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.. Jimmy Roberts, Gene youve always told me Im the best but your THE GREATEST Love ya, Manny Perry, I owe everything to Gene. Congratulations Uncle Gene! McCarthy, veteran actress Karen Black and legendary wrestling and martial arts teacher famous for Bruce Lee and Chuck Norris. If I have seen further it has been by standing on the shoulders of giants like you!! (Photo by Hans Gutknecht, Los Angeles Daily News/SCNG), Former UFC Heavyweight Champion Josh Barnett, talks about Judo Gene LeBell during a celebration of LeBells life on what would have been his 90th birthday at Hayastan MMA Academy in North Hollywood Sunday, October 9, 2022. This set the Japanese crowd livid, as it was considered very insulting, but they somewhat calmed down after LeBell went on to win his division. What are you doing? LeBell remembers the helmer lamenting. UFC 285 Preview: Can Jon Jones Turn Back the Clock? [12] Finally, he performed a left harai goshi in the fourth round and followed by locking a rear naked choke. (Photo by Hans Gutknecht, Los Angeles Daily News/SCNG), Former UFC Champion and WWE star Ronda Rousey talks about her friend and mentor Judo Gene LeBell during a celebration of his life on what would have been his 90th birthday at Hayastan MMA Academy in North Hollywood Sunday, October 9, 2022.
Gene LeBell, Famed Stuntman and "Godfather of Grappling," Dies at 89 Mike Massa, Congratulations Gene!! (Photo by Hans Gutknecht, Los Angeles Daily News/SCNG), AnnMaria De Mars (L), with her daughter former UFC Champion and WWE star Ronda Rousey and Rouseys daughter Po, pose for a photo with Midge LeBell, wife of Judo Gene LeBell, during a celebration of his life on what would have been Genes 90th birthday at Hayastan MMA Academy in North Hollywood Sunday, October 9, 2022. Ronda Rousey, Bryan Danielson, and many more idolized the . Well deserved my friend, and sensei! [7][10] Savage even attempted to sweep the judoka in one instance. The boxer's camp even went as far to argue for the stipulation that Savage could use any type of punch, but the judoka could not kick or use takedowns under the waist. He has trained several notable students including Bruce Lee, Chuck Norris, and Ronda Rousey. LeBell, whom many credit for bringing judo into mixed martial arts, served as a mentor to former UFC champion Ronda Rousey throughout her MMA run, but his roots run much deeper. 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. He was seen in Rousey's corner during matches and celebrated her victories with her. . In June of 1976, LeBell served as the referee during the infamous boxing versus wrestling match between Muhammad Ali and Antonio Inoki in Japan. Beck engaged in abundant trash-talk, but revealed a very limited knowledge of martial arts, seemingly mistaking judo for karate. The program featured several other martial artists including Graciela Casilas, Karen Sheperd, Victor Ledbetter, Steve Sanders, brothers Benny and Reuben Urquidez, and Dave Vaden. A long overdue, but well deserved award. Long overdue! Gene LeBell's net worth is estimated to be approximately $6 million dollars. Congratulations Gene. Well deserved my hat is off to you sir!!! 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. 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. However, Gene LeBell was a 10th degree judo black belt and one of the toughest men on the planet, so the director knew this wouldn't happen to him. 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. So to be a martial artist of his degree in the art of Judo is incredible; to be a pro wrestler of that level, incredible; but then to go into stunts and the motorcycle riding and the acting and everything else. With only one uniform in his luggage, he wore the pink gi in Japan, and beat the competition. Meet the real life Cliff Booth from 'Once Upon a Time in Hollywood', "Gene LeBell vs Milo Savage: Gene LeBell Saved Martial Arts", "Matches Gene LeBell Wrestlers Database CAGEMATCH - the Internet Wrestling Database", "TOUGH GUYS WEAR PINK IN ANY COLOR, JUDO MASTER AND FILM STUNTMAN GENE LEBELL IS ONE HARD HOMBRE", Gene LeBell talks Steven Seagal s-ing himself, https://www.mmafighting.com/strikeforce/2012/3/11/2858055/judo-gene-lebell-ronda-rousey-mma-judging-choking-out-steven-segal, Steven Seagal denies Gene LeBell made him poop his pants, "Ronda Rousey: 'If Steven Seagal says anything about Gene LeBell to my face, I'll make him crap his pants', "Truth Finally Revealed on Seagal and LeBell According to Actual Eyewitness Steven Lambert Testimony! Lance Gilbert, Gene , you are surely deserving of this achievement even though your humility wont allow you to agree with us. Chuck Norris. LeBells top student, Gokor Chivichyan, hosted the event at his martial arts academy to celebrate the life of his mentor and close friend.
