FAREWELL, GENE LEBEL
Black Belt|December/January 2023
Martial Arts Community Loses a Grappling Legend
JASON MCNEIL
FAREWELL, GENE LEBEL

On August 9, 2022, in Sherman Oaks, California, Gene LeBell took his final bow, passing away in his sleep at age 89. Known variously as "Judo Gene," "The Toughest Man Alive," "The Godfather of Grappling" and simply "Uncle Gene," he was respected by several generations of martial artists and Hollywood stunt people. It's nearly impossible to overstate the impact and influence this one martial artist had on the many "action worlds" he inhabited.

MAN OF CONTRASTS

LeBell was gregarious while somehow managing to be both a naturalborn showman and a humble martial artist-which was often demonstrated via his famously self-deprecating sense of humor: Most articles about and interviews with him tended to retell his seemingly endless funny stories juxtaposed with a few of the amazing things he'd done in his life. Frankly speaking, those interviews were usually awesome, and no doubt the articles pretty much wrote themselves.

I can say that because I interviewed LeBell on multiple occasions for print and television, and I was lucky enough to be invited to train with him several times. I feel privileged to have been choked out by the master on television, no less-after which he presented me with a custom uniform patch to commemorate the occasion. (Those of you who have "earned" a patch from LeBell know what I'm talking about. It's something you treasure forever)

It was with an article in mind that I spoke with him on the phone last summer. We chatted a bit, but the godfather was in a bit of a grumphe admitted that he wasn't feeling well and had been cooped up in his house for what seemed like forever.

We decided to cut the interview short and reconnect in a week or two when, as he put it, "I feel more like running my mouth at ya.* We both laughed, and I told him that I looked forward to our follow-up conversation. That conversation never happened. Next thing I knew, I heard that he'd passed away.

Diese Geschichte stammt aus der December/January 2023-Ausgabe von Black Belt.

Starten Sie Ihre 7-tägige kostenlose Testversion von Magzter GOLD, um auf Tausende kuratierte Premium-Storys sowie über 8.000 Zeitschriften und Zeitungen zuzugreifen.

Diese Geschichte stammt aus der December/January 2023-Ausgabe von Black Belt.

Starten Sie Ihre 7-tägige kostenlose Testversion von Magzter GOLD, um auf Tausende kuratierte Premium-Storys sowie über 8.000 Zeitschriften und Zeitungen zuzugreifen.

WEITERE ARTIKEL AUS BLACK BELTAlle anzeigen
HOW TO CREATE A MARTIAL ART CASE STUDY: COMBAT HAPKIDO
Black Belt

HOW TO CREATE A MARTIAL ART CASE STUDY: COMBAT HAPKIDO

On October 22, 2022, the International Combat Hapkido Federation celebrated its 30th anniversary. As you might expect, we're proud of our organization's longevity, stability and success.

time-read
4 Minuten  |
Summer 2023
MARTIAL ARTS ANATOMY 101
Black Belt

MARTIAL ARTS ANATOMY 101

PHYSIOLOGY OF THE LIVER SHO

time-read
3 Minuten  |
Summer 2023
LOCK UP
Black Belt

LOCK UP

THE CLINCHING LESSONS TAUGHT IN THE ANCIENT GREEK MARTIAL ART OF PANKRATION ARE STILL RELEVANT - AND EFFECTIVE!

time-read
9 Minuten  |
Summer 2023
KILLER CHARACTER ACTOR
Black Belt

KILLER CHARACTER ACTOR

When Scott Adkins Isn't Headlining His Own Action Movies Like \"Boyka: Undisputed,\" He's Stealing Scenes in Blockbusters Like \"John Wick\" and \"Ip Man\"!

time-read
10 Minuten  |
Summer 2023
A DEEP DIVE WITH BENNY URQUIDEZ
Black Belt

A DEEP DIVE WITH BENNY URQUIDEZ

Few fighters have a reputation as formidable and a record as impressive as Benny “The Jet” Urquidez. As you will see, his path from the traditional martial arts to full contact and then to kickboxing had more than its share of bumps.

time-read
6 Minuten  |
Summer 2023
PRE-EMPTIVE STRIKES: THE GOOD, THE BAD AND THE UGLY, PART 1
Black Belt

PRE-EMPTIVE STRIKES: THE GOOD, THE BAD AND THE UGLY, PART 1

In my six previous columns, pre-emptive striking featured prominently.

time-read
5 Minuten  |
Summer 2023
THE DAY JUJITSU DIED
Black Belt

THE DAY JUJITSU DIED

Let us look at one historical instance that illuminates a lesson in task saturation, or what Miyamoto Musashi called \"sword flowers.\"

time-read
5 Minuten  |
Summer 2023
WHERE ARE THEY NOW? GUY MEZGER: FROM MMA FIGHTER TO HEALER
Black Belt

WHERE ARE THEY NOW? GUY MEZGER: FROM MMA FIGHTER TO HEALER

To be successful in mixed martial arts nowadays, you need an all-around game.

time-read
5 Minuten  |
Summer 2023
KILLER INSTINCT
Black Belt

KILLER INSTINCT

It's not the size of the woman in the fight but the size of the fight in the woman.

time-read
6 Minuten  |
Summer 2023
HAPKIDO'S BONG SOO HAN: THE MAKING OF A MARTIAL ARTS LEGEND
Black Belt

HAPKIDO'S BONG SOO HAN: THE MAKING OF A MARTIAL ARTS LEGEND

Much has been written about Bong Soo Han (1933-2007), his career as a hapkido master and his connection to the Billy Jack films.

time-read
5 Minuten  |
Summer 2023