INSIDE KUNG-FU: Gene, for an old judo guy like yourself, this MMA explosion must really make you proud. How do you explain the popularity?

GENE LEBELL: This is something that should have been done a long time ago, because it complements all the martial arts, and people involved in wrestling boxing, judo, different forms of Karate can display the most practical features of their respective competitive sports.

IKF: Do you see this as a fad or do you think MMA will have staying power?

GL: This is not a fad; this has been done all over, in backyards, Indian reservations, and everywhere else for years. Now that it has been sanctioned in the U.S. and all over the world, MMA is here to stay.

IKF: What is it about MMA that attracts people? Is it the sport aspect or the self-defense aspect?

GL: People are attracted by the sport. MMA is not designed as  self-defense; it is designed to find the best competitor in any event.

IKF: You coach several fighters in the UFC. How do you rate today’s athlete compared to what you saw in your prime?

TG: The athletes are the same as in my time, but now to get their names on the marquee they need to be well-rounded athletes compared to a few years ago. The good ones have managed to master their strengths in all styles and it has been very lucrative for some.

IKF: Most people don’t know that you were the referee in the famous Ali-Anoki fight. How did u get that and what do you remember about that bout?

GL: That took place in 1976 and a lot of the people didn’t like the fact that I was involved, but I did all the martial arts...I did boxing… but would beat my opponents with a body slam. I got that fight after they interviewed 200 others candidates, but I was the only one who was versed in both boxing and wrestling. The bout was very defensive, and if you’re a fan of that then you'd like it, but most fans want to see an offensive bout, not a defensive one. If they fought again today, and both were in their prime, I think it would be more aggressive on both their parts, because neither of these men would want to lose face with the crowd.

IKF: Whom were your martial arts heroes growing up?

GL: My heroes were professional wrestlers ;that knew all the martial arts that were available to them at that time. My first coach at age 7, Ed “Strangler” Lewis, asked me if I wanted to learn Greco-Roman wrestling, freestyle wrestling, boxing, street fighting, hooking ‘n gouging, or grappling? I asked him, "What's grappling?" He told me that it was a combination of all of them, so then I said, “I want to learn grappling.” Ed “Strangler” Lewis is my hero. Other heroes of mine are Lou Thez, Karl Gotch, and in boxing, Archie Moore, Sugar Ray Robinson, the world champions that taught me boxing. In judo, Ichikawa, many times all-Japan judo champion; and Kimura, who was a judo champion and professional wrestler. There are also many karate people that were heroes, but they are too many to mention.

IKF: You have made nearly 100 movies. Do you have a favorite and who are some of top stars you have appeared with?

GL: I've done films and TV shows with James Garner, Anne Francis, and Chuck Norris, whom I've come to know as friends.

IKF: Many don’t know that you worked with Bruce Lee on the “Green Hornet” TV series. What do you remember about him?

GL: Bruce was a great athlete, as was his son Brandon. I taught Bruce many grappling moves and he taught me many spectacular kung-fu moves, which helped me in my career as a stuntman,

IKF: Name your top five all-time great martial artists?

GL: Lou Thez, Benny Urquidez, Bob Wall, Haywood Nishioka, and Shig Tajma.

IKF: You also are one of Hollywood’s all-time busiest stuntmen. What was your hardest stunt and what was your worst injury?

GL: The hardest stunt is a stunt that goes wrong, because  you're investing your body, and that can be expensive if it goes bad. Contrary to my mother's belief I'm not perfect. I lost my concentration when jumping a car and looked away just to see how much air I was getting in the jump. The second I hit the ground I got whiplash so hard I couldn't walk straight for a week. I've been burned, cut and suffered broken bones, but that's for another issue.

IKF: How did you get started in martial arts and whom were your teachers growing up?

GL: I started at the LA Athletic Club in downtown Los Angeles, where I had opportunities to do different martial arts, such as boxing, wrestling and weightlifting. Distinguished individuals who were Olympic gold medalists taught me.

IKF: What attracted you to judo?

GL: The mystics of the Orient. As a 12- or 13-year-old I had often passed the window of a dojo. The exotic writing and the sight of people in white pajamas throwing each other around inside intrigued me. I was very confident in my wrestling and boxing ability and I went to a legitimate dojo. I went against a very short man who threw me high in the sir. I jumped up and said, “I bet you couldn't do it again” and he did.  Then I decided I had to learn this stuff. And I wanted to beat this older man. It took me about a year, but then I was hooked.

IKF: What is the secret to judo supremacy? How much does size play in the equation?

GL: In judo or any other sport, the harder you work the luckier you get. A big man has an advantage over a small man most of the time, but that doesn't mean the little guy can’t win. Haywood Nishioka was a lightweight that beat the heavyweights in the Judo Nationals. When I won the nationals in my weight class, I had to compete against all other weight classes in the overall championship. After some time when it seemed like the heavier man won most of the time, they stopped having the overall championship in the Judo Nationals.

IKF: Besides coaching, are you still teaching on a regular basis?

GL: I work as a Judge and referee at MMA contests, but I still teach amateur students at the Headstand Dojo in North Hollywood, Calif.= Gokor Chivichyan teaches and trains the MMA fighters that come out of the dojo. MMA fighters and different people from all over the world come to North Hollywood to train at the Hayastan Dojo.

IKF: Do you still train and if so, what is your training regimen?

GL: If you don't use it you lose it. Yes I do still train. I do what it takes to keep up my conditioning for my stuntwork and teaching.

IKF: You have always been known as one of the nice guys of martial arts? What’s the secret to surviving all these years?

GL: Treat everyone like you want to be treated. I demand respect and I give respect.
Up Close
Name: “Judo” Gene LeBell

AKA: “Godfather of Grappler” and “the Toughest Man Alive”

Birthdate: Oct. 9, 1932

Birthplace: Los Angeles, CA

Awards: AAU National Judo Champion 1954 and 1955

Style: Judo

Ranks: Received his 9th dan in U.S. Ju-Jitsu and U.S. Taiho-Jutsu from the U.S. Ju-Jitsu Federation in 2000; received his 9th dan in Traditional Kodokan Judo by the USJJF in 2005.

Entertainment: Has appeared in over 350 films and television shows

Contact: www.GeneleBell.com or