Ron van Clief

Last updated
Ron van Clief
Born (1943-01-25) January 25, 1943 (age 80)
Brooklyn, New York City, United States
Other namesBlack Dragon
Nationality American
Height5 ft 9 in (1.75 m)
Weight182 lb (83 kg; 13.0 st)
Fighting out of New York City, U.S.
Teacher(s) Moses Powell, George Coffield
Mixed martial arts record
Total1
Wins0
Losses1
By submission1
Mixed martial arts record from Sherdog

Ron Van Clief (born January 25, 1943, in Brooklyn, New York) is an American martial artist and an actor in Hollywood and Hong Kong action films. He is best known for starring in 1970s blaxploitation and kung fu films. He is the father of poet Shihan van Clief.

Contents

Early life

Ronald Van Clief was born and raised in Brooklyn, New York City on January 25, 1943. He joined the United States Marine Corps, serving at Marine Corps Base Camp Lejeune, NC from March 30, 1961, to March 21, 1962. He was stationed in Okinawa with the Third Marine Division from June 6, 1962, to June 1, 1963. He returned to Camp Lejeune and served there from August 3, 1963, until April 16, 1964, at which time he was sent on Temporary Additional Duty to the Marine Barracks at U.S. Navy Base Guantanamo, Cuba until September 12 that year. He returned to Camp Lejeune once more, where he remained until his release from Active Duty on April 16, 1965. [1] His military decorations include: Marine Corps Good Conduct Medal, National Defense Service Medal, and Rifle "Sharpshooter" Badge.

Martial arts

Ron van Clief began his martial arts career competing in both full-contact and non-contact karate tournaments in New York then internationally, going on to win several national tournaments and world championships.

Van Clief was a student of Gōjū-ryū masters Peter Urban, Frank Ruiz and Moses Powell, as well as Wing Chun Grandmaster Leung Ting, Modern Arnis (Remy Presas) and Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu (Joe Moreira). [2]

On December 16, 1994, Ron Van Clief returned to the ring to fight in the 4th Ultimate Fighting Championship, as the oldest competitor to date to fight in the UFC at the age of 51. [3] Van Clief's sole fight in the tournament was against Brazilian jiu-jitsu expert Royce Gracie. Gracie won the match by submission with a rear naked choke near the four-minute mark. Ron went on to serve as the commissioner of the UFC. Ron Van Clief retired from competition in 2002 after winning the All American Karate Championship at 60 years old. Ron competed in over 900 tournaments in over 40 years on the tournament circuit. Ron Van Clief retired as a 5 time world karate/kungfu champion and 15 time all American champion. Ron Van Clief has been competing in BJJ tournaments since 2015 and still competes as of 2021. Van Clief is also the author and creator of a number of instructional books and video recordings. His notable students include Taimak Guarriello (Star of the Cult Classic “The Last Dragon”, Shidoshi Glen Perry, Shidoshi GJ Torres (Founder of the Torres Hei-Long System)and many more.

Awards and honors

Film career

Ron Van Clief's first acting job came when he was selected to star in the 1974 Hong Kong film The Black Dragon (aka Super Dragon) opposite Jason Pai Piao. Some of his film roles during the 1970s were Blaxploitation films which capitalized on the then-novelty of an African-American martial artist, following in the tradition of Jim Kelly's role in Enter the Dragon . He starred alongside Leo Fong in a Filipino action film called Bamboo Trap in 1975. Van Clief's film roles earned him the nickname "The Black Dragon", and the name inspired the titles of his films The Black Dragon's Revenge (aka The Black Dragon Revenges the Death of Bruce Lee) (1975) and Way of the Black Dragon (1979). He appeared in the 1977 Italian crime film The Squeeze opposite Lee Van Cleef and Karen Black, and was also the fight choreographer for the 1985 film The Last Dragon.

Ron Van Clief performed various voice-over roles for the international television series titled Kung Faux .

