Its about time. 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. How Do We Solve This Crisis? Ronda Rousey, Bryan Danielson, and many more idolized the . David would look at me glassy eyed and say No you dont! Gene LeBell - Biography - IMDb 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. Seagal, a towering man who had a background in the Japanese martial art of aikido, has long battled with stunt choreographers and fight trainers on setin Shooters, Jonathan Snowden quotes Pride announcer Stephen Quadross story of engaging in an uncomfortable series of wristlock exchanges with Seagal on the set of the 2001 film Exit Woundsbut by most accounts (and there are many), his encounter with LeBell went poorly. When I first came to town in 1987, I remember trying to get my hands on one those Stunt Rate breakdown cards you used to make. Logan Holladay, Congratulations to Uncle Gene for a lifetime of stunts and terrorizing the stunt people; either riding dirt bikes or putting them to sleep. LeBell, who spent much of his later years overseeing the National Wrestling Alliance in Los Angeles, was even charged with murder when private investigator Robert Duke Hall was killed in 1976. He was born there on November 27, 1940, making him a dual Hong Kong and United States citizen by birth. It couldnt go to a better man. He won the Amateur Athletic Union National Judo Championships in 1954 and 1955 when he was 22, according to Black Belt Magazine. LeBell judged fights for several decades, but retired from it after Golden Boy Promotions: Liddell vs. Ortiz 3 on November 24, 2018. (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. A tribute to the late martial artist, stuntman, actor and pro wrestler Gene LeBell. You always got the cool moves to Choke em Out .. stay healthy my friend .. Love, Troy Gilbert, Unreal. God bless. Congratulations my brother!!! They thought of each other has good friends but Gene Lebell said he taught Bruce Lee but Bruce said they shared techniques but not as a teacher/student relationsh. Gene has trained with numerous other world champion martial artists includingChuck Norris,Bill Wallace, andBenny Urquidez. Is Golden State a sleeping giant? Nicknamed "The Godfather of Grappling", he popularized grappling in professional fighting circles, serving as a precursor to modern mixed martial arts. Well done sir! Plus, does starting Tyrese Maxey versus DeAnthony Melton make a difference on the defensive end? You were a better reference than SAG! Gene LeBell began his martial arts training at the age of 13 and went on to become the "Godfather of Grappling" and is considered by many to be the . Humbled to be 1 of many. Well deserved my friend, and sensei! Mike Smith, Congratulations on this most deserving award for a really great guy. Gene LeBell, iconic martial arts pioneer, dies at the age of 89 - Daily Today we will take a look at just a fraction of it. He is the author of 12 martial arts books. 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. LeBell demonstrated the choke hold by putting it on Seagal. Hollywood stuntman and martial artist Gene LeBell has died. He also had 8 grandchildren. Chuck Norris. Don't miss a beat. Gene LeBell (also called "Judo Gene" and "the Godfather of Grappling") went on to perform stunts in hundreds of movies, train martial artists like Chuck . Congrats Rick Avery, Congratulations Uncle Gene! He believed in me which made me believe in myself. LeBell lived long enough to learn submission wrestling from the likes of Ed Strangler Lewis, study judo in postwar Japan, win the first notable mixed martial arts match in 1963 and then referee the much-hyped but disappointing 1976 proto-MMA showdown between boxer Muhammad Ali and wrestler Antonio Inoki, trade fighting tips and blows with a young Bruce Lee on the set of The Green Hornet, allegedly choke out martial-arts action star Steven Seagal on the set of Out for Justice in 1991, and even decline an invitation to the early Ultimate Fighting Championship events when he and 82-year-old jujitsu pioneer Hlio Gracie couldnt settle on a fighting weight. LeBell has made himself the nicknames "Judo" Gene LeBell, "The Godfather of Grappling" and also "The Toughest Man Alive" for his . Gene LeBell chokes out student and he has 'accident' Gene Lebell, who had an acting and stunt career that stretched from The Adventures of Ozzie . You too? Mal, Jo, and Ben get together to talk about where the Mandalorian people are, what adventure awaits Din and Grogu, and much more. [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. LeBell was also a judo and grappling prodigy. Gene LeBell is currently married to Wendy LeBell whom he married in 