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Ivan "Judo" Gene LeBell (October 9, 1932 - August 9, 2022) was an American martial artist, stunt performer, actor, and professional wrestler. As wellback in the day..i drove out to ride motos with Gene & some friends at his area in Frazier Park. LeBell was also hired for stunt work with Lee on The Green Hornet.. Kyrie Irving and Luka Doncic both had 40-point games after the Sixers loss against the Mavs. 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. He worked on over 1,000 movies and wrote a dozen books. 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. Thank you Gene for your friendship over the decades. Brad Curran June 8, 2018 Interviews. Brandon Recor, Congratulations!!! He was also a Nevada and California Athletic Commission judge, including judging UFC 74 (Randy Couture vs. Gabriel Gonzaga) and his website judogene.com is visited by martial arts and film fans all over the globe. He is highly respected by many martial artists all over the world, and has . 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. Joseph Davis, Gene is truly a genuine Good person and a great friend. Gene LeBell in 2010 and with Lindsay Wagner on 'The Bionic Woman' in 1976 GI. He won the Amateur Athletic Union National Judo Championships in 1954 and 1955 when he was 22, according to Black Belt Magazine. In any case, LeBell was back to work in the movies almost immediately, adding to the movie residuals and Screen Actors Guildbacked retirement that sustained him in his later years. [citation needed] In addition he also worked on the set of the Green Hornet TV show, in which he developed a friendship with Bruce Lee. Gene LeBell had thousands of students over the years. But whats the legacy of the blockbuster album? [9], The match took place on December 2, 1963. LeBell established himself as a martial artist long before he moved to Hollywood. LeBell was the third man inside the ring of one of the most famous matches in Japanese history and one that had worldwide attention. LeBell died in his sleep early Tuesday morning at his home in Sherman Oaks, his trustee and business manager, Kellie Cunningham, told The Hollywood Reporter. Proud to be your friend! LeBell was never a main-event star in wrestling and by even the most generous assessment wasnt exactly a crowd-pleaser in the ring. We ask all these burning questions, and more! Long overdue! [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. Ian Avabe, You Rock a Master of all well deserved Si PJ Hooper Kelly, Congratulations Gene. 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. I wont say rest easy because we just dont see that happening with Gene. Few will live a life as extraordinary as Gene LeBell has. [8] Gene also wrestled under a black mask as The Hangman, teaming up with Roy Staggs. Lewis, Friendship is born at the moment when one person says to another: What! The only thing I have against MMA is they dont have a retirement plan. It was Beck's contention that a boxer would be able to defeat any martial artist in a fight and he put up $1000 to anyone who defeat the boxer in this challenge match. Tarantino, whose portrayal of an overconfident Lee by actor Mike Moh in Once Upon a Time in Hollywood spurred backlash drew heavily from LeBell when he crafted Brad Pitts character in the film as stuntman Cliff Booth, as LeBell had trained in Japan and studied judo years before Lee became a master. 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. Grand Master Gi Grappling by Gokor Chivichyan. The tributes for "Judo" Gene LeBell, who died on August 9, 2022, at age 89, poured in after news of his passing starting circulating. Erik Stabenau, Congratulations Gene. After winning amateur national competitions in judo, LeBell decided to make the switch to pro wrestling as it offered more lucrative earnings. His very first match was against John Osako, one of the highest ranked judokas at the national level. Gregg Smrz, So well deserved! Those were great times !! LeBell came off the floor by a few feet. LeBell passed away on Tuesday, Aug. 9, 2022, just two months shy of being a nonagenarian. God bless. His students in those fields included Roddy Piper, Ronda Rousey, and many others. 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. Gene Lebell, who had an acting and stunt career that stretched from The Adventures of Ozzie . We couldnt prouder. Its great having such a role model to look up to. Chris Pellitteri, Mr. Gene LeBell ; Thank you for your kindness and wisdom over the years. Being 63 years old, LeBell declined to compete or to send a representative, instead suggesting a match against Royce's 82-year-old father, the renowned Hlio Gracie. 