Bruce Lee Scene in Once Upon A Time in Hollywood Was Inspired By Gene On March 18, 1995, the Cauliflower Alley Club again honored LeBell by presenting him with the "Iron Mike Mazurki" award; presented by one of his teachers, legendary professional wrestling champion Lou Thesz. Mike Smith, Congratulations on this most deserving award for a really great guy. He will always be my Stunt Senei.
Wrestling, MMA, movie worlds pay tribute to Judo Gene LeBell "My . LeBell established himself as a martial artist long before he moved to Hollywood. He also had 8 grandchildren. After his competitive career, Gene LeBell and his brother Mike would run the National Wrestling Alliance's Los Angeles region between 1968 and 1982. Gene LeBell has three children Monica, Danny, and David.
Who's The Real "Father Of MMA"? 10 Fighters More Deserving Of The [2] [29], LeBell was arrested, charged with, and tried for the July 1976 murder of private investigator Robert Duke Hall. I thought I was the only one. Seems like yesterday, lifes crazy like that, huh? The latter then accepted, but only if LeBell could drop 100 pounds to reach his weight, otherwise he would have to face Royce's brothers, similarly 20 years younger than LeBell though still lighter than him. Two hundred of his friends, students, and family gathered at Hayastan MMA Academy in North Hollywood to celebrate his storied life and remember how he touched each of them in a way only LeBell could. 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. [7], LeBell was requested to confirm the story publicly in an interview with Ariel Helwani in 2012, but he avoided answering the question, albeit implying that the incident was true. After getting his black belt, he went to Japan to train in judo at the Kodokan. LeBell is also a writer and has penned a dozen books on martial arts. There has also been rumors that the unconscious Seagal may have soiled himself. Craig Frosty Silva, Gene LeBell What can anybody tell you about Gene LeBell? The Ploys and Tactics Behind Oscar Campaigning, A Secret Laundromat Meetup, New Jersey Episode 4, and Potomac Reunion Part 2. Osu J.J. Perry, Gene, Ill never forget the time on set, when you let me try and choke you out. Seagal has later flatly denied the claim and LeBell has not gone as far to 100% confirm, though his student and long time friend Ronda Rousey has stood up for LeBell's honor in interviews. He worked on over 1,000 movies and wrote a dozen books.
"Judo" Gene LeBell Tribute - YouTube [20], LeBell is associated with Gokor Chivichyan's Hayastan MMA Academy where he taught grappling classes. Gene LeBell is currently married to Wendy LeBell whom he married in 1977. As described in Jonathan Snowdens Shooters, the match was a gripping affair, with the gripping part complicated by the fact that instead of wearing a loose judo gi, as he had promised, Savage instead showed up in a tighter-fitting karate gi intended to make it difficult for LeBell to grab and hold him (below-the-waist takedowns of the sort that LeBell believed to be most effective against boxers were barred). 'The Godfather of Grappling' evolved to be a popular figure in the martial arts world after he extended to various other forms of sports, including judo and mixed martial arts. 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. Beck engaged in a great deal of pre-fight trash talk, but it was clear that he had very little knowledge of Japanese martial arts even going as far as confusing traditional judo for karate.
