Known by many as "the Godfather of Grappling", LeBell helped make the grappling arts like Judo, Wrestling, and Jiu Jitsu popular in professional fighting circles. Its about time!! In addition to his judo background, LeBell has an extensive background in submission grappling and catch wrestling, and has trained under Lou Thesz, Karl Gotch and Ed "Strangler" Lewis. He will always be my Stunt Senei. By entering your email and clicking Sign Up, you're agreeing to let us send you customized marketing messages about us and our advertising partners. Cheers! Ivan Gene LeBell (born October 9, 1932) is an American martial artist, instructor, stunt performer, and professional wrestler born in Los Angeles, California. Ian Avabe, You Rock a Master of all well deserved Si PJ Hooper Kelly, Congratulations Gene. Erik Stabenau, Congratulations Gene. LeBell!!! thank you so much for all the encouragement over all these decades . After getting his black belt, he went to Japan to train in judo at the Kodokan. Mickey Gilbert, Ill never forget working with Gene in Minneapolis for David Ellis. 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. "I learned the [LeBell Lock] from a guy named Neil Melanson," Danielson told the WWE website in 2010. LeBell is also a writer and has penned a dozen books on martial arts. Mal, Jo, and Ben get together to talk about where the Mandalorian people are, what adventure awaits Din and Grogu, and much more. Beck engaged in abundant trash-talk, but revealed a very limited knowledge of martial arts, seemingly mistaking judo for karate. LeBell also worked on over 1,000 movies and TV shows [1] and authored 12 books. So happy for you. . An agreement was reached for the match to last five rounds, each lasting three minutes. Bruce and I had a bond with the martial arts, and we would get together frequently. Still, he continued to get regular stunt work on TV. 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. You have given so much to our community and film business! A half-century ago, Pink Floyd unleashed a classic that still lingers on the Billboard charts and in college dorms to this day. Ivan Gene LeBell (October 9, 1932 - August 9, 2022) was an American martial artist, instructor, stunt performer, and professional wrestler. Some of his vast television credits includeThe Jack Benny Program (1962), The Man from U.N.C.L.E (1965) The Green Hornet (1965), Mission: Impossible (1966), I Spy (1965), The Wild Wild West (1965), Bonanza (1968), Kung Fu (1972), Beretta (1975), Starsky and Hutch (1975), Fantasy Island (1979), The Greatest American Hero (1981), Married with Children (1987), Baywatch (1989), The Tonight Show with Jay Leno (1992), Walker Texas Ranger (1993), That 70s Show (1998), The X-Files (2000), The Shield (2002), Reno 911 (2003), 24 (2010) and Jimmy Kimmel Live. As a stuntman, Gene has worked on more than 1000 film and television projects during a career that has spanned over 50 years. Michael Hughes, Thank you for being such an influence and inspiration to MANY! I love you. Neil Melanson is an American submission grappling coach. Stunt coordinator Bennie Dobbins begged LeBell to humble Lee, who allegedly beat up on his stuntmen throughout the shows production. Gene LeBell's net worth is estimated to be approximately $6 million dollars. Then consider checking: 100 Cummings Ctr. However, in his excitement Gene swung the title belt around his head, which accidentally hit one of the wrestling commissioners on the head, causing a nasty gash. 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 father of MMA. LeBell was also hired for stunt work with Lee on The Green Hornet.. Nicknamed "The Godfather of Grappling", he popularized grappling in professional fighting circles, serving as a precursor to modern mixed martial arts. We love him! Freddie Blassie. How Do We Solve This Crisis? He won the Amateur Athletic Union National Judo Championships in 1954 and 1955 when he was 22, according to Black Belt Magazine. 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. 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 thought I was the only one. Seems like yesterday, lifes crazy like that, huh? Scott Wilder, Thank you Sensei for paving the way for martial artists in this biz! (Photo by Hans Gutknecht, Los Angeles Daily News/SCNG), Martial artist Bas Rutten poses 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. In February 2005, the USJJF made him 9th dan in judo. 