Influence
LeBell's reputation in combat sports has led to the nicknames "Judo" Gene LeBell, "the Godfather of Grappling" and also "the toughest man alive". He has taught grappling skills to many well-known wrestlers and martial artists, including "Rowdy" Roddy Piper, Karo Parisyan, Mando Guerrero, Chuck Norris, Benny "The Jet" Urquidez, Gokor Chivichyan, Bob Wall, Ed Parker and Manny Gamburyan. He also has a wrestling technique named after him, Daniel Bryan's (wrestler) finishing move, the LeBell Lock (which was later renamed to the NO! lock).
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 (it was considered very insulting). LeBell went on to win his division.
LeBell is associated with Gokor Chivichyan's Hayastan MMA Academy where he teaches grappling classes. He also does interviews for magazines, newspapers, and radio as well as judging fights.
Recently, LeBell has been spotted in the corner of former US Olympic judoka and current mixed martial artist Ronda Rousey, often holding a stopwatch.
Read more about this topic: Gene Le Bell
Famous quotes containing the word influence:
“I wish to reiterate all the reasons which [my predecessor] has presented in favor of the policy of maintaining a strong navy as the best conservator of our peace with other nations and the best means of securing respect for the assertion of our rights of the defense of our interests, and the exercise of our influence in international matters.”
—William Howard Taft (1857–1930)
“We could not well camp higher, for want of fuel; and the trees here seemed so evergreen and sappy, that we almost doubted if they would acknowledge the influence of fire; but fire prevailed at last, and blazed here, too, like a good citizen of the world.”
—Henry David Thoreau (1817–1862)
“Just what is the civil law? What neither influence can affect, nor power break, nor money corrupt: were it to be suppressed or even merely ignored or inadequately observed, no one would feel safe about anything, whether his own possessions, the inheritance he expects from his father, or the bequests he makes to his children.”
—Marcus Tullius Cicero (106–43 B.C.)