Gene LeBell

Gene LeBell
Born Ivan Gene LeBell
(1932-10-09) October 9, 1932
Los Angeles, California
Style Catch wrestling, Judo, Jujutsu, boxing
Rank      10th degree red belt in Judo
     9th degree black belt in Jujutsu
Notable students Chuck Norris, Gokor Chivichyan, Karo Parisyan, Neil Melanson, Bob Wall, Ed Parker, Manny Gamburyan, Ronda Rousey, Tony Halme
Website www.genelebell.com

Ivan Gene LeBell (born October 9, 1932) is an American martial artist, instructor, stunt performer, and professional wrestler born in Los Angeles, California. LeBell has also worked on over 1,000 films and TV shows[1] and has authored 12 books.[2]

In 2000, the United States Ju-Jitsu Federation (USJJF) promoted him to 9th Dan in jujitsu and taihojutsu. On August 7, 2004, the World Martial Arts Masters Association promoted LeBell to 10th Degree and in February 2005, he was promoted to 9th Dan in Traditional Judo by the USJJF.[3]

Early life

Ivan Gene Lebell was born in Los Angeles, California. He started training from childhood, influenced by his mother, "Red Head" Aileen Eaton, a promoter of boxing and professional wrestling. LeBell took up catch wrestling under Ed "Strangler" Lewis at 7, but three years later he moved to judo.[4] After getting his black belt, he went to Japan to train at the Kodokan school and earned the reputation as an outstanding student.[4]

Career

After returning to the United States, LeBell competed as a heavyweight. In 1954 and 1955, while only 20 years of age, he captured both the heavyweight and overall Amateur Athletic Union National Judo Championships. His very first match was against John Osako, one of the highest ranked judokas at the national level. LeBell earned the upset win via a osaekomi. Afterwards, attracted by better potential earnings and the family's legacy in the business, LeBell transitioned to professional wrestling. Despite his pedigree, he did not get over immediately with audiences but gradually became known for his martial arts background. He eventually adopted the role as "policeman" for the promotion, maintaining law and order, especially during matches involving his brother Mike LeBell.[4] Gene also wrestled under a black mask as The Hangman, teaming up with Roy Staggs.[4]

The first MMA Fight in the US

In 1963, LeBell became involved with a challenge by boxer and writer Jim Beck to the practitioners of Japanese martial arts. Beck claimed that a boxer could defeat any martial artist in a straight fight and offered $1000 to anyone who could prove otherwise. Beck engaged in abundant trash-talk.[5]

Encouraged by Ed Parker,[4] LeBell accepted the challenge and travelled to Salt Lake City to meet Beck. To his surprise, he learned his opponent would not be Beck but a higher regarded boxer, Milo Savage, who had a background in amateur wrestling. An agreement was reached for the match to last five rounds, each lasting three minutes. The boxer's side demanded a stipulation in which the smaller and "out-primed" Savage could use any type of punch, while the judoka could not kick, in the apparent belief LeBell was a karateka. An additional stipulation prevented LeBell from attempting tackles or takedowns under the waist.[4] In return, Savage offered to wear a judogi with special fingerless gloves. However, on the day of the match Savage appeared wearing a karategi instead, which is much tighter and harder to grab. The Savage camp claimed they did not know the difference.[6] Also, according to LeBell and other sources, Savage's gloves contained brass knuckles [5][6] and he had also greased up his gi with vaseline to make gripping it more difficult.[5] The unusual stipulations convinced LeBell the Savage camp, far from being ignorant about martial arts, was training Savage in judo in order to defend against LeBell's throws.[5]

The match took place on December 2, 1963. The combatants were initially cautious, with LeBell being first in pressing the action by attempting to throw Savage down. The boxer stopped the move and LeBell aggravated an old shoulder injury.[6] LeBell tried several techniques through the second and third rounds and was 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 judo training.[6] Savage even attempted to sweep the judoka in one instance.[6][7] Nonetheless, LeBell got mount and had the opportunity to execute an armbar but he opted instead to seek a choke, concluding that Savage wouldn't surrender to a broken arm.[8] Finally, he performed a left harai goshi in the fourth round and landed on his opponent, getting a rear naked choke. Within seconds, Savage was unconscious and LeBell declared the winner.[6]

The loss by Savage, the hometown favorite, caused the crowd to react violently. Bottles, chairs, and other debris were thrown into the ring. 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. The judoka and his team showed their sportsmanship by helping to revive Savage using kappo, as neither the referee nor the ring doctor knew how to resuscitate him. Despite this, a man tried to stab LeBell on the way out and he had to be protected by the professional wrestlers who accompanied him.[4]

After retiring

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. In June 1976, LeBell refereed the infamous boxing-versus-wrestling contest between Muhammad Ali and Antonio Inoki in Tokyo, Japan. LeBell was selected from over 200 other applicants to referee the bout.[9] LeBell has opened two martial art schools in cooperation with others and has touted his 1963 match with Milo Savage as the first televised MMA fight in America.[10][11]

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, the Cauliflower Alley Club presented the award. On March 18, 1995, the Cauliflower Alley Club's again honored LeBell by presenting him with the "Iron Mike Mazurki" award; presented by one of his teachers, legendary professional wrestling champion Lou Thesz.

