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Martial arts legend 'Judo' Gene LeBell dies at 89 - MMA Fighting You deserve every bit of it! Joseph Davis, Gene is truly a genuine Good person and a great friend. In a fifty year career of high falls and fist fights, Gene LeBell has crashed cars, jumped motorcycles, wrestled bears, incited riots and fought some of the deadliest men in the world. After spending time training Judo overseas in Japan at the Kodokan, in 1954 the 22 year old Gene Lebell would capture both the heavyweight and the overall Judo Championships. Sugar Ray Robinson. Instructed through brutal tutorials by professional wrestlers and old-school masters, he developed adult skills by 13. Wrestlers & MMA stars pay tribute to Gene LeBell. Gene LeBell heard about the proclamation and decided to take Seagal up on the challenge. . Could James Harden Potentially Return to Houston After the Season? "I learned the [LeBell Lock] from a guy named Neil Melanson," Danielson told the WWE website in 2010. Today we will take a look at just a fraction of it. We couldnt prouder. Roberts, Nobody in the world more respected!! People gather to celebrate the life of Judo Gene LeBell on what would have been his 90th birthday at Hayastan MMA Academy in North Hollywood Sunday, October 9, 2022. His death was announced by Kellie Cunningham, his trustee and business manager, who did not. Matt and Craig talk Oscar tactics and more, then later end the show with a prediction about Chris Rocks live comedy special on Netflix, Rachel and Callie also talk all the Bravo news of the week, By submitting your email, you agree to our. Gene LeBell has three children Monica, Danny, and David. Born in Los Angeles in 1932, LeBell was shipped off to a military. [2] He worked on over 1,000 films and TV shows and authored 12 books. He is, and always has been, a perfect example of what a professional stuntman should be and continues to teach and hand down his vast knowledge to all young and old who want to learn. On the day of the match, Savage appeared wearing a karategi instead, much tighter and harder to grab. However, the writing was on the wall for Savage: LeBell threw and then mounted the boxer in the second round, although he couldnt secure a finish, then hip-tossed him in the fourth round before using a gi choke to render his foe unconsciousmuch to the displeasure of the crowd, which was unused to seeing people choked in this way. I love you Gene and I am very proud of your accomplishments in our business. Cheers! A notable one was the 'Hot Rod' himself, 'Rowdy' Roddy Piper. LeBell was never a main-event star in wrestling and by even the most generous assessment wasnt exactly a crowd-pleaser in the ring. He was acquitted of the murder charge but convicted as an accessory for driving the convicted murderer, pornographer Jack Ginsburgs, to and from the murder scene. Most of his notoriety came after the release of his biggest film, Enter the Dragon, that same year. An agreement was reached for the match to last five rounds, each lasting three minutes. When he entered the 1954 AAU National Judo championship as a lightly regarded 160-pound heavyweight, he pinned 1952 Pan American Games gold medalist Johnny Osako in his first match, then went on to win both his weight class as well as the overall tournament. The Life & Legend of "Judo" Gene LeBell - POST Wrestling Heffay Cadiente, Big congrats Uncle Gene! Steven Seagal was a highly trained aikido expert and because of this, he would proclaim to the world that he was immune to choking. To his surprise, he learned his opponent would not be Beck but a higher regarded boxer, Milo Savage, who also had a background in amateur wrestling. Gene LeBell - IMDb Freddie Blassie. [8], After returning to the United States, LeBell competed as a heavyweight. Gene LeBell is a legend in the world of MMA and Martial Arts. This is his wish, to do this, and I promised him that Im going to do this on his birthday, and I keep my promise today.. In the stunt world, I get a pretty doggone good retirement from SAG and AFTRAand I can still work.. Did Judo Gene Lebell defeat Bruce Lee? If not, would Bruce Lee - Quora Neil Melanson Beck engaged in abundant trash-talk, but revealed a very limited knowledge of martial arts, seemingly mistaking judo for karate. Gene LeBell had thousands of students over the years. Why Are American Teens So Unhappy? The simplest version of the tale has Seagal boasting that he couldnt be choked out, and LeBell, then in his 50s and significantly smaller than the 6-foot-4 actor, going behind the star, then taking him to the ground and