The Godfather of Grappling

by Gene Lebell

Some admirers have called Gene LeBell, a.k.a. "The Toughest Man Alive," the deadliest man on the planet. His wife says Sarcastically, "He's just from another world." LeBell wears many hats, having grown up in boxing and wrestling gyms around the world and spending a lifetime studying many of the different martial arts. LeBell has won national judo championships, wrestled professionally for over 20 successful years, announced professional wrestling on television for 15 years, and refereed professional boxing and wrestling matches all over the world. The Godfather of Grappling tells the amazing story of this grappling master, who has also been a TV and movie actor and a top Hollywood stuntman for more than half a century. Featuring forewords by "Rowdy" Roddy Piper and Chuck Norris, just two of the many celebrities he counts as friends, and packed with dozens of photos and illustrations, The Godfather of Grappling is an inspirational tale sure to entertain fans of professional wrestling, the martial arts, movies, television, and just about anything else Gene LeBell has taken on during his storied career.

Genres: Martial Arts

296 pages, Hardcover

First published January 17, 2005

Reviews

[Vaughan]

Awesome book! Honest, down to earth, full of humour and fun, tells the life of the Strongest Man alive, living legend Gene LeBell, ( about the only guy in the world who would wear a pink gi, yet be taken seriously!).

[Jon Penny]

If you are a fan of Submission Wrestling in any form, this is a worthwhile book. You are not going to learn techniques. This is simply a fun read (I read it in a day) about one of the pioneers of submission Wrestling.

[Cris Anderson]

Gene Lebell is an interesting and entertaining character who has been there and done that. An early American Judoka, a professional wrestler, an early exponent of mixed martial arts, stuntman and associate to Hollywood stars. An enjoyable read, even if you're not a grappler.