Here's an attempt to share some of those posts and tweets from the cross . 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. Two hundred of his friends, students, and family gathered at Hayastan MMA Academy in North. Mahalo Christopher Chabriel, Congratulations MEAN GENE!!! Gene LeBell, who died on August 9 at age 89, led a life so expansive that any mere retelling of it would come across like a tall tale, the stuff of Pecos Bill and Paul Bunyanif all of it werent true. We are incredibly sad to report that our hero, dear friend and Stunts Unlimited brother passed away yesterday, August 9th, 2022 at the age of 89. 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. In addition to spending extensive time in the world of . Gene LeBell is a legend in the world of MMA and Martial Arts. 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. Love ya Gene. judo. Within seconds, Savage fell unconscious and LeBell was declared the winner. He sparred with James Cagney while shooting Blood on the Sun in 1945, allowing the famous actor to dominate the 20-minute skirmish which garnered rave reviews. [9], Encouraged by Ed Parker,[8] LeBell accepted the challenge and travelled to Salt Lake City to meet Beck. I feel honored to say Ive never been choked out by the legend Gene LaBellI consider you a true friend. [9], The match took place on December 2, 1963. ( Aubrey Sitterson, rondarousey.com, 2018). He was a Nevada and California Athletic Commission judge. 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. (Gene LeBell Biography), LeBell transitioned from amateur to AAU national judo champ in 1954 and catapulted to national attention but as a pro wrestler, playing Hank the Hangman; he made a living by losing every match. Love ya, Buddy Joe Hooker, My dear friend Gene. 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!!! Then consider checking: 100 Cummings Ctr. 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! Those were great times !! [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. Big hug and a kiss! He worked in. Bruce and I had a bond with the martial arts, and we would get together frequently. It was the long-running Lassie series that first tested LeBells mettle. LeBell has worked on over 1000 TV Show and Film projects. Instead of being hit first, it was LeBell who would put Bruce Lee in a headlock and carry him around the set. Despite his martial arts credentials, LeBell did not immediately connect with wrestling audiences. August 10, 2022 1:24pm. On Sunday, Oct. 9, legendary martial artist and stuntman "Judo" Gene LeBell would have turned 90. 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. Gene LeBell is currently married to Wendy LeBell whom he married in 1977. 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. 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. (James C. Udel, Variety, 2018). This match could be argued to be the first televised MMA match in history. BJJ Fanatics was started by a pair of Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu black belts who know that nothing is more important for a fellow fanatic than their time on the mat. 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.. 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. 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. After an illustrious judo career, Gene tried his hand at professional wrestling, and actually won the heavyweight title in Amarillo, Texas. [28], LeBell was friends with world champion judoka AnnMaria De Mars, and had known her daughter, Olympic judoka, mixed martial artist and professional wrestler Ronda Rousey since her birth. To quote C.S. Is Golden State a sleeping giant? 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. We are all so proud of you, youre a legend. LeBell demonstrated the choke hold by putting it on Seagal. It was a fascinating collection of people mourning too, from the world of pro wrestling, mixed martial arts, acting, and beyond. 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. And later on, there is discussion of whether or not double-dipping is an acceptable way to eat! [13] He also continued to work in professional wrestling intermittently, wrestling his final match on August 29, 1981, against Peter Maivia for NWA Hollywood Wrestling. [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. Still working on the Pro Wrestling Finishing Holds book techniques to this day! He worked on over 1,000 movies and wrote a dozen books. 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. Michael Hilow, Congratulations to the prettiest man in Hollywood, and the reason the phrase Bad Ass was created.. No one is more deserving than my buddy, and everyones Uncle.. Uncle Gene! A video shown at the memorial featured many of his accomplishments from the stunt and martial arts world, evoking smiles, laughter and tears that had many in the crowd wiping their eyes. In December 1939, his parents went to Chinatown, San Francisco in California for an international opera tour. 