He was a member of the Screen Actors Guild for over 3 decades. [2]

Mixed martial arts record

Professional record breakdown
1 match0 wins1 loss
By knockout00
By submission01
By decision00
Res.RecordOpponentMethodEventDateRoundTimeLocationNotes
Loss0–1 Royce Gracie Submission (rear naked choke) UFC 4 December 16, 199413:49 Tulsa, Oklahoma, United States

Bibliography

Related Research Articles

The following outline is provided as an overview of and topical guide to martial arts:

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Royce Gracie</span> Brazilian mixed martial artist

Royce Gracie is a Brazilian retired professional mixed martial artist, a UFC Hall of Famer, and a Gracie Jiu-Jitsu practitioner. A member of the Gracie family, he is considered to be one of the most influential figures in the history of mixed martial arts (MMA). He also competed at PRIDE Fighting Championships, K-1's MMA events and at Bellator.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Marco Ruas</span> Brazilian mixed martial artist

Marco Antônio de Lima Ruas is a Brazilian former mixed martial arts fighter, submission wrestler, kickboxer and instructor. Ruas was the UFC 7 Tournament Champion, and also competed for the World Vale Tudo Championship (WVC), PRIDE Fighting Championships and the International Fight League, where he head-coached the Southern California Condors.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Carlos Newton</span> Canadian mixed martial artist

Carlos Newton is an Anguillian-born Canadian retired mixed martial artist. He is a former UFC Welterweight Champion and Pride FC Japan MMA Legend. Known as "The Ronin", he competed worldwide in the biggest MMA organizations including UFC, Pride FC, IFL, K-1, Shooto and most recently W-1. He is a 3rd Degree Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu Black Belt alongside his coach Terry Riggs under Renzo Gracie, at Warrior MMA in Newmarket, Ontario. Newton has always been considered a fan favourite and a "Submission Master" and has dubbed his personal fighting style — an amalgam of Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu, Judo, Wrestling, Karate, and Boxing — as "Dragon Ball Jiu-Jitsu" in tribute to Dragon Ball, a Japanese manga and anime franchise. As a testament to his worldwide popularity, Newton is one of only a few MMA athletes to ever be allowed to compete in the UFC and Pride FC at the same time. In Canada, he is respected as a mixed martial arts pioneer, he was the first Canadian UFC Champion at UFC 31 (Welterweight) defeating Pat Miletich.

Murilo Bustamante is a retired Brazilian mixed martial artist and former UFC Middleweight Champion. He is one of the founders of the Brazilian Top Team and is the current leader. In addition to competing for the UFC, he has also fought in PRIDE, making it to the Pride Shockwave 2005 Final, and also fought in Yarennoka!

Jason DeLucia is an American retired mixed martial artist.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Matt Serra</span> American mixed martial arts fighter

Matthew John Serra is an American former professional mixed martial artist and Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu practitioner who competed for the Ultimate Fighting Championship. He is the co-star of Dana White: Lookin' for a Fight and co-host of the official podcast of the UFC, UFC Unfiltered, alongside Jim Norton. Serra defeated Pete Spratt, Shonie Carter and Chris Lytle en route to becoming The Ultimate Fighter 4 Welterweight Tournament Winner. He captured the UFC Welterweight Championship immediately after. Serra also served as the head coach for The Ultimate Fighter 6 reality show opposite Matt Hughes, and he is a member of the UFC Hall of Fame. In grappling, Serra holds a Silver Medal in the ADCC Submission Wrestling World Championship.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">UFC 1</span> First UFC mixed martial art event (1993)

The Ultimate Fighting Championship was the first mixed martial arts event by the Ultimate Fighting Championship (UFC), held at the McNichols Sports Arena in Denver, Colorado, United States, on November 12, 1993. The event was broadcast live on pay-per-view and later released on home video.

