something, he’d believe you. Then, when he finally figures out he’s been had, he goes animal.”

Thanks to this collaboration, Bruce Lee was considered a world star with the success it earned. Above all, it is worth highlighting that the filming happened in Thailand through considerable adverse conditions, especially with the low budget involved.

3. Fist of Fury

IMDb Score: 7.2

Starring Bruce Lee and Nora Miao, this is Bruce Lee’s second film in collaboration with Golden Harvest Productions, from which he earned more than $565,000. Released in 1972, ‘Fist of Fury’ is a period drama set in 1930s Shanghai. As the name suggests, Bruce Lee’s character defeats everyone with only his fists. It’s a shame Lee died so young; he could have made a lot more movies like this one. The MMA artist was great in this film and brought that air of bravery needed to defeat everyone. The film itself is also a great commentary on the rivalry between the cultures of China and Japan.

4. The Way of the Dragon

IMDb Score: 7.2

Starring Bruce Lee, Nora Miao, Chuck Norris, Hwang In-Shik, Robert Wall, Paul Wei, and Wang Chung-Hsin. It had a budget of just over $16,000 and grossed over $675,000 at the box office. ‘The Way of the Dragon’ is the third film directed by and starring Bruce Lee. In it, Bruce Lee works alongside fellow martial arts experts such as Chuck Norris and Robert Wall to give fans the best action they couldn’t even imagine at the time. The film also ends with the well-known “Fight of the Century” at the Roman Colosseum between Bruce Lee and Chuck Norris! So how can anyone dare miss this amazing movie?

5. Enter the Dragon

IMDb Score: 7.6

Saving the best of the last, this iconic movie stars Bruce Lee, John Saxon, Ahna Capri, Shih Kien, Robert Wall, Angela Mao, Betty Chung, Geoffrey Weeks, Peter Archer, Jim Kelly, and Bolo Yeung. With a budget of $850,000 and managed to earn more than $400 million. It was, therefore, a real success at the box office. Unfortunately, this is also the last movie starring Bruce Lee before he died on July 20, 1973. This iconic film became a posthumous tribute when it was released on July 26, 1973, six days after Bruce Lee’s death.

Despite his short filmography, there is no doubt that Bruce Lee managed to leave a lasting influence in the world of MMA. After all, there is a reason why the likes of Dana White, Matt Sera, and Conor McGregor are so in love with his movies and philosophies. What do you think of these movies? Are there other appearances of the late martial arts legend we might have missed? Let us know in the comments.