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. Gene has trained with numerous other world champion martial artists includingChuck Norris,Bill Wallace, andBenny Urquidez. If you saw Quentin Tarantino's . After, my arms were trembling with strain, you told me to stop and smiled at me, and said kid, dont quit your day job. The Savage camp claimed they did not know the difference. A professional stuntman and actor, LeBell appeared in over 1,000 films and TV shows, and authored 12 books. [21], The popularity of this incident led LeBell to be counted in 1992 as a potential additional member of Robert Wall's controversial "Dirty Dozen," a group of martial artists willing to answer to a public challenge made by Seagal. Gene LeBell would ultimately choke his opponent unconscious after a tentative start to the match. He is currently 89 years old. You are an inspiration!! I feel really fortunate to have had him as a part of my life as it is, and really glad to also been able to tell him what an amazing human being, and what an amazing martial artist, he was straight to his face.. The boxer's side demanded a stipulation in which the smaller and older Savage (Savage was 39 while LeBell was 31 at the date of the fight) could use any type of punch, while the judoka could not kick, in the apparent belief LeBell was a karateka. "LeBell parlayed his pain-inducing skills into careers in martial arts, professional wrestling and Hollywood stunt work, making him the ultimate a**-kicking Renaissance man. 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. Many modern-day MMA fans recognize LeBell as the one who is present in many of Rousey's early games, coaching her on. LeBells top student, Gokor Chivichyan, hosted the event at his martial arts academy to celebrate the life of his mentor and close friend. Ron DeSantis presidential prospects, Taft football coach Jeff Kearin steps down in support of school faculty member, Baram and Tioumentsev win World Junior title hours after their coach, Todd Sand, suffers heart attack, Snow collapses roof of Goodwin and Sons, Crestlines only grocery store, Gracie Abrams behind Good Riddance message in Los Angeles sky, Tax filing deadline moves to mid-October for most Californians, Alpine Village shopkeepers get confirmation: theyre being evicted, Ex-sheriffs deputy gets 100 hours of community service for shooting hoax, $31 million goes to San Fernando Valley light-rail line and to engage community, Who will replace ex-LA councilmember Nury Martinez? Oops. So they said I could make good money in professional wrestling, which I did. You have definitely earned it for all your contributions to the industry. To succeed in the NFL, hell need to be an outlier among outliers. It couldnt go to a better man. [10][11] Nevertheless, LeBell got mount and found the opportunity to execute an armbar, but he opted instead to seek a choke, concluding that Savage would not surrender to a broken arm. The loss by the hometown boxer nearly caused a riot to breakout and despite the promotions attempt to calm the violence, Gene LeBell was nearly stabbed on the way out of the venue. LeBell has worked on over 1000 TV Show and Film projects. [27] He also did interviews for magazines, newspapers, and radio. God Bless you Gene and your lovely wife and thanks you for all the things you taught me. 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. Inside Hall's residence police discovered hours of wire-tapped recordings, some of which led to the resignation of the Beverly Hills police department chief of police. 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. Most of his notoriety came after the release of his biggest film, Enter the Dragon, that same year. [citation needed], On March 23, 1991, LeBell was awarded the Honorary "Reel" Membership by the Ring of Friendship of the Cauliflower Alley Club. Mal, Jo, and Ben get together to talk about where the Mandalorian people are, what adventure awaits Din and Grogu, and much more. 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. At four months old (April 1941), the Lee family returned to Hong Kong. "I learned the [LeBell Lock] from a guy named Neil Melanson," Danielson told the WWE website in 2010. 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. You have been a legend for over 60 years and Im honored each month that I get to see you!!!! LeBell accompanied Ronda Rousey to the cage for some of her MMA matches in recent years, and served as a MMA judge through 2018. 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. Instructed through brutal tutorials by professional wrestlers and old-school masters, he developed adult skills by 13. LeBell earned the upset win via an osaekomi. ", "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. Well done sir! We love him! [2] He worked on over 1,000 films and TV shows and authored 12 books. 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!!! LeBell!!! [9], Encouraged by Ed Parker,[8] LeBell accepted the challenge and travelled to Salt Lake City to meet Beck. As a stuntman, Gene has worked on more than 1000 film and television projects during a career that has spanned over 50 years. (James C. Udel, Variety, 2018), Gene started training in judo at a young age, and at the age of 20 in 1954, he won National AAU Heavyweight Judo Championship and the USA Overall Judo Championship title. Grand Master Leg Locks by Gokor Chivichyan. judo. What are you doing? LeBell remembers the helmer lamenting. He is currently the head grappling coach at Jaco Hybrid Training Center.He is the former head grappling coach at both . Humbled to be 1 of many. In the stunt world, I get a pretty doggone good retirement from SAG and AFTRAand I can still work.. Its about time!! 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. Andy Gill, Congratulations Gene !!! FLASH SALE - Buy 1 video get 40% OFF - COUPON40, Buy 2 videos get 43% OFF - COUPON43, Buy 3 or more videos get 45% OFF - COUPON45. He began training catch wrestling at age 7 with Ed "The Strangler" Lewis. Is Golden State a sleeping giant? Congratulations Uncle Gene! 