Posted in: MMA, Sports, TV, WWE | Tagged: aew, Batman, brad pitt, bruce lee, chuck norris, elvis presley, Gene LeBell, George Reeves, mixed martial arts, mma, once upon a time in hollywood, quentin tarantino, ronda rousey, rowdy roddy piper, superman, the munsters, Triple H, ufc, wrestling, wwe

Gene LeBell, "The Godfather Of Grappling", Has Passed Away At 89

The worlds of Hollywood, mixed martial arts, and wrestling are all in mourning today for the loss of the legendary Gene LeBell, who passed away today at the age of 89.  LeBell, known as "The Godfather of Grappling", is an icon in the mixed martial arts and wrestling industries, having not only innovated and mastered the arts of wrestling and Judo, but also having personally trained martial artists like Chuck Norris and Ronda Rousey, pro wrestlers such as "Rowdy" Roddy Piper, and entertainment icons like Elvis Presley and Bruce Lee.  His impact on pro wrestling is still felt today, which includes his training of Rousey and his creation of The LeBell Lock, the submission move famously used by Bryan Danielson.

A much-beloved figure in the pro wrestling industry, WWE released a statement this afternoon honoring the late Gene LeBell, highlighting his contributions to the industry.

WWE is saddened to learn that Gene LeBell has passed away at the age of 89.

A towering figure in the world of martial arts, LeBell was nicknamed "The Godfather of Grappling." Training under legends Karl Gotch and Lou Thesz, LeBell went on to earn a 10th degree red belt in Judo and a 9th degree black belt in Ju-jitsu. LeBell trained some of combat sports most notorious fighters such as Chuck Norris, WWE Hall of Famer "Rowdy" Roddy Piper and current WWE Superstar Ronda Rousey.

An icon of professional wrestling, LeBell wrestled and promoted the National Wrestling Alliance's Los Angeles territory, NWA Hollywood Wrestling, from 1968 through 1982. LeBell squared off against WWE Hall of Famer "High Chief" Peter Maivia, The Rock's grandfather, in his last in-ring match in 1981. He also served as the referee for the infamous fight between Muhammad Ali and Antonio Inoki in 1976

WWE Head of Creative Triple H released the following statement on his official Twitter this afternoon honoring Gene LeBell and his contributions.

AEW also tweeted their condolences for the grappling legend.

Along with his legendary status in wrestling and mixed martial arts, Gene LeBell was also a big figure for decades in Hollywood, having served as a stuntman, fight coordinator, and actor on projects starting in the early 1960s all the way up until 2018.  He appeared on numerous iconic TV shows, including The Munsters, Batman, Taxi, and The Incredible Hulk, while also appearing in films such as Raging Bull, The Jerk, Ed Wood, and Rush Hour.  He was also Quentin Tarantino's inspiration for the creation of Brad Pitt's Cliff Booth character in 2019's Once Upon A Time In… Hollywood, for which Pitt won an Oscar.

And if that weren't enough to brag about, Gene LeBell also fought Superman!  In the 1950s, LeBell would appear on stage across the country as Mr. Kryptonite with his friend, iconic Superman star George Reeves, serving as Superman's foil in shows at state fairs and festivals.

In his 89 years on Earth, Gene LeBell lived an incredibly full and truly interesting life that most of us could only dream about.  We send our thoughts and best wishes to his family and loved ones.

Enjoyed this? Please share on social media!

Stay up-to-date and support the site by following Bleeding Cool on Google News today!