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.. Extant fight footage shows a stocky LeBell, probably 60 to 70 pounds heavier than he was when he debuted in judo, cautiously circling and then struggling to throw the much smaller man, who exhibited sound wrestling defense. Please enter a valid email and try again. 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. He was acquitted and continued performing stunts for the big and small screen, alike. This scene is loosely based on world class Judoka Gene LeBell . They all grew up to be great young men, James is a newspaper writer for various companies, David is a Federal Police Officer and Matthew is an accountant and they all, always talk about the days they train under Gene. [20], LeBell also appeared in "The World of Martial Arts Budojujitsu". We cant have blood! Gaffer tape stanched the bleeding, and LeBell managed six more takes. 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. Few people know the amount of time, energy, dedication, innovation , and pure love you have graced us with in your illustrious career! 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. UFC 285 Preview: Can Jon Jones Turn Back the Clock? Still working on the Pro Wrestling Finishing Holds book techniques to this day! 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. 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. The fun motorcycle rides we used to go on out at the Pig Farm and at your mountain house. 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. Anil Rai, Congratulations Mr. A brief google of you name brings up pages and pages of awesome stories about what youve really accomplished in so many fields. You always got the cool moves to Choke em Out .. stay healthy my friend .. Love, Troy Gilbert, Unreal. 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. Freddy Bouceigues, No one deserves this more then you uncle Gene. In the the Quentin Tarantino film "Once Upon a Time in Hollywood", Bruce Lee was made to look as an arrogant martial arts actor. "The great Gene Lebell, toughest man I know, has passed away and left us at the age of 89," Rutten wrote. Well deserved !!! Long overdue! developed adult skills by 13. Love ya, Buddy Joe Hooker, My dear friend Gene. His second best fight was probably his back and forth battle with 80's and 90's martial arts action star Steven Seagal. Instead of being hit first, it was LeBell who would put Bruce Lee in a headlock and carry him around the set. It must be said at this stage that . Ronda Rousey, Bryan Danielson, and many more idolized the . In 1994, LeBell counted kickboxing champion Benny Urquidez and Brazilian jiu-jitsu practitioners the Machado brothers among his training partners. LeBell established himself as a martial artist long before he moved to Hollywood. The belt was immediately seized from the shocked Gene, which in later years would cause him to comment, Well, at least I was the champ for 12 seconds and I retired as champion. (Gene LeBell Biography), Gene went on to fight numerous opponents over the years including practitioners from other fighting arts that scoffed at Genes prowess, however they learned the hard way that Genes superb grappling skills were the real deal. Many modern-day MMA fans recognize LeBell as the one who is present in many of Rousey's early games, coaching her on. (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. 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. It has been alleged that at some point LeBell heard about the claim and gave Seagal the opportunity to prove it. LeBells years of stunt work and fight choreography also introduced grappling to the world of action movies, where it is now commonplace to see fighters turned actors such as Randy Couture and Gina Carano using submission holds in their action sequences. On Sunday, Oct. 9, legendary martial artist and stuntman "Judo" Gene LeBell would have turned 90. Way to go Uncle Gene!!! All my love and respect Pat Romano, Ya ya Uncle Gene , to one of the Gilberts favorite people . For a time, he took on a role as "policeman" for the organization, helping to maintain order. 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 has made himself the nicknames "Judo" Gene LeBell, "The Godfather of Grappling" and also "The Toughest Man Alive" for his . [3][4], In 2000, the United States Ju-Jitsu Federation (USJJF) promoted LeBell to 9th dan in jujitsu and taihojutsu. Hollywood stuntman and martial artist Gene LeBell has died. According to Lambert, Seagal explained to LeBell that he did not believe his choke hold was effective, and that he could escape from it. Gene LeBell was born on October 9, 1932.