The Legendary Gene LeBell Passes Away at 89 - Wrestling Headlines His very first match was against John Osako, one of the highest ranked judokas at the national level. LeBell served as the inspiration for Brad Pitt's character in Quentin Tarantino's "Once Upon a Time in Hollywood.. Gene Lebell, who had an acting and stunt career that stretched from The Adventures of Ozzie . Heffay Cadiente, Big congrats Uncle Gene! The Hollywood Reporter: Gene LeBell, Famed Stuntman and Godfather of Grappling, Dies at 89, Deadline: Gene LeBell Dies: Stuntman, Actor And Wrestling Legend Who Fought Bruce Lee & Chuck Norris Onscreen Was 89, MMA Fighting: Toughest man I know: Pros react to pioneer Judo Gene LeBells death, The Huffington Post: Gene LeBell, Famed Stuntman, Martial Artist And Bruce Lees Teacher Dies At 89. Some have pointed out that LeBell making easy work of Lee on set may have inspired the scene in Quentin Tarantinos Once Upon a Time in Hollywood in which Brad Pitt, playing veteran stuntman Cliff Booth, has his way with Bruce Lee (played by actor and martial artist Mike Moh) in an on-set sparring match. Within seconds, Savage fell unconscious and LeBell was declared the winner. Gene LeBell's most famous match was his match with boxer/wrestler Milo Savage. Gene taught my three sons how to take every day life in the training under Gene. Whether through his chokes or his jokes, Gene LeBell has been an inspiration for more people than he will ever realize. [6], Ivan Gene LeBell was born in Los Angeles, California.
Gene LeBell Dead: Stuntman, Actor And Wrestling Legend Was 89 - Deadline Christian Fletcher, Congratulations Gene! Hey Gene which way to the Beach? Despite this long legacy in the worlds of pro wrestling and MMA, LeBell, always chasing the smart money, never hung around too long on the mat in either sport: Theres only 1 in 1,000 MMA fighters who make money, he told Black Belt magazine in 2014. LeBell has also worked on over 1,000 films and TV shows and has authored 12 books. 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. judo. In return, the boxer's camp agreed that he would wear a Judo Gi or uniform, although he ultimately wore a Karate Gi which fit much tighter and was more difficult to grab onto. The award couldnt be given to a better or greater person, that trained many motion pictures stuntmen in and out of the motion picture Industry. Freddie Blassie, who starred for Aileen Eaton and Mike LeBell for decades, wrote in his autobiography Legends of Wrestling: Listen, You Pencil Neck Geeks that LeBells believability in the ring wasnt what mattered to Mike and Aileenit was his credibility: When the family needed an enforcer to step into the ring with a wrestler who didnt want to go along with the program, all they had to do was open Genes bedroom door and tell him to get into his wrestling gear.. And Thank You for all those Decals and Patches you sent Charlotte and I each Christmas. He judged UFC 74 (Randy Couture vs. Gabriel Gonzaga) plus he had a highly popular website visited by martial arts and film fans all over the globe. Gene LeBell Record, Net Worth, Weight, Age & More. (Photo by Hans Gutknecht, Los Angeles Daily News/SCNG), Former UFC Champion and WWE star Ronda Rousey talks with Midge LeBell wife of Judo Gene LeBell during a celebration of his life on what would have been Genes 90th birthday at Hayastan MMA Academy in North Hollywood Sunday, October 9, 2022. 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. Two hundred of his friends, students, and family gathered at Hayastan MMA Academy in North. Please enter a valid email and try again.
LeBell, Gene [WorldCat Identities] I wont say rest easy because we just dont see that happening with Gene. Jim Winburn, Long time coming Papa Gene. [7] LeBell took up catch wrestling under Ed "Strangler" Lewis at age 7, and later moved to train in judo. Jimmy Halty, Congratulations Gene. While working at the stunt coordinator for Seagal's film Out for Justice, the two of them met to test Seagal's statement. Will Bowman, Well deserved! He was 89.
The late 'Judo' Gene LeBell's 90th birthday is celebrated by 200 There is no one alive on this planet that deserves this Life Time Achievement Award more than you. Bottles, chairs, and other debris were thrown into the ring. LeBell demonstrated the choke hold by putting it on Seagal. An incredible life being rightfully recognized. [4] LeBell appeared in three Elvis Presley movies as a minor character who starts a fight with the character played by Presley.