1977. There is no one alive on this planet that deserves this Life Time Achievement Award more than you. On the day of the match, Savage appeared wearing a karategi instead, much tighter and harder to grab. ", "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. Ivan Gene LeBell (born October 9, 1932) is an American martial artist, instructor, stunt performer, and professional wrestler born in Los Angeles, California. While working at the stunt coordinator for Seagal's film Out for Justice, the two of them met to test Seagal's statement. When he arrived, Gene LeBell learned that he would not be fighting Beck, but instead a much more well-known boxer in Milo Savage. Tanner Gill, Congrats Uncle Gene!! judo. Although LeBell would remain undefeated in the sport for eight years, even traveling to Japan in 1955 to further his judo skillsand, following a laundry mishap, adopt the pink gi that became a signature piece of his in-ring lookhis interests were too varied to allow him to focus exclusively on one sport. "Judo" Gene LeBell Tribute - YouTube The damage inflicted definitely favored Inoki, who battered Alis legs sufficiently that the Greatest struggled with his mobility in a fight against Ken Norton later that year, but LeBellwho had Inoki slightly ahead on his own scorecard, per the account in journalist Josh Grosss book Ali vs. Inoki: The Forgotten Fight That Inspired Mixed Martial Arts and Launched Sports Entertainmentchose to deduct points for an illegal groin strike, thus affording Ali a split-decision draw that showcased how dull MMA could get without the appropriate rules in place. Karl Gotch. 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 . LeBell!!! For LeBell, one martial art naturally flowed into another; they were already mixing together in his curious mind. An additional stipulation prevented LeBell from attempting tackles or takedowns under the waist. Whether through his chokes or his jokes, Gene LeBell has been an inspiration for more people than he will ever realize. In a recent conversation with Bob Calhoun, the coauthor of LeBells autobiography The Godfather of Grappling, the judoka, then 87 years old, said he was surprised that Lee didnt try to counter me, so I think he was more surprised than anything else. In the years that followed, Lee worked with LeBell to incorporate grappling into his films, defeating Sammo Hung with an arm bar in Enter the Dragon and Chuck Norriswho would become another long-time collaborator of LeBellsvia chokehold in Way of the Dragon. The grappling club master . At four months old (April 1941), the Lee family returned to Hong Kong. Neil Melanson - Wikipedia Gene LeBell would become involved in a challenge match proposed by boxer and writer Jim Beck to all practitioners of Japanese martial arts. It is alleged that as soon as LeBell placed his arms around Seagal's neck and Seagal said "go" that LeBell choked him unconscious. According to the Hollywood Reporter, famed stunt performer Gene LeBell died on August 9 at the age of 89. LeBells roots in combat sports ran deep. He was a man that no endeavor was too tall for him to accomplish, Josh Barnett said of LeBell. After getting his black belt, he went to Japan to train in judo at the Kodokan. 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. Beck claimed that a boxer could defeat any martial artist in a straight fight and offered $1000 to anyone who could prove otherwise. Gene LeBell's net worth is estimated to be approximately $6 million dollars. Gene LeBell was born on October 09, 1932 in Los Angeles, California, United States, is Stunts, Actor, Miscellaneous Crew. Others awarded have been James Cagney, Kirk Douglas, Karl Malden, Cesar Romero, Mickey Rooney, and Sylvester Stallone (movie stars that also did boxing and wrestling). He was a Nevada and California Athletic Commission judge. However, Tarantino disputes this claim. This 1982 homevideo production, introduced by Chuck Norris and narrated by John Saxon, featured LeBell as a car thief and mugger who (in the prologue) accosts Mitsuru Yamashita and Budojujitsu creator Al Thomasmuch to LeBell's regret. LeBell earned the upset win via an osaekomi. A half-century ago, Pink Floyd unleashed a classic that still lingers on the Billboard charts and in college dorms to this day. 