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. "My name is Gene LeBell. August 10, 2022 1:24pm. Lou Thesz. ( Aubrey Sitterson, rondarousey.com, 2018). Your culture and entertainment cheat-sheet. Chuck & Charlotte Waters, Special man and amazing human being, so deserving of this recognition. Gene LeBell was promoted to 9th degree in jujitsu and taihojutsu in 2000 by the United States Ju-Jitsu (USJJF) Ju Jitsu Federation. LeBell, who also authored more than 12 books on martial arts that simultaneously chronicled his storied career, is survived by his wife Eleanor, children Monica and David, stepchildren Danny and Stacy, and grandchildren Daniel, Tyler and Nicholas. Born in Los Angeles in 1932, LeBell was shipped off to a military. And later on, there is discussion of whether or not double-dipping is an acceptable way to eat! Then consider checking: 100 Cummings Ctr. According to the Hollywood Reporter, famed stunt performer Gene LeBell died on August 9 at the age of 89. LeBell is said to have placed his arms around Seagal's neck, and once Seagal said "go", proceeded to choke him unconscious, with Seagal losing control of his bowels. Muhammad Ali. You are a true living legend! RIP Gene LeBell - Part II. 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. Love, Greg & Barbie Barnett, Youve been my hero my entire career. Gene is survived by his wife Midge, his children Monica and David; stepchildren Danny and Stacey; and grandchildren Daniel, Tyler and Nicholas. The combatants were initially cautious, with LeBell being the first in pressing the action by attempting to throw Savage down. He was born in Los Angeles, California. He was 89. He also had 8 grandchildren. Previously, he was married to Eleanor Martindale between 1975 and 1976, Eileen Murillo (1960), Olga Allen between 1957 until 1959, and Midge LeBell before that. You may have seen his name in the credits of countless movies and television shows dating back to the late 1960's. You may have caught the "Godfather of Grappling" in one of his matches in the world of professional wrestling, you may know him as the "toughest man on the . 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. Rick Seaman, Well Geno, they said it couldnt be done but youve done it again. Why Are American Teens So Unhappy? Big hug and a kiss! In June 1976, LeBell refereed the infamous boxing-versus-wrestling contest between Muhammad Ali and Antonio Inoki in Tokyo, Japan. With respect, Missy OMalley-Reynolds, Uncle Gene, Thanks for never burning our house down. 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. With only one uniform in his luggage, he wore the pink gi in Japan, and beat the competition. Gene LeBell talks about Bruce Lee. 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. Within seconds, Savage fell unconscious and LeBell was declared the winner. It was LeBells first movieland lesson: Always let the star win. So may you rest in power, Gene.. LeBell has also worked on over 1,000 films and TV shows and has authored 12 books. Please enter a valid email and try again. 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!!! According to a 2014 interview in Black Belt, LeBell had no idea the fight would be as significant as later developments in the sport of MMA have made it. 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 and I had a bond with the martial arts, and we would get together frequently. Sammy Horowitz, Congratulations Gene, its about time you were acknowledged for your amazing contribution to the stunt world. [30], LeBell and Ginsburgs were former friends and business partners of Hall. 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 . We worked out about 10 to 12 times at his place in Los Angeles Chinatown and at my place.. A pioneer of martial arts, he lived a long and fascinating life. Along with many others, speakers included Ronda Rousey, former UFC champion, WWE professional wrestler, actress and Olympic Judo medalist; Bas Rutten, former UFC Heavyweight Champion and a three-time King of Pancrase world champion; catch wrestler, former UFC Heavyweight Champion, former Openweight King of Pancrase world champion, and Bellator fighter; and AnnMaria De Mars, first American to win a gold medal at the World Judo Championships. It was in her promotion that a Texas-born grappler named George Wagner first donned an elaborate robe, dyed his hair blond, walked to the ring with a valet, and became the 1950s television sensation Gorgeous George, the toast of the coast.. 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. '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 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. Congratulations & we all love you. After his mother remarried, LeBell was raised near L.A.s old Olympic Auditorium. 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. One thing I learned was never never mess with Gene LeBell. Freddie Blassie. Outside of the fight game, LeBell worked in film & television, appearing in multiple Elvis Presley movies and working on The Green Hornet TV series, where he struck up a friendship with Bruce Lee. Challenge coins, decorated with an image of LeBell, were sold for donations, which raised more than $2,000.