Helio Gracie or Gene Lebell?

[Skpotamus]

I've always heard great things about Gene Lebell and would love to meet him and train with him, but I think if I could pick between the two, I'd pick Helio for training. Helio created more champion level grapplers than just about any other trainer out there. Gene's big name students were all actors, not fighters. Helio's were world champions.

 

[revfidel]

This would be one of the greatest matches and would probably be a long one. Still, I would give it to Gene, because of his size, strength, knowledge of grappling, and many other arts.

Unfortunatlely, it will never happen; however, the next best would be Rickson vs. Gokor.

That would be one great match.

 

[Victor Parlati]

Gene, for all the reasons gven, plus two more: He learned catch submissions and setups from Lou Thesz and Karl Gotch.

 

[frank raud]

Gene Lebell 10th Degree Judo black belt. Trained with and was able to HANG with Bruce Lee and taught him some grappling and judo skills. He also was in the first ever mixed martial arts fight EVER in the usa thought it wasnt called that. It was him vs a boxer called Milo Savage Gene Lebell won, even though the Boxer tried to cheat and had brass knuckles under his boxing gloves.

There were many examples of jiu jitsu/ judo against wrestlers or boxers in the early 20th century http://ejmas.com/jcs/jcsframe.htm

 

[ppko]

I am going with Gene Lebell not only for his great personality but also because he is one of the all time greats. Add to this his great sense of humor and it becomes a no brainer for me.

 

[searcher]

Even though I am now a BJJ guy, I would go with Gene, just because he wears a pink gi. Not to mention that his stuff would make my BJJ work in different ways. And I don't speak Portuguese.

 

[ETinCYQX]

I'd take either one, really 6 in one and a half dozen in the other.

But, given the choice, Prof. Gracie I think. Purely because I like rolling better than standup grappling.

 

[teekin]

Gene!!!! I've worked with a guy who trained in the system set up by Gene and Steve. Their knowledge is so so vast. and they are cool. These guys are brutal beyond words. They do a mix of BJJ, Sambo, catch and old school Judo. Their philosophy is to make you wish you never got on the mat with them, to punish you every second of the match, in every position. And they do produce champions. Not in some of the Gracie type tournies but in Judo and freestyle Judo. Some do go on to MMA.

 

[chinaboxer]

Judo Gene...i never got to grapple with him, but i did get to party with him at a hollywood after party, and he was so cool to just have a drink and talk with, Gene's the man!

 

[Josh Oakley]

Judo Gene. Because, at the end, you get a patch!

 

[Brian R. VanCise]

I think learning from either guy would be great! However Helio is gone and Gene is still here if you want to learn from him!

On a different note Helio Gracie revolutionized martial practice in the last twenty years or so. The BJJ revolution that swept the world was game changing for many. On that alone he probably has to be considered to have the most impact of a martial practitioner in a long, long time!

 

[Shinjuku Kid]

Masahiro Kimura. Like Kastriot “George” Mehdi, who started studying Gracie Jiujitsu with Professor Helio but left Brazil for Japan to study directly with Kimura sensei.