Television and film work

LeBell has worked on over 1,000 films, TV shows and commercials as a stuntman or as an actor (including multiple appearances as himself.)[1] LeBell appeared in three Elvis Presley movies as a minor character who starts a fight with the character played by Presley.[12] In addition he also worked on the set of the Green Hornet TV show, in which he claims to have developed a friendship with Bruce Lee. According to Lebell's claim, Lee was especially interested in exploring grappling with help from him and exchanged ideas[13] on various fighting techniques.[14]

LeBell also appeared in "The World of Martial Arts - Budojujitsu". 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 Thomas...much to LeBell's regret. The program featured several other martial artists including Graciela Casilas, Karen Sheperd, Victor Ledbetter, Steve Sanders, brothers Benny and Reuben Urquidez, and Dave Vaden.

While serving as Stunt coordinator for the film Out for Justice, starring Steven Seagal, Seagal claimed that due to his aikido training he was 'immune' to being choked unconscious. It has been alleged that at some point LeBell heard about the claim, and gave Seagal the opportunity to prove it. LeBell is said to have placed his arms around Seagal's neck, and once Seagal said "go", proceeded to choke him unconscious.[15] 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.[15] He was quoted as "When we had a little altercation or difference of opinion, there were thirty stuntmen and cameramen that were watching. Sometimes Steven has a tendency to cheese off the wrong people, and you can get hurt doing that."[16] On the other hand, when Seagal was asked about the incident, he directly denied the allegations, calling LeBell a "pathological scumbag liar," and offered the name of a witness who could prove Lebell had fabricated this rumor.[17] The claim garnered a heated response from LeBell's trainee Ronda Rousey, who assured Seagal was the one lying and declared "If [Seagal] says anything bad about Gene to my face, I'd have to make him crap his pants a second time."[18]

On March 23, 1991, LeBell was awarded the Honorary "Reel" Membership by the Ring of Friendship of the Cauliflower Alley Club. This award is only given to a select few. 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).

Teaching

LeBell has made himself the nicknames "Judo" Gene LeBell, "the Godfather of Grappling" and also "the toughest man alive" for his participation in combat sports. 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.

The pink colored judogi became a trademark of LeBell and was a result of a laundry mixup while preparing for a competition in Japan. A pair of red shorts were mixed into the laundry that contained his Gi and turned the uniform a shade of pink. He was set to compete the following day, and being a Saturday evening when he received the now colored uniform, he had to compete in the pink uniform. 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.[14]

LeBell is associated with Gokor Chivichyan's Hayastan MMA Academy where he teaches grappling classes. He also does interviews for magazines, newspapers, and radio as well as judging fights.

LeBell has been spotted in the corner of former US Olympic judoka and current mixed martial artist Ronda Rousey, often seen standing next to her to celebrate her victory. "He befriended Rousey’s mother, AnnMarie De Mars, leading up to her winning the judo Worlds in 1984. He’s known Ronda since birth."[19]

Works

LeBell has authored at least twelve books, including:

Championships and accomplishments

Judo

Amateur Athletic Union
  • AAU National Judo Championship (1954)
  • AAU National Judo Championship (1955)

Professional wrestling

  • Iron Mike Mazurki Award (1995)
  • Frank Gotch Award (2005)

References

  1. 1 2 Gene LeBell at the Internet Movie Database
  2. ↑ http://fightland.vice.com/blog/roots-of-fight-brings-us-the-story-of-judo-gene-lebell--mma-pioneer-and-terrifying-old-man
  3. ↑ Gene LeBell biography - at the USA Traditional Kodokan Judo website (a program of the USJJF)
  4. 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 Jonathan Snowden, Shooters: The Toughest Men in Professional Wrestling, 2008, ECW Press
  5. 1 2 3 4 MMA Origins: American Experiments, Bloodyelbow.com, 2012
  6. 1 2 3 4 5 6 Dewey Lawes Falcone, Judo Versus Boxing, Black Belt Magazine May 1964. URL accessed on April 2, 2010.
  7. ↑ Gene LeBell vs Milo Savage: The Day Gene LeBell Saved Martial Arts
  8. ↑ Jonathan Snowden, MMA Encyclopedia, 2010, ECW Press
  9. ↑ Dave Meltzer. Boxers in wrestling a rich tradition. March 27, 2008.
  10. ↑ MMA History - Gene Lebell VS Milo Savage, 1963 on YouTube
  11. ↑ The Godfather of Grappling (authorised biography of LeBell) by "Judo" Gene LeBell, Bob Calhoun, George Foon, and Noelle Kim. 2005
  12. ↑ According to the cast audio commentary on the DVD of "Reno 911 Miami"
  13. ↑ "Where Are They Now?". Inside Kung Fu. Retrieved January 22, 2011.
  14. 1 2 Jacobs, Marc. "Tough Guys Wear Pink.1995-04-03. Sports Illustrated.
  15. 1 2 Gene LeBell talks Steven Seagal s—-ing himself. Retrieved March 18, 2015.
  16. ↑ Quote of the Day: “Judo” Gene LeBell Talks The Steven Seagal Incident
  17. ↑ Counter-Point: Maybe Gene LeBell Didn’t Make Steven Seagal Shit His Pants?
  18. ↑ Ronda Rousey: 'If Steven Seagal says anything about Gene LeBell to my face, I'll make him crap his pants'
  19. ↑ "Gene LeBell and Ronda Rousey's golden lineage". "Fox Sports".
  20. ↑ "NWA Central States Heavyweight Championship history".
  21. ↑ Gerweck, Steve (November 14, 2011). "NWA Hall of Fame Class for 2011 announced". WrestleView. Retrieved November 14, 2011.
  22. ↑ "NWA Americas Tag Team Championship history".
  23. ↑ "NWA Hawaii Heavyweight Championship history".
  24. ↑ "NWA North American Heavyweight Championship (Amarillo version) history".

Books

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