choking him out. Love you brother congratulations! David would look at me glassy eyed and say No you dont! Still, he continued to get regular stunt work on TV. LeBell authored at least twelve books, including: On this Wikipedia the language links are at the top of the page across from the article title. To succeed in the NFL, hell need to be an outlier among outliers. People called him the Toughest Man Alive. Without locking the hold, Seagal side stepped and swung his forearm backwards into his crotch. R.I.P. legendary wrestler and stunt performer Gene LeBell - The A.V. Club Unfortunately, Bruce Lee passed away a few years later in 1973. The late 'Judo' Gene LeBell's 90th birthday is celebrated by 200 friends, students, family LeBell's top student, Gokor Chivichyan, held the event at his martial arts academy, remembering a . Legendary MMA Trainer Gene LeBell Has Passed Away At 89 UFC 285 Preview: Can Jon Jones Turn Back the Clock? Gene LeBell, Famed Stuntman and "Godfather of Grappling," Dies at 89 Ivan Judo Gene LeBell (October 9, 1932 August 9, 2022) was an American martial artist, stunt performer, actor, and professional wrestler. I was told that all the judo and karate people were not making any money at that time; they were starving, LeBell recalled in that interview. It goes to a great man of strength, integrity and honor. He would also occasionally wrestle in a disguise as The Hangman. In his book Shooters: The Toughest Men in Professional Wrestling, long-time MMA journalist Jonathan Snowden described LeBell as a horrible professional wrestler from a technical perspective, a tough guy who looked soft in the ring and remained stuck on the undercard of his brother Mike LeBells wrestling events, wrestling under his own name or beneath a mask as the Hangman. He did claim to have won the NWA World Heavyweight Championship in 1960 from Pat OConnor in a match in Dory Funks Amarillo, Texas, territory, repeating this assertion to both Black Belt and Sports Illustrated, but the victory was almost certainly part of a wrestling story line, with LeBell accidentally striking the Texas wrestling commissioner with the belt and forcing its immediate return to OConnor. Gene LeBell, a renowned stuntman who trained Bruce Lee and inspired the likes of Quentin Tarantino, died in his sleep Tuesday morning at his home in Sherman Oaks, California, according to The Hollywood Reporter. At Hayastan MMA Academy, the focus is to teach our students a variety of Martial Art disciplines - We specialize in Judo, Sambo, Wrestling, Gi and No Gi Grappling, Boxing, Kickboxing and MMA. Little Mo and Lou, Uncle Gene has been a trusted mentor, ardent Sensei and dear friend to me and countless other stunt people throughout the years. His mother, Aileen Eaton, was a promoter at the Olympic Auditorium in Los Angeles, where she promoted boxing and wrestling events and raised Gene and his brother Mike all by her lonesome. Gene LeBell Record, Net Worth, Weight, Age & More. Gene has trained with numerous other world champion martial artists includingChuck Norris,Bill Wallace, andBenny Urquidez. He will be missed by all who knew and loved him, especially us. His first match would be against the highly ranked judoka John Osako. "Judo" Gene LeBell the "Godfather of Grappling" was both a renowned ex-world champion in both wrestling/judo, and one of Hollywood's busiest stuntmen. ", "Gene LeBell and Ronda Rousey's golden lineage", "Killer's Impending Parole Scuttled by Extortion Plot", "Los Angeles Stirred by Detective's Mysterious Death", "Judo legend Gene LeBell passes away aged 89 years old", "Gene LeBell, Famed Stuntman and "Godfather of Grappling," Dies at 89", "NWA Hall of Fame Class for 2011 announced", "North American Heavyweight Title (W. Texas)", Seagal vs LeBell resolved Fact, Fiction & Eye-Witness Testimony on the Urban Legend, https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Gene_LeBell&oldid=1141444745, NWA "Beat the Champ" Television Champions, Articles lacking reliable references from May 2021, Short description is different from Wikidata, Articles needing additional references from May 2021, All articles needing additional references, All Wikipedia articles written in American English, Pages using embedded infobox templates with the title parameter, Articles with unsourced statements from May 2021, Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike License 3.0, This page was last edited on 25 February 2023, at 02:59. It wasnt exactly an elite-level boxer facing down a grappler, but it did offer a variation on the Ultimate Fighting Championship model that LeBells long-time