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. As a stuntman, LeBell reportedly endured a punch from John Wayne for the 1952 film Big Jim McLain and a kick in the face from Elvis Presley for Blue Hawaii in 1961. This match could be argued to be the first televised MMA match in history. Love ya, Bax Craig Baxley, Sr. Gene LeBell: Bruce Lee in the UFC, Ronda Rousey, if anybody can beat her, Judo in MMA, Jimmy Kimmel, Congratulations Gene..its about time!!! He was born in Los Angeles, California. Jimmy Halty, Congratulations Gene. August 10, 2022 1:24pm. Over the course of this six-decade career, LeBell had a hand in training many prominent players in the entertainment, wrestling, and MMA worlds. [20], LeBell is associated with Gokor Chivichyan's Hayastan MMA Academy where he taught grappling classes. Bruce Lee Scene in Once Upon A Time in Hollywood Was Inspired By Gene By the time he transitioned to judo in the early 1950s, LeBell had already spent untold hours in submission holds and on the receiving end of punches from boxers like the great Sugar Ray Robinson at L.A.s famous Main Street Gym. Enjoyed reading about Gene Lebell? His notable students include Rousey, WWE Hall of Famer Roddy Piper, and Chuck Norris, among others. He was a Nevada and California Athletic Commission judge. Seventeen years before the UFC debuted, though, LeBell refereed arguably the most notable mixed martial arts clash of the era, serving as the third man in the ring for the Muhammad AliAntonio Inoki superfight in Tokyo. Instructed through brutal tutorials by professional wrestlers and old-school masters, he developed adult skills by 13. LeBell's students included AnnMaria De Mars, the first American to ever win a gold medal at the World Judo Championships in 1984, and De Mars' daughter, Ronda Rousey, who became the first. Featuring "Judo" Gene LeBell's champion student "The Armenian Assassin" Gokor Chivichyan and friends." . Gene LeBell - Simple English Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia 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.. As wellback in the day..i drove out to ride motos with Gene & some friends at his area in Frazier Park. He is a two time AAU National Judo Champion and he was a professional wrestling world heavyweight champion . To prevent a full-blown riot, hometown hero and rated professional boxer Jay Fullmer (brother of boxers Gene and Don Fullmer) entered the ring to congratulate LeBell. In one scene, Brad Pitt plays a stuntman (Cliff Booth) and beats up Bruce Lee on the set of The Green Hornet in Once Upon a Time in Hollywood. 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. Love ya, Buddy Joe Hooker, My dear friend Gene. Even more appreciated by those of us choked out by you !!! Could James Harden Potentially Return to Houston After the Season? With respect, Missy OMalley-Reynolds, Uncle Gene, Thanks for never burning our house down. Never ever have I known a man so talented, having so much wisdom and experience, so giving of his knowledge and skills and yet being so humble. Over a legendary career as a judoka, pro wrestler, and Hollywood stuntman, LeBell was a pioneer in mixed martial arts and choreographed violenceand one of the toughest guys in the business. People called him the Toughest Man Alive. Ill be there to shake your hand tomorrow. Ivan Gene LeBell (October 9, 1932 - August 9, 2022) was an American martial artist, instructor, stunt performer, and professional wrestler. 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!!! With only one uniform in his luggage, he wore the pink gi in Japan, and beat the competition. 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. [5], LeBell has been reported as the inspiration for the character of Cliff Booth (Brad Pitt) in Quentin Tarantino's Once Upon a Time in Hollywood. Brandon Recor, Congratulations!!! Love you brother congratulations! In 2004, Gene Lebell was promoted to 10th degree black belt in those arts. For a time, he took on a role as "policeman" for the organization, helping to maintain order. [9], Encouraged by Ed Parker,[8] LeBell accepted the challenge and travelled to Salt Lake City to meet Beck. [9], The match took place on December 2, 1963. [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). He has trained with or taught grappling skills to many well-known wrestlers and martial artists, such as Benny "The Jet" Urquidez, Bob Wall, Chuck Norris, Ed Parker, Gokor Chivichyan, Karo Parisyan, "Rowdy" Roddy Piper, Mando Guerrero, Manny Gamburyan. All my love and respect Pat Romano, Ya ya Uncle Gene , to one of the Gilberts favorite people . The toughest man alive by Gene LeBell . 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. 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. What Really Happened When Bruce Lee Met Gene LeBell 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. Love ya !!! Lou Thesz. Congrats to the amazing living legend John Stoneham, Jr. Congratulations Gene, you know I love you, and Im so very very proud of you. His second best fight was probably his back and forth battle with 80's and 90's martial arts action star Steven Seagal. LeBell even awarded Piper a legitimate Black Belt in Judo . He was known by many as the Godfather of Grappling, and influenced fighters around the world. 