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Ivan Gene LeBell (October 9, 1932 – August 9, 2022) was an American actor, , Stunt performer and professional wrestler. Nicknamed " Judo Gene" and " The Godfather of Grappling", he is credited with popularizing grappling in professional fighting circles, serving as a precursor to modern mixed martial arts. He worked on over 1,000 films and TV shows and authored 12 books.
Encouraged by Ed Parker, 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 another boxer, journeyman Milo Savage, who LeBell claimed also 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 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. An additional stipulation prevented LeBell from attempting tackles or takedowns under the waist. In return, Savage offered to wear a judogi. On the day of the match, Savage appeared wearing a karategi instead, much tighter and harder to grab. The Savage camp claimed they did not know the difference. Dewey Lawes Falcone, Judo Versus Boxing , Black Belt Magazine May 1964. URL accessed on April 2, 2010. According to LeBell and other sources, Savage's gloves allegedly contained brass knuckles and his gi was greased with vaseline to make gripping it more difficult. 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.
The match took place on December 2, 1963. The combatants were initially cautious, with LeBell being the first in pressing the action by attempting to throw Savage down. The boxer blocked the move, which LeBell claimed aggravated an old shoulder injury. 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. Savage even attempted to sweep the judoka in one instance. 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.Jonathan Snowden, MMA Encyclopedia, 2010, ECW Press Finally, he performed a left harai goshi in the fourth round and followed by locking a rear naked choke. Within seconds, Savage fell unconscious and LeBell was declared the winner.
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 Fullmer and Don Fullmer) entered the ring to congratulate LeBell. According to 1999 interview with 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, LeBell claims that a man tried to stabbing him on the way out and the latter had to be protected by the judokas and professional wrestlers who accompanied him. Dewey Lewes Falcone, who attended the event and wrote a round-by-round recap for Black Belt magazine, made no mention of either of these events as claimed by LeBell.
As noted by Black Belt in a write-up about LeBell following his death in 2022 that briefly covered the event, he was known to fabricate stories regarding his exploits. As a result, it is possible that many of the claims he made regarding the fight, such as the use of brass knuckles, the audience member attempting to stab LeBell, and the extent of Savage's grappling experience, may be exaggerated or outright fabricated.
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.The Godfather of Grappling (authorised biography of LeBell) by "Judo" Gene LeBell, Bob Calhoun, George Foon, and Noelle Kim. 2005
In 1994, LeBell counted kickboxing champion Benny Urquidez and Brazilian jiu-jitsu practitioners the Machado brothers among his training partners. According to fellow BJJ artist Royce Gracie, LeBell was invited to compete in Ultimate Fighting Championship in early 1995, after Gracie stopped participating in its tournaments. 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 Hélio Gracie. 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.Royce Gracie, The Ultimate Fighter – The Rumor Mill, Black Belt magazine, June 1995 Ultimately, nothing came from it.
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 again honored LeBell by presenting him with the "Iron Mike Mazurki" award; presented by one of his teachers, legendary professional wrestling champion Lou Thesz.
In 2000, the United States Ju-Jitsu Federation (USJJF) promoted LeBell to 9th dan in jujitsu and taihojutsu. On August 7, 2004, the World Martial Arts Masters Association promoted him to 10th degree. In February 2005, the USJJF made him 9th dan in judo. Gene LeBell biography – at the USA Traditional Kodokan Judo website (a program of the USJJF)
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 Urquidez and Reuben Urquidez, and Dave Vaden.
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 and Mickey Rooney (movie stars that also did boxing and wrestling).
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. However, Tarantino disputes this claim.
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.
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. He was quoted as saying: "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."
When Seagal was asked about the incident, he denied the incident took place, calling LeBell a "sick, pathological scumbag liar" and offered the name of a witness who could discredit the other account. Steven Seagal denies Gene LeBell made him poop his pants . Mixedmartialarts.com.
Seagal bodyguard and stuntman Steven Lambert, stated he was present and said that a confrontation did happen. According to Lambert, Seagal explained to LeBell that he did not believe his choke hold was effective, and that he could escape from it. LeBell demonstrated the choke hold by putting it on Seagal. Before LeBell could lock the hold, however, Seagal side stepped and swung his forearm backward into his crotch. LeBell came off the floor by a few feet. As soon as he landed, LeBell used a foot sweep to sweep Seagal off the floor, with Seagal landing on his back. LeBell helped Seagal up.
The pink colored judo gi 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.
LeBell is associated with Gokor Chivichyan's Hayastan MMA Academy where he taught grappling classes. He also did interviews for magazines, newspapers, and radio. LeBell judged fights for several decades, but retired from it after on November 24, 2018.
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. He was seen in Rousey's corner during matches and celebrated her victories with her.
LeBell and Ginsburgs were former friends and business partners of Hall. 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. Other recordings discovered had ties to the presidential campaign of Richard Nixon.
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.Dave Meltzer. Boxers in wrestling a rich tradition . March 27, 2008. He also continued to work in professional wrestling intermittently, wrestling his final match on August 29, 1981, against Peter Maivia for NWA Hollywood Wrestling.
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). LeBell appeared in three Elvis Presley movies as a minor character who starts a fight with the character played by Presley. In addition he also worked on the set of the Green Hornet TV show, in which he developed a friendship with Bruce Lee. Lee was especially interested in exploring grappling with help from him and exchanged ideas on various fighting techniques. However, there has been no verifiable evidence that Bruce exchanged ideas with Gene since no one else can corroborate Gene's story other then himself. He would also guest star on a 1964 episode of The Munsters as professional wrestler "Tarzan McGirk."
Conflict with Steven Seagal
While serving as stunt coordinator for the film Out for Justice, starring Steven Seagal, Seagal stated 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, with Seagal losing control of his bowels.
/a> . MMMAFighting.com. After being asked whether he was not going to directly confirm it, LeBell said: "Well, if thirty people are watching, let them talk about it."
Teaching
LeBell has earned himself the nicknames "Judo" Gene LeBell, "the Godfather of Grappling" and also "the toughest man alive" for his participation in combat sports. 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 has trained with or taught grappling skills to many well-known wrestlers and martial artists, such as Benny Urquidez, Robert Wall, Chuck Norris, Ed Parker, Gokor Chivichyan, Karo Parisyan, Roddy Piper, Mando Guerrero, Manny Gamburyan.
Legal issues
LeBell was arrested, charged with, and tried for the July 1976 murder of private investigator Robert Duke Hall. He was acquitted of the murder charge but convicted as an accessory for driving the convicted murderer, Pornography Jack Ginsburgs, to and from the murder scene. LeBell's conviction for being an accessory was later overturned by the California Courts of Appeal.
Death
On August 9, 2022, LeBell died in his sleep.
Works
LeBell authored at least twelve books, including:
Championships and accomplishments
Judo
Professional wrestling
Mixed martial arts record
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|Win
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|Milo Savage
|Technical Submission (rear naked choke)
|Independent Event
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|Salt Lake City, Utah, United States
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Books
External links
Categories: 1932 Births, 2022 Deaths, American Catch Wrestlers, American Male Judoka, American Jujutsuka, American Male Professional Wrestlers, American Stunt Performers, Martial Artists From Los Angeles, Professional Wrestlers From California, American Professional Wrestling Announcers, Professional Wrestling Promoters, Nwa Hollywood Wrestling, 20th-century Male Professional Wrestlers, 20th-century American Professional Wrestlers, Nwa "beat The Champ" Television Champions, Nwa Americas Tag Team Champions, 20th-century American Sportsmen
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