acquaintances, the Gracie family, would partner with Bob Meyrowitz to launch in 1993right down to the initial audience confusion and cautious feeling-out process between the athletes. The Bahamas Wrestling Association: Black Wrestling and the Birth of a Nation. So well deserved!! [18], LeBell has worked on over 1,000 films, TV shows and commercials as a stuntman or as an actor (including multiple appearances as himself). Youve not only accomplished a great name in our industry but many,many brothers and sister stunt people that admire and love you very much. Each speaker spoke fondly of the larger-than-life LeBell, recounting stories and memories of how he inspired them and the love they felt for him. Who's The Real "Father Of MMA"? 10 Fighters More Deserving Of The A long overdue, but well deserved award. The combatants were initially cautious, with LeBell being the first in pressing the action by attempting to throw Savage down. However, he had one last sports achievement on the horizon: an actual mixed martial arts boutsaid by some to be the first of its kind, though there were boxer-versus-wrestler antecedents in prior decadesin 1963 against middleweight boxing gatekeeper Milo Savage, whose lengthy career was winding down. LeBell is back in the limelight on the 50th anniversary of what's considered the first notable mixed martial arts fight in the United States, even though the term wasn't used: His Dec. 2, 1963 . 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For LeBell, one martial art naturally flowed into another; they were already mixing together in his curious mind. He subsequently dominated auditions for the role of Mr. Kryptonite in the Superman TV series, which ran from 1952 to 1958; actor George Reeves, who played the Man of Steel, hired him on the spot after seeing his high-flying judo rolls and flips. [citation needed], On March 23, 1991, LeBell was awarded the Honorary "Reel" Membership by the Ring of Friendship of the Cauliflower Alley Club. Ill be there to shake your hand tomorrow. (Photo by Hans Gutknecht, Los Angeles Daily News/SCNG). After earning these titles, LeBell made the transition to professional wrestling because of the promise of better earnings in the sport. LeBell was the third man inside the ring of one of the most famous matches in Japanese history and one that had worldwide attention. Eager to claim the $1,000 purseId fight my grandmother for $1,000, but shed have beaten me, LeBell saidthe judoka found himself facing not Beck but Savage, who not only was an accomplished professional boxer but a man with a solid knowledge of wrestling fundamentals. Home | hayastanmma LeBell was still teaching grappling and doing stunts in his 70s. Way to go Uncle Gene!!! Stunts Unlimited Member Gene LeBell was presented with the Taurus Lifetime Achievement Award on Saturday, May 13th, 2017 for his outstanding contribution to the world of action feature films. Bruce Lee - Wikipedia Gene LeBell, iconic martial arts pioneer, dies at the age of 89 [29], LeBell was arrested, charged with, and tried for the July 1976 murder of private investigator Robert Duke Hall. LeBell was also a judo and grappling prodigy. "Judo" Gene LeBell | The Godfather of Grappling "My . So they said I could make good money in professional wrestling, which I did. Tough Guys Wear Pink in Any Color, Judo Master and Film Stuntman Gene Ivan "Judo" Gene LeBell (October 9, 1932 - August 9, 2022) was an American martial artist, stunt performer, actor, and professional wrestler. AEW, Triple H & WWE acknowledged LeBell's influence. This is very much deserved. LeBell also gained notoriety for the way he dealt with the notoriously eccentric and aggressive Steven Seagal on the set of the 1991 film Out for Justice. A celebration of his life will be held on his 90thBirthday October 9th, 2022 at the Hayastan Academy led by his student, Black Belt Hall of Fame Member - Gokor Chivichyan. Gene LeBell - Alchetron, The Free Social Encyclopedia [7][9] The unusual stipulations convinced LeBell the Savage camp, far from being ignorant about martial arts, had trained Savage in judo in order to defend against LeBell's throws. At 12 LeBell took up judo. (James C. Udel, Variety, 2018), A fight scene on the sitcom The Adventures of Ozzie and Harriet earned LeBell his SAG card. Something went wrong. He was 89. Two hundred of his friends, students, and family gathered at Hayastan MMA Academy in North. He went on to win the both the Heavyweight and overall champion title 1955 as well. Some of his vast television credits includeThe Jack Benny Program (1962), The Man from U.N.C.L.E (1965) The Green