Gene LeBell

USA

* 1932 Los Angeles United States of America - † 2022 Los Angeles United States of America

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Cropped Photo of Gene LeBell (Wikipedia Commons)

Ivan Gene LeBell (October 9, 1932 – August 9, 2022) was an American judoka, stuntman, actor and professional wrestler. Nicknamed "Judo Gene" and "The Godfather of Grappling", he is credited with popularizing grappling in professional fighting circles, serving as a precursor to modern mixed martial arts. He worked on over 1,000 films and TV shows and authored 12 books.

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