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. Few people know the amount of time, energy, dedication, innovation , and pure love you have graced us with in your illustrious career! The godfather of modern grappling and a legitimate tough guy in his own right, LeBell. The Cauliflower Alley Club presented the award. He is there to help you any time any where. In the the Quentin Tarantino film "Once Upon a Time in Hollywood", Bruce Lee was made to look as an arrogant martial arts actor. Congratulations Gene Eric Norris, Gene LeBell is my hero and always has been. 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. And Thank You for all those Decals and Patches you sent Charlotte and I each Christmas. "My . [27] He also did interviews for magazines, newspapers, and radio. We love him! LOS ANGELES, CALIFORNIA- Famous wrestler, Martial artist Ivan Gene LeBell better known as Gene LeBell, passes away at 89. Enjoyed reading about Gene Lebell? Melanson specializes in catch wrestling, while drawing elements from judo, and focuses his coaching specifically on grappling in mixed martial arts.He is especially known for his guard work, leg locks and triangle chokes. One thing I learned was never never mess with Gene LeBell. He is currently 89 years old. 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. Ill be there to shake your hand tomorrow. 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. 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. Contents Roddy Piper Talks MMA and Judo Gene LeBell LeBell passed away on Tuesday, Aug. 9, 2022, just two months shy of being a nonagenarian. Plus, does starting Tyrese Maxey versus DeAnthony Melton make a difference on the defensive end? The seeds that Gene LeBell helped plant have grown into the modern landscape of mixed martial arts that we know today. The boxer blocked the move, which aggravated an old shoulder injury of LeBell. 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. Why Are American Teens So Unhappy? Sandra Brumfield Avo, Gene is as it has been said amongst the fight world..is the Toughest Man. His students in those fields included Roddy Piper, Ronda Rousey, and many others. A notable one was the 'Hot Rod' himself, 'Rowdy' Roddy Piper. In 2000, the United States Ju-Jitsu Federation (USJJF) promoted him to 9th Dan in jujitsu and taihojutsu. Chuck & Charlotte Waters, Special man and amazing human being, so deserving of this recognition. Gene LeBell was chosen for the match out of over 200 candidates. On Sunday, Oct. 9, legendary martial artist and stuntman Judo Gene LeBell would have turned 90. Gene LeBell talks about Bruce Lee. Well deserved !!! Well deserved my friend, and sensei! LeBells roots in combat sports ran deep. Mr. LeBell died on Aug. 9 at his home in the Sherman Oaks neighborhood of Los Angeles. 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. (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. Judo is wrestling with handles, he told Black Belt magazine in 1994. 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. A brief google of you name brings up pages and pages of awesome stories about what youve really accomplished in so many fields. Ill never forget that moment, congratulations brother. After his mother remarried, LeBell was raised near L.A.s old Olympic Auditorium. Love you brother congratulations! There he found quick success. Roddy Piper. Gene was an actor and stuntman in Hollywood productions for over fifty years with more than 150 acting credits and 250 stunt credits. Other recordings discovered had ties to the presidential campaign of Richard Nixon. [4] LeBell appeared in three Elvis Presley movies as a minor character who starts a fight with the character played by Presley. To round out his education in the martial arts, he also began frequenting the Main Street Gym in Los Angeles, where the West Coast's best boxers gathered. Part of HuffPost Entertainment. He is highly respected by many martial artists all over the world, and has . (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. He will always be my Stunt Senei. AEW Revolution Preview, and Whats Going on With Brock, Bray, Bobby, and Omos? All my love and respect Matt Taylor, Aloha Uncle Gene, Mahalo for sharing your secret Hawaiian Hug mahalo for all your knowledge & advice that youve given. It always put a smile on my face when you would call the SAMP office. 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. she was the only major female fight promoter in the United States, who was said to be terrorizing the stuntman for a particular scene, background in the Japanese martial art of aikido. Ronda Rousey, Bryan Danielson, and many more idolized the . 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. 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. [2] He was born in Los Angeles. I made very good money, and it led me into a career in stunt work.. People called him the Toughest Man Alive. The toughest man alive by Gene LeBell . Mike Bohn. Kyrie Irving and Luka Doncic both had 40-point games after the Sixers loss against the Mavs. 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. Savanah Dawn Lilley, The one and only Uncle Gene! A industry standard, and great human being! 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. At 12 LeBell took up judo. 