Hornet (1965), Mission: Impossible (1966), I Spy (1965), The Wild Wild West (1965), Bonanza (1968), Kung Fu (1972), Beretta (1975), Starsky and Hutch (1975), Fantasy Island (1979), The Greatest American Hero (1981), Married with Children (1987), Baywatch (1989), The Tonight Show with Jay Leno (1992), Walker Texas Ranger (1993), That 70s Show (1998), The X-Files (2000), The Shield (2002), Reno 911 (2003), 24 (2010) and Jimmy Kimmel Live. Gene LeBell, Famed Stuntman and "Godfather of Grappling," Dies at 89 A martial artist and judo champion, he taught Bruce Lee, fought in an early mixed martial arts fight and served as an. The tributes for "Judo" Gene LeBell, who died on August 9, 2022, at age 89, poured in after news of his passing starting circulating. Gene LeBell Honored with Lifetime Achievement Award Where Are They Now: Stuntman Gene LeBell - Variety He is the author of 12 martial arts books. LeBells years of stunt work and fight choreography also introduced grappling to the world of action movies, where it is now commonplace to see fighters turned actors such as Randy Couture and Gina Carano using submission holds in their action sequences. LeBell accompanied Ronda Rousey to the cage for some of her MMA matches in recent years, and served as a MMA judge through 2018. As a stuntman, Gene has worked on more than 1000 film and television projects during a career that has spanned over 50 years. He was a Nevada and California Athletic Commission judge. Ivan Gene LeBell (October 9, 1932 - August 9, 2022) was an American martial artist, instructor, stunt performer, and professional wrestler. We cant have blood! Gaffer tape stanched the bleeding, and LeBell managed six more takes. With a background in judo and jiu-jitsu, LeBell was the mastermind behind some of the greatest fighters in the world. Gene LeBell has had a number of notable students throughout the years, from Hollywood legends like Chuck Norris and Roddy Pipper, to martial arts masters such as Gokor Chivichyan, Karo Parisyan, Ronda Rousey, Neil Melanson, Ed Parker and Benny "The Jet" Urquidez to name a few. Seagal himself denies the entire situation, calling LeBell a sick, pathological scumbag liar, though even Seagals former bodyguard Steven Lambert tells a version of the story that has Seagal attempting to resist LeBells application of the hold before winding up on the ground, though remaining conscious throughout. All the best! He had spent time in Japan training at the Kodokan. However, in his excitement Gene swung the title belt around his head, which accidentally hit one of the wrestling commissioners on the head, causing a nasty gash. Gene LeBell was promoted to 9th degree in jujitsu and taihojutsu in 2000 by the United States Ju-Jitsu (USJJF) Ju Jitsu Federation. He was set to compete the following day and being a Saturday evening when he received the now colored uniform, he had to compete in the pink uniform. Mike Massa, Congratulations Gene!! Muhammad Ali. It was agreed that the match would last five 3 three minute rounds. Congrats Rick Avery, Congratulations Uncle Gene! LeBell, preferring to let others do the talking for him, told MMA journalist Ariel Helwani in 2012 that if thirty people are watching, let them talk about it.. Hamstrung by rules barring takedowns, strikes on the ground, and submission holds, the fight devolved into a tedious 15-round affair in which Ali taunted and showboated while Inoki crab-walked along the mat, kicking Alis legs. He is the greatest!! A student of catch wrestling titans Lou Thesz, Karl Gotch, and Ed "Strangler" Lewis, LeBell's notable students include Bruce Lee, Chuck Norris, Benny "The Jet" Urquidez, "Rowdy" Roddy Piper and Ronda Rousey. Im proud to be a friend of yours for over 50 years. [17] Ultimately, nothing came from it. "Judo" Gene LeBelle Passes Away At Age 89 | Rajah.com The pictures above are from the TV show Fall Guy and I told Gene I didnt want to hit him on the bike and he said I dont want you to hit me eitheryou may hurt yourself. Congratulations Gene, you earned this award and no one in this world is taking it away from the Toughest man Alive. Jack Gill. [7][10] Savage even attempted to sweep the judoka in one instance. In Loving Memory of Judo Gene LeBell, 1932-2022 Bruce Lee Scene in Once Upon A Time in Hollywood Was Inspired By Gene Chuck Norris. Tanner Gill, Congrats Uncle Gene!! August 10, 2022 11:30 am ET. Gene LeBell's net worth is estimated to be approximately $6 million dollars. The toughest man alive by Gene LeBell . Then consider checking: 100 Cummings Ctr. He has trained several notable students including Bruce Lee, Chuck