Abbas Alizada, 20, bears a striking resemblance to Bruce Lee — he even has the haircut to match —and the Internet is taking notice.
Videos and photos of the Kabul, Afghanistan, native have been posted on the Facebook page “Bruce Hazara,” showing off his impressive Bruce Lee-like back flips and martial-arts moves.
Alizada hopes the recent attention will help him achieve greater fame.
“I want to be a champion in my country and a Hollywood star,” Alizada told Reuters at Kabul’s desolate Darul Aman palace, where he trains twice a week.
He called Lee a “childhood hero” and his greatest inspiration. Since childhood, Alizada has been trying to emulate Lee’s moves and style.
Alizada is from a poor family of 10 children. Despite his parents not being able to afford to have him study wushu, a full-contact Chinese mixed martial art, the trainer spotted potential and trained him anyway.
In a recent wushu competition, he placed first in his category.
Alizada has also learned to use nunchucks with ease
Alizada hopes his recent online popularity will lead to greater opportunities for himself — and change perceptions of his home country.
“The destruction here makes me sad, but it also inspires me,” he told Reuters. “The only news that comes from Afghanistan is about war… I am happy that my story is a positive one.”