Interview with Gene LeBell - Kung-fu Kingdom We cant have blood! Gaffer tape stanched the bleeding, and LeBell managed six more takes. As wellback in the day..i drove out to ride motos with Gene & some friends at his area in Frazier Park. Contents Roddy Piper Talks MMA and Judo Gene LeBell Judo Gene LeBell was famous for his catch wrestling technique that later became an influence in both pro wrestling and mixed martial arts. "[22] After being asked whether he was not going to directly confirm it, LeBell said: "Well, if thirty people are watching, let them talk about it. Congratulations! We ask all these burning questions, and more! Craig Hosking, Congratulations Gene you are a legend! For similar uses, see, MMA History Gene Lebell VS Milo Savage, 1963, The Godfather of Grappling (authorised biography of LeBell) by "Judo" Gene LeBell, Bob Calhoun, George Foon, and Noelle Kim. With a background in judo and jiu-jitsu, LeBell was the mastermind behind some of the greatest fighters in the world. At 12 LeBell took up judo. And in February, 2005 Gene LeBell was promoted to 9th degree black belt in judo by USJJF. Something went wrong. He was born in Los Angeles, California. It hurt. The grappling club master . Many modern-day MMA fans recognize LeBell as the one who is present in many of Rousey's early games, coaching her on. Ill toast you from Texas! Michael Hughes, Thank you for being such an influence and inspiration to MANY! Freddy Bouceigues, No one deserves this more then you uncle Gene. wrote the Stuntmans Association of Motion Pictures in a statement to Variety, whose portrayal of an overconfident Lee by actor Mike Moh in Once Upon a Time in Hollywood spurred backlash. Hardcover - January 1, 2004.
Gene LeBell - Biography - IMDb By entering your email and clicking Sign Up, you're agreeing to let us send you customized marketing messages about us and our advertising partners. He was known as one the best stuntmen in his early days and his influence in the worlds of mixed martial arts and wrestling still. Genes feature film appearances include Blue Hawaii (1965), Planet of the Apes (1968), Raging Bull (1980), Remo Williams: The Adventure Begins (1985), Bad Guys (1986), Hard to Kill (1990), Die Hard 2 (1990), Patriot Games (1992), Ed Wood (1994), L.A. His mother, Aileen Eaton, promoted fights at the Olympic Auditorium and was the first woman inducted into the International Boxing Hall of . After, my arms were trembling with strain, you told me to stop and smiled at me, and said kid, dont quit your day job. It always put a smile on my face when you would call the SAMP office. His notable students include Rousey, WWE Hall of Famer Roddy Piper, and Chuck Norris, among others. Big hug and a kiss! Ivan Gene LeBell (October 9, 1932 - August 9, 2022) was an American martial artist, instructor, stunt performer, and professional wrestler.
The Life & Times of Gene LeBell - Black Belt Magazine G-E-N-E Capital-L-E-Capital-B-E-L-L. . 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. [7][8], Following his combat sports career, LeBell, along with his brother Mike, ran the National Wrestling Alliance's Los Angeles territory, NWA Hollywood Wrestling, from 1968 to 1982. Gene LeBell heard about the proclamation and decided to take Seagal up on the challenge. Lou Thesz. [2] He was born in Los Angeles. Colleagues, friends and fans (in most cases they qualify as all three) have contributed their congratulations to the living legend that is Judo Gene LeBell. Not long after, he began training judo. Love and Respect John C Meier, Gene, I first met you at the Olympic Auditorium many years ago, i cant believe how fast time has past, As a Great stuntman, Actor, Olympian and Teacher being Prolific to this Business you have planted many many seeds in Future Stunt men and stunt women, because of your thoughtful and kind hart this business will be Blessed with talent worthy of calling you Teacher and Friend, Your Long Lost, Brother From Another Mother, and Friend, Love You, Henry Kingi, Uncle GeneI can remember taking your class when I was a young stunt grunt. Professional wrestler Bas Rutten announced LeBell's death via Facebook, writing, "You will be greatly missed Gene,
Who was 'Judo' Gene LeBell? Martial artist, 89, was the - MEAWW However, Tarantino disputes this claim.