Rorion Gracie is a Brazilian-born Gracie Jiu-Jitsu Grand Master, a prominent member of the Gracie family, writer, publisher, producer, lecturer, lawyer and the co-founder of the Ultimate Fighting Championship. He is the oldest son of Hélio Gracie and one of the few people in the world to hold a 9th degree red belt in Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu, and is widely recognized as one of the men responsible for introducing Gracie/Brazilian Jiu-jitsu to the United States and the world following the arrival in the US of first cousin, Carley Gracie in 1972.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Roger Gracie</span> Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu practitioner and mixed martial artist

Roger Gracie is a Brazilian former professional mixed martial artist and 5th degree Brazilian jiu-jitsu (BJJ) practitioner and coach.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Wallid Ismail</span> Brazilian mixed martial arts fighter

Wallid Farid Ismail is a Brazilian mixed martial artist and promoter.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Márcio Cruz</span> Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu and mixed martial arts practitioner from Brazil

Marcio Ribeiro da Cruz is a Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu practitioner and mixed martial artist. In Jiu-Jitsu, he is a 5th degree black belt under Carlos Gracie Jr. and is a six-time IBJJF Mundials World Champion, five-time IBJJF Brazilian Nationals Champion, eight-time IBJJF Pan-American Champion, 2003 ADCC World Champion, two-time Abu Dhabi World Jiu Jitsu Legends Champion and UFC Veteran Fighter. His nickname "Pé de Pano" was given to him by his friends at the Gracie Barra academy in Rio and it is the Portuguese version of the name of Woody Woodpecker's horse, SugarFoot. He competed in the UFC and also had a one fight stint as an alternate for the New York Pitbulls of the International Fight League.

Fabiano Scherner is a German-Brazilian professional mixed martial artist and Brazilian jiu-jitsu black belt. He has fought in Cage Rage, IFL and the Ultimate Fighting Championship. Scherner is a Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu competitor who won multiple championships on an international and world stage in senior and master divisions, although not in the adult divisions.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Paul Creighton</span> American mixed martial arts fighter

Paul Creighton is a retired American mixed martial artist and Brazilian Jiu Jitsu black belt under Renzo Gracie who competed in the Lightweight division of the Ultimate Fighting Championship. His last fight in mixed martial arts competition, came at a losing effort at UFC 37: High Impact at the CenturyTel Center in Bossier City, Louisiana on May 10, 2002 against B.J. Penn.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Phil Cardella</span> American mixed martial arts fighter

Phil Ryan Cardella is an American mixed martial arts fighter. He formerly fought as a lightweight in the World Extreme Cagefighting organization. All but one of Cardella’s triumphs have come by first-round submission.

Jose Carlos Moreira is a Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu practitioner and a former mixed martial artist.

Kron Gracie is a Brazilian-American mixed martial artist, submission grappler and black belt Brazilian jiu-jitsu (BJJ) practitioner and instructor.

Amaury Bitetti is a Brazilian mixed martial arts former fighter and promoter holding the rank of 7th degree black and red coral belt in Brazilian jiu-jitsu (BJJ). Considered by many as one of the best BJJ competitors of all time, Bitetti is a two-time world jiu-jitsu champion in open weight, the first-ever to win the category, and a two-time Brazilian national champion. After competing in Vale Tudo / MMA Bitetti founded the MMA fight organization Bitetti Combate.

Carlos André Pederneiras de Castro is a Brazilian jiu-jitsu (BJJ) and Mixed martial arts (MMA) coach and promoter. A former BJJ competitor, holding today a Red and Black 7th Degree Coral belt, Pederneiras is a 6 x Brazilian National jiu-jitsu champion. During his short career as an MMA fighter, he challenged Pat Miletich for the UFC Welterweight Championship in 1999, and fought at the Shooto-ran Vale Tudo Japan events.

Josh Hinger is an American submission grappler and Brazilian jiu-jitsu (BJJ) black belt competitor as well as former mixed martial arts (MMA) fighter. Hinger is three-time champion at the World No-Gi Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu Championship and a Bronze Medalist at the ADCC Submission Wrestling World Championship.

References

  1. ↑ "Ron Van Clief: Where Is He Now?". Sherdog.
  2. 1 2 "The Black Dragon: Appointed by Bruce « Kung Fu Cinema". Archived from the original on 2014-03-09. Retrieved 2014-03-09.
  3. ↑ - UFCStats, 2009-08-26
  4. ↑ "Hall of Fame Inductee Directory". Black Belt. Archived from the original on March 9, 2009. Retrieved 4 July 2018.
This page is based on this Wikipedia article
Text is available under the CC BY-SA 4.0 license; additional terms may apply.
Images, videos and audio are available under their respective licenses.