Beck claimed that a boxer could defeat any martial artist in a straight fight and offered $1000 to anyone who could prove otherwise. A pioneer of martial arts, he lived a long and fascinating life. "The great Gene Lebell, toughest man I know, has passed away and left us at the age of 89," Rutten wrote. An incredible life being rightfully recognized. [10], The loss by Savage, the hometown favorite, caused the crowd to react violently. LeBell would win the match osaekomi where the practitioner pins the opponent for a specified amount of time earning the victory. In June 1976, LeBell refereed the infamous boxing-versus-wrestling contest between Muhammad Ali and Antonio Inoki in Tokyo, Japan. 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. Wrestlers & MMA stars pay tribute to Gene LeBell. However, no context is provided for the encounterup until the fight, Booths martial arts credentials, unlike LeBells, are completely unknown, and he defeats Lee on the feet rather than with wrestling techniques. It was agreed that the match would last five 3 three minute rounds. Neil Melanson Congratulations, Connie P Conrad Palmisano, Congratulations Uncle Gene for receiving the lifetime award. Bruce Lee's father Lee Hoi-chuen was a famous Cantonese opera singer based in Hong Kong. While working with rising martial arts star Bruce Lee on the set of The Green Hornet, LeBell was instructed by the stunt coordinator to subdue the actorwho was said to be terrorizing the stuntman for a particular sceneand did so by quickly grabbing Lee in a firemans carry and running around the set with him. Thank you Gene for your friendship over the decades. His career bore that out. Ed Lewis. . 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. Hey Gene which way to the Beach? The only thing I have against MMA is they dont have a retirement plan. Gene LeBell Passes Away At Age 89 - Ringside News Lee was especially interested in exploring grappling with help from him and exchanged ideas[19] on various fighting techniques. 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. After his competitive career, Gene LeBell and his brother Mike would run the National Wrestling Alliance's Los Angeles region between 1968 and 1982. Sugar Ray Robinson. 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! Love ya Gene. A brief google of you name brings up pages and pages of awesome stories about what youve really accomplished in so many fields. 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. I thought I was the only one. Seems like yesterday, lifes crazy like that, huh? Gene LeBell was a man who lived a full and adventurous life. (James C. Udel, Variety, 2018). Challenge coins, decorated with an image of LeBell, were sold for donations, which raised more than $2,000. His students in those fields included Roddy Piper, Ronda Rousey, and many others. Interview with Gene LeBell. Gene Lebell, who had an acting and stunt career that stretched from The Adventures of Ozzie . #246C,Beverly, MA 01915,United States. Will Bowman, Well deserved! Love ya !!! You are also agreeing to our Terms of Service and Privacy Policy. Why Are American Teens So Unhappy? [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. Still, he continued to get regular stunt work on TV. 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 Biography). Gene LeBell, Famed Stuntman, Martial Artist And Bruce Lee's Teacher Chuck & Charlotte Waters, Special man and amazing human being, so deserving of this recognition. [7] Despite his pedigree, he did not get over immediately with audiences but gradually became known for his martial arts background. A tribute to the late martial artist, stuntman, actor and pro wrestler Gene LeBell. I have ridden on the back of his bike for one of his marathon wheelies.Pine Mtn Club so much fun. 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. 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. I made very good money, and it led me into a career in stunt work.. So they said I could make good money in professional wrestling, which I did. Karl Gotch. 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 . [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. In 1994, LeBell counted kickboxing champion Benny Urquidez and Brazilian jiu-jitsu practitioners the Machado brothers among his training partners. Bruce Lee - Wikipedia 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 . For most of Eatons time in the business, she was the only major female fight promoter in the United States, possibly even the world. And in February, 2005 Gene LeBell was promoted to 9th degree black belt in judo by USJJF. I was driving a weenie mobile and Gene was driving a truck and they wanted a near miss, so we did the take and they said we werent close enough we showed em the paint scraped off the sides of the cars and they said, Okay, I guess youre right. I get his patches every year, got em all right here. I was always jealous that you could ride a wheelie so much better than me. As a stuntman, Gene has worked on more than 1000 film and television projects during a career that has spanned over 50 years. Gene LeBell - Alchetron, The Free Social Encyclopedia [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. 