But Filipino Trovador Ramos, then based in Hong Kong teaching martial arts and leaving audiences in awe by breaking granite stones with his bare hands, declined Lee's offer.
Not because the pay was small. In his supposed "Dragon" role, he would lose a fight and die, something which Ramos felt did not suit him.
Lee, however, was able to persuade Ramos to become one of his coaches and off-camera fight instructor. Were it not for Lee's early death, Ramos would have joined him in a Hollywood movie.
Ramos moved on, returned to the Philippines and continued to propagate his unique brand of martial arts -- a mix of judo, aikido and American combat judo -- through his The Ramos Academy of Consolidated Martial Arts, or Tracma.
"I would like to pass on to our instructors a lot more things that I know," Master Ramos, as he is called by his disciples, told the Philippine Daily Inquirer. "I want to develop my system further."
The movie bug did bite Ramos a bit in the late 70s. He made several local films, the biggest of which was The Red Belt Master [1974].
It was through those times that his stature grew. There was a story about Ramos killing a carabao with one blow during a film shoot.
Had he wanted to, Ramos could be living a luxurious life now, but he opted to share his skills, which he believes were God-given, to others.
In the late 80s, Libyan strongman Muammar Khadafi sent a representative to Manila to convince Ramos to teach hand-to-hand combat to Khadaffi's bodyguards.
But Ramos, after conferring with his Iglesia ni Cristo adviser, declined the name-your-price offer.
Ramos no longer dreams of earning millions. What he wants is to elevate his Tracma system into the national consciousness.
He also intends to write a book about his life, just to separate the facts and the myths about Trovador Ramos.
What does TRACMA mean and when did it start?
TRACMA started in 1957 with the name IRCJK, which means International Real Combat Judo Karate. Later on it was changed to TRACMA when master (Trovador Ramos) was in Singapore. TRACMA stands for Trovador Ramos Consolidated Martial Arts and was registered in Singapore. When he came back here in the Philippines in the 1970s, it was registered here as TRACMA but with a new meaning - Trovador Ramos Asian Consolidated Martial Arts. This was after he (Trovador Ramos) fought Bruce Lee. Many foreigners were asking what kind of a martial art is TRACMA and we always say that this is an original Asian martial art founded by Master Trovador Ramos. Then in 1999, we incorporated (the school) with my brother and sisters and changed the meaning to Trovador Ramos Academy of Consolidated Martial Arts. The former incorporators of TRACMA are no longer active and some have passed away
Among the modern ones, I have included the art developed by Trovador Ramos, TRACMA, because the practitioners make a unique public claim that the founder once sparred with Bruce Lee and beat him. They even have a picture that I have not seen. I have asked several old-timers about this and they are divided in opinion whether this actually happened or not. I have seen Tracma techniques, and they look very effective. Trovador Ramos was a strong man, and a student told me he crushed a bamboo rod with a grip. It is not as exposed as the other arts because the club caters mostly to the Iglesia ni Cristo (Church of Christ) sect. They join full-contact matches and have done pretty well in the ring.
TROVADOR RAMOS Filmography
1973 - A Tooth For A Tooth/The Japanese Connection [Hong Kong, directed by Joseph Velasco for Goldig Films]
1973 - The Opium Trail/Deadly China Doll [Taiwan, starring Angela Mao]
1973 - Kung Fu King [Hong Kong, directed by Joseph Velasco for Filmline Enterprises]
1974 - The Chinese Mack/Martial Arts/Fists Of Betrayal [Hong Kong, starring Bruce Le and produced by Black Cat Film Co]
1974 - Red Belt Master [Philippines, co-starring Rommel Valdez]
1975 - Sandugo [Philippines]
1975 - Gambling For Head/Savage Barbarian [Hong Kong, produced by the Hong Kong Alpha Motion Picture Co.]
1976 - Big Fist [Philippines]
*1976 - Shaolin Master [Philippines, co-starring Rey Malonzo]
1979 - Suspect No. 1 [Philippines]
1979 - Showdown Of Martial Arts [Philippines, co-starring Rey Malonzo]
1980 - Marahas ... Maganda ... Matatag ...! [Philippines]
2000 - Burador (Ang Babaing Sugo) [Philippines]
2002 - Walang Iwanan... Peksman! [Philippines]
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