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. With love and affection, Sandy Gimpel, Congrats on your big nite!! Hey Gene which way to the Beach? 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 . Gene LeBell heard about the proclamation and decided to take Seagal up on the challenge. Along the way, his list of big-name collaborators, students, and opponents became as packed as his CV; in addition to Lee, . Gene LeBell had thousands of students over the years. They knew each other and worked together on the Green Hornet. [31], On August 9, 2022, LeBell died in his sleep.[32][33]. Well done sir! 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. 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 parlayed his pain-inducing skills into careers in martial arts, professional wrestling and Hollywood stunt work, making him the ultimate a**-kicking Renaissance man. Way to go Uncle Gene!!! His second best fight was probably his back and forth battle with 80's and 90's martial arts action star Steven Seagal. Weve worked together for over (50) years and its been (50) years of pure delight. According to the Hollywood Reporter, famed stunt performer Gene LeBell died on August 9 at the age of 89. After, my arms were trembling with strain, you told me to stop and smiled at me, and said kid, dont quit your day job. LeBell later mentored world-class athletes and silver screen legends. He was born in Los Angeles, California. 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. [7] Despite his pedigree, he did not get over immediately with audiences but gradually became known for his martial arts background. UFC 285 Preview: Can Jon Jones Turn Back the Clock? Steve Boyum, Absolutely couldnt go to a better candidate. The athletic youngster tested himself with such self-imposed challenges as scaling 60-foot-high lighting stanchions to replace spent bulbs. [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. 2023 BuzzFeed, Inc. All rights reserved. Challenge coins, decorated with an image of LeBell, were sold for donations, which raised more than $2,000. Ivan Gene LeBell (October 9, 1932 - August 9, 2022) was an American martial artist, instructor, stunt performer, and professional wrestler. 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. 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. Grand Master Gi Grappling by Gokor Chivichyan. Thank you Gene for your friendship over the decades. God bless. So happy for you. LeBell served as the referee for the exhibition match between world heavyweight champion Muhammad Ali and Antonio Inoki on June 26, 1976, at . However, Tarantino disputes this claim. 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. LeBell would win the match osaekomi where the practitioner pins the opponent for a specified amount of time earning the victory. 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. 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. 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. It was agreed that the match would last five 3 three minute rounds. You always tried to get me to go dirt biking with you but I never gave in. 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. 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. 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. Im proud to be a friend of yours for over 50 years. Congrats Rick Avery, Congratulations Uncle Gene! Thank you for all you have done for those of us blessed to learn from you. 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. The only thing that is different is that judo has strangleholds, which arent done in pro wrestling., Although LeBell considered full-time careers as a boxer and a judoka, the lure of better money in pro wrestling and Hollywood stunt productionsas well as connections to both industriesled him into those fields. He will be missed by all who knew and loved him, especially us. Craig Hosking, Congratulations Gene you are a legend! You used to practice on your son David and I used to say to him I want to try that too, to be choked out by your dad. When he arrived, Gene LeBell learned that he would not be fighting Beck, but instead a much more well-known boxer in Milo Savage. Gene LeBell won his weight class and the overall championship in 1955 as well. Plus, Nadine Smith on the Agendas Behind Wrestling Documentaries. Gene's funeral will be private for immediate family only. [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. From TV shows like Mission: Impossible, Batman, and Reno 911! to movies including, The Towering Inferno, RoboCop, Total Recall and Independence Day, LeBell was a go-to stunt coordinator for decades. Anil Rai, Congratulations Mr. He was born there on November 27, 1940, making him a dual Hong Kong and United States citizen by birth. 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. Born in Los Angeles in 1932, LeBell was shipped off to a military. (Gene LeBell Biography). Instructed through brutal tutorials by professional wrestlers and old-school masters, he developed adult skills by 13. 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. Osu J.J. Perry, Gene, Ill never forget the time on set, when you let me try and choke you out.