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. [8] Gene also wrestled under a black mask as The Hangman, teaming up with Roy Staggs. (Photo by Hans Gutknecht, Los Angeles Daily News/SCNG), Bas Rutten, Gokor Chivichyan, Paul Lazenby and Josh Barnett during a celebration of life for Judo Gene LeBell on what would have been his 90th birthday at Hayastan MMA Academy in North Hollywood Sunday, October 9, 2022. August 10, 2022 1:24pm. (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. The Toughest Man Alive: Gene LeBell: 9780953176670: Amazon.com: Books For a time, he took on a role as "policeman" for the organization, helping to maintain order. His very first match was against John Osako, one of the highest ranked judokas at the national level. 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. LeBell has also worked on over 1,000 films and TV shows and has authored 12 books. 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.. Gene LeBell's martial arts career was supported and influenced by his mother "Red Head" Aileen Eaten who was a promoter of both sports and who owned the Olympic Auditorium in Los Angeles. He is there to help you any time any where. 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. 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. Well deserved !!! After winning amateur national competitions in judo, LeBell decided to make the switch to pro wrestling as it offered more lucrative earnings. LeBells Rolodex is not just one hall of fame roster, but multiple, as hes played integral roles in the worlds of boxing, judo, wrestling, and Hollywood stunt-work. The two became close friends, but the actors untimely death stymied LeBells chance for future speaking parts. 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!!! (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. His notable students include Rousey, WWE Hall of Famer Roddy Piper, and Chuck Norris, among others. [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. 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). LeBell recalled throwing Lee over his shoulder and running around set as Lee screamed, Put me down or Ill kill you. The pair became friends, and LeBell taught Lee judo and wrestling moves, many of which Lee used in his movies, The Way of The Dragon and Enter the Dragon., He was the best martial artist of his time, LeBell recalled in Black Belt Magazine. Since Hayastan MMA Academy first opened its door, it has been one of the top gyms in the world. Ronda Rousey, Bryan Danielson, and many more idolized the . 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. What Really Happened When Bruce Lee Met Gene LeBell LeBell even awarded Piper a legitimate Black Belt in Judo . 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. With love and affection, Sandy Gimpel, Congrats on your big nite!! Blessed if you know him, crazy fun guy. To this day you are still teaching and sharing your wealth of knowledge with the next generation! Well deserved.- Bonnie Happy, Well deserved. J.N. Gene LeBell is currently married to Wendy LeBell whom he married in 1977. (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. It is with a heavy heart that we recognize our past member and friend, Mr. Gene LeBell, has passed on. Those are just some of the names that Gene LeBell has trained with, not to mention the countless other celebrities and luminaries hes worked alongside during his decades-long careers as a pioneering mixed martial artist, a professional wrestler, and a stuntman. The legendary story of Steven Seagal and 'Judo' Gene Lebell [12] Finally, he performed a left harai goshi in the fourth round and followed by locking a rear naked choke. Still working on the Pro Wrestling Finishing Holds book techniques to this day! Well deserved my hat is off to you sir!!! "I learned the [LeBell Lock] from a guy named Neil Melanson," Danielson told the WWE website in 2010. Norman Howell, Congratulations Gene LeBell an incredible Honor an so well deserved. [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. After an illustrious judo career, Gene tried his hand at professional wrestling, and actually won the heavyweight title in Amarillo, Texas. '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. Gene LeBell, the colorful judo champion, wrestler and stuntman who trained Bruce Lee, fought Elvis Presley and John Wayne in the movies and was an inspiration for Brad Pitt's character in Once Upon a Time in Hollywood, has died.He was 89.
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