PWInsider - WWE News, Wrestling News, WWE

JUDO GENE LEBELL PASSES AWAY AT 89

Ivan Gene Lebell, who's life ran the gamut of grappling, martial arts, stunts, professional wrestling, being acclaimed as a trainer and was a renowned tough guy who once choked out actor Steven Segal on a movie set and far more than I can write or convey in one sitting, passed away today, a number of personalities who's lives were touched by Lebell confirmed this evening.  Lebell was 89 at the time of his passing and lived a true life of adventure on the mat, in the ring and on film and TV sets.

It will be impossible to recount and recap all of Lebell's accomplishments, so consider this just a sprinkling:

Lebell, who has trained in combat sports his entire life, was the son of the late Aileen Eaton, who ran the Olympic Auditorium in Los Angeles, which remains infamous as one of the best all time professional wrestling venues.  Lebell's brother Mike was the promoter of the NWA Los Angeles territory in that era with Gene wrestling for the area and winning both the TV title and the Tag Team Championship.     

Lebell always named Karl Gotch as his favorite wrestler and had a rough physical style, inspired in part by Gotch.   Beyond Hollywood, Lebell also worked in Hawaii, where he won the NWA Hawaii Championship, defeating Neff Maiava.  He toured Japan for the JWA.  He made appearances for Don Owens in the Pacific Northwest and The Funks in Amarillo.  He later worked under a mask as The Hangman in Japan, Portland and California.   

Bryan Danielson's Yes Lock was initially named The Lebell Lock out of respect for Lebell as a grappler.

While Lebell wrestled, his martial arts and grappling achievements were his legacy's calling card.  He trained under Lou Thesz and Ed "Strangler" Lewis and everyone with common sense knew not to test this man.  He fought in a boxer vs. judo fight, and won, in the early 1960s - as embedded above.  He passed on his knowledge to everyone from Ronda Rousey to Roddy Piper to Chuck Norris. 

Lebell was the third man in the ring for Antonio Inoki vs. Muhammad Ali in Japan in 1976, officiating what was planned to be a worked bout but instead became a legitimate contest that (boring as it was then and now to watch) is now credited with being the inspiration for what would eventually evolve into today's MMA genre.  When UFC was first credited in the mid-1990s, they sent overtures to Lebell to fight, which didn't happen.

Lebell was a profilic actor, stuntman and stunt coordinator with hundreds of credits over the course of his life.    Brad Pitt's character Cliff Booth in Once Upon A Time in Hollywood was largely based on Lebell's younger days.  He befriended Bruce Lee on the set of The Green Hornet TV series, where he allegedly grabbed Lee in a fireman's carry and ran around, refusing to put Lee down because Lee would have tried to kick his ass.  He fought Elvis Presley in movies.  He appeared on The Munsters, was Mr. Kryptonite on the George Reeves Adventures of Superman series and lots of other appearances that we'll never be able to recount here.

Lebell authored a number of books on grappling and wrestling and starred in several grappling instructional videos:

Lebell was very much the living legend of California wrestling as he was the thread all of the history ran through.  He was greatly respected and loved and even as he approached an advanced age, was considered a tough guy you didn't want to cross.  If you had his approval, it was a true badge of honor unlike any other in life.

You can read an excellent interview with Lebell on Ronda Rousey's website at this link.

PWInsider.com sends our deepest condolences to the family, friends and fans of Gene Lebell.

If you enjoy PWInsider.com you can check out the AD-FREE PWInsider Elite section, which features exclusive audio updates, news, our critically acclaimed podcasts, interviews and more by clicking here!

• Tweet