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. Along with the awards received for feats in judo and grappling, LeBell was the 2005 recipient of the Frank Gotch Award in celebration of the positive recognition he brought to the sport of wrestling. I feel honored to say Ive never been choked out by the legend Gene LaBellI consider you a true friend. 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. You always tried to get me to go dirt biking with you but I never gave in. This scene is loosely based on world class Judoka Gene LeBell . Gene LeBell - Age, Bio, Faces and Birthday Allen Lopa, Congrats to a legend!! The boxer blocked the move, which aggravated an old shoulder injury of LeBell. 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. He was acquitted and continued performing stunts for the big and small screen, alike. The Alabama passer is one of the smallest QB prospects to be pegged as a first-round pick. I love you Gene and I am very proud of your accomplishments in our business. More embellished versions include details about Seagal defecating himself. Best to You Gene !! As soon as he landed, LeBell used a foot sweep to sweep Seagal off the floor, with Seagal landing on his back. After an illustrious judo career, Gene tried his hand at professional wrestling, and actually won the heavyweight title in Amarillo, Texas. He deserves this award. I tried to get your son some work but hes always at the beach. [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. It was LeBells first movieland lesson: Always let the star win. After his mother remarried, LeBell was raised near L.A.s old Olympic Auditorium. 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.. Not long after, he began training judo. 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. [10] Also, according to LeBell and other sources, Savage's gloves contained brass knuckles[9][10] and he had greased up his gi with vaseline to make gripping it more difficult. 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. R.I.P. legendary wrestler and stunt performer Gene LeBell - The A.V. Club It always put a smile on my face when you would call the SAMP office. The late 'Judo' Gene LeBell's 90th birthday is celebrated by 200 Gene LeBell Dead: Stuntman, Actor And Wrestling Legend Was 89 - Deadline 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. Chris Pellitteri, Mr. Gene LeBell ; Thank you for your kindness and wisdom over the years. He worked in. With love and affection, Sandy Gimpel, Congrats on your big nite!! He eventually adopted the role as "policeman" for the promotion, maintaining law and order, especially during matches involving his brother Mike LeBell. 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. Congratulations & we all love you. 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. Gene LeBell was promoted to 9th degree in jujitsu and taihojutsu in 2000 by the United States Ju-Jitsu (USJJF) Ju Jitsu Federation. LeBell has also worked on over 1,000 films and TV shows and has authored 12 books. "I learned the [LeBell Lock] from a guy named Neil Melanson," Danielson told the WWE website in 2010. G-E-N-E Capital-L-E-Capital-B-E-L-L. . Ya big goofball!!! LOS ANGELES, CALIFORNIA- Famous wrestler, Martial artist Ivan Gene LeBell better known as Gene LeBell, passes away at 89. Savanah Dawn Lilley, The one and only Uncle Gene! A industry standard, and great human being! Who's The Real "Father Of MMA"? 10 Fighters More Deserving Of The 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 two became close friends, but the actors untimely death stymied LeBells chance for future speaking parts. The seeds that Gene LeBell helped plant have grown into the modern landscape of mixed martial arts that we know today. Jimmy Roberts, Gene youve always told me Im the best but your THE GREATEST Love ya, Manny Perry, I owe everything to Gene. Alan Oliney, Hey Gene, Thanks for being a four-star mentor to so many and thanks for being Gene Lebell. To start academies, and then have a lineage of students that he brought up, not just martial arts but also film., Barnett said of his accomplishments, Its really just incredible to see someone be able to tip the scales of the world with just his own hands like that. Answer (1 of 12): Well It seems to be a bit of a controversy about this. [8], In 1963, LeBell became involved with a challenge by boxer and writer Jim Beck to the practitioners of Japanese martial arts.