Norris, and Ronda Rousey. Present-day UFC fans probably best remember him from his time spent wielding a stopwatch in the corner of his protege, Ronda Rousey, while wrestling fans might know his name from when Daniel Bryan used to call his finisher the LeBell Lock. But despite that, the MMA pioneer isnt a household name, which is a shame, because if youre a fan of combat sports, he absolutely should be. His talent in his field was known worldwide and those that got to know him knew he had a heart that matched that talent, the groups statement added. [10] LeBell tried several techniques through the second and third rounds and was finally successful in taking Savage down, but Savage kept defending both standing and on the ground in a very technical manner, seemingly confirming LeBell's theory about his opponent's grappling training. After an illustrious judo career, Gene tried his hand at professional wrestling, and actually won the heavyweight title in Amarillo, Texas. The Alabama passer is one of the smallest QB prospects to be pegged as a first-round pick. Grand Master Leg Locks by Gokor Chivichyan. Professional wrestler Bas Rutten announced LeBell's death via Facebook, writing, "You will be greatly missed Gene, "My name is Gene LeBell. LeBell came off the floor by a few feet. In addition to Bruce Lee and Chuck Norris, LeBell also tutored the likes of Roddy Piper (who claimed in his autobiography to have received a black belt in judo from LeBell, though this is likely as spurious as the impossible-to-verify Golden Gloves championship he was sometimes reported as having won), Olympic bronze medalist judoka and future UFC and WWE star Ronda Rousey (who always cited him as an important mentor), American judo champion and instructor Gokor Chivichyan, and Chivichyans Armenian American judo student Karo Parisyan, one of the first notable judo practitioners in the UFC. Gene LeBell was born on October 9, 1932. Enjoyed reading about Gene Lebell? Sammy Horowitz, Congratulations Gene, its about time you were acknowledged for your amazing contribution to the stunt world. [3][4], In 2000, the United States Ju-Jitsu Federation (USJJF) promoted LeBell to 9th dan in jujitsu and taihojutsu. Proud to know you, much love Brent Fletcher, Very proud to have been your student for so many years There is no one prettier than you Sensai You are truly a legend and I can not think of anyone more deserving for this award!!! Mike Smith, Congratulations on this most deserving award for a really great guy. The grappling club master . Plus, does starting Tyrese Maxey versus DeAnthony Melton make a difference on the defensive end? Gene LeBell is currently married to Wendy LeBell whom he married in 1977. Almost everyone present to honor him wore a Gene LeBell tee-shirt, and his widow Midge sported a sweater covered in patches that LeBell made over the years to give out to fans for souvenirs. (James C. Udel, Variety, 2018). Ronda Rousey, Bryan Danielson, and many more idolized the . You always got the cool moves to Choke em Out .. stay healthy my friend .. Love, Troy Gilbert, Unreal. LeBells wrestling fortunes variedhis brother Mike told Sports Illustrated in 1995 that he had fired Gene on several occasions, noting that sometimes even I thought he was crazybut his career continued its upward trajectory as he moved into the Hollywood stunt work that would see him participating in thousands of projects over the years. He was acquitted and continued performing stunts for the big and small screen, alike. Big hug and a kiss! Chuck & Charlotte Waters, Special man and amazing human being, so deserving of this recognition. You don't earn the nickname 'Judo' without knowing a thing or two about combat; just ask Steven Seagal. While working at the stunt coordinator for Seagal's film Out for Justice, the two of them met to test Seagal's statement. He started training in catch wrestling and boxing from his early childhood, influenced by his mother, "Red Head" Aileen Eaton, a promoter of both sports who owned the Olympic Auditorium in Los Angeles. Heavyweight and Overall Judo Championships in 1954, and again in 1955 - long before Judo became an Olympic sport and was broadly appreciated in the western world. [8] Gene also wrestled under a black mask as The Hangman, teaming up with Roy Staggs. Within seconds, Savage fell unconscious and LeBell was declared the winner. Gene LeBell | Profile with News, Stats, Age & Height - Sports Pundit According to Lambert, Seagal explained to LeBell that he did not believe his choke hold was effective, and that he could escape from it. Well deserved my friend, and sensei!