Cung Le: Difference between revisions

Content deleted Content added

Inline

Revision as of 22:40, 3 December 2008

Cung Le (born May 25, 1972 in Sài Gòn, South Vietnam) is a Vietnamese American Sanshou (Kung-Fu) practitioner and mixed martial artist fighting out of San Jose, California who also holds a black belt in Tae Kwon Do. He is the current Strikeforce Middleweight Champion.

Biography

Cung Le was born in Saigon, South Vietnam. He fled his home country with his mother in 1975 as the city fell to chaotic communist rule. He ended up in San Jose, California where early bullying inspired him to learn to fight. His mother enrolled him in Tae Kwon Do classes at the age of 10. Since those first classes he has absorbed a variety of styles to become one of the most dominant superstars in MMA, and was undefeated as a professional kickboxer (22-0). He is a three time world champion and also coaches his own team, which is now 11-0 in team competition.

Kickboxing

Cung Le is undefeated in his professional Sanshou career (17-0-0). He has won three US Open International Martial Arts Championships (1994, 1995,1996). He has also won 4 US National Championships (Orlando, Florida 1994, Dallas, TX, 1995, Baltimore, MD, 1997). He earned three bronze medals in his amateur San Shou world competition. He has been a three-time captain of the United States teams that competed and was the U.S. team captain at the World Martial Arts Championships in 1997 (Italy) and 1999 (Hong Kong). On 15 December 2001 he defeated Shonie Carter by unanimous decision in San Jose, California to win the IKF Pro Light-Heavyweight San Shou World Title. In May 2003, Le entered into K-1 competitions where he garnered a 3-0 career record, including 1 knockout.

MMA career

Le made his highly anticipated mixed martial arts debut at SVE: Shamrock vs. Gracie on 10 March 2006, at the HP Pavilion at San Jose, knocking out kickboxing rival Mike Altman at 3:51 of the first round. Three months later he faced KOTC veteran Brian Warren, knocking him out with a flurry of punches at 4:19 of the first round.

At Strikeforce: Triple Threat on December 8, 2006, Le defeated Jason Von Flue in 0:43 when the fight had to be stopped due to a cut.

Le defeated a long time MMA veteran Frank Shamrock on March 29, 2008, in a highly anticipated fight co-promoted by Strikeforce and EliteXC at the HP Pavilion in San Jose. Le won via TKO when Frank Shamrocks' right arm was broken after a series of kicks (ulna broken), making him Strikeforce Middleweight Champion.

Described as the "definition of the dynamic striker" in his MMA match against the well known Shamrock, Cung Le is known for his ability to produce highly co-ordinated and effective strikes. Ringside commentator Bill Goldberg described his spinning back kicks as getting "hit by a truck", and his roundhouse kick is arguably his most dangerous striking kick.

Acting career

Kung Fu Cinema confirms Cung Le will co-star in the live-action Tekken film, based upon the popular martial arts fighting game, as Marshall Law. The movie has already completed filming, and is set to be released in 2009. Cung Le has also confirmed on November 28, 2008 on Inside MMA that he will star in a supporting role in the upcoming science fiction film Pandorum with Dennis Quaid and Ben Foster.

Championships and accomplishments

Status	Date	Championship	Weight	Location
Champion	March 29, 2008 - present	Strikeforce Middleweight MMA Champion	Middleweight	San Jose, California, USA
Champion	2005	Strikeforce Light Heavyweight Sanshou Champion	Light Heavyweight	San Jose, California, USA
Champion	2004	ISKA Light Heavywieght K-1 Super Fight Champion	Heavyweight	Las Vegas, Nevada, USA
Champion	2003	ISKA Light Heavywieght K-1 Super Fight Champion( vs. Phil Petit)	Light Heavyweight	Las Vegas, Nevada, USA
Champion	2003	ISKA Light Heavywieght K-1 Super Fight Champion( vs. Scott Sheeley)	Light Heavyweight	Las Vegas, Nevada, USA
Champion	2001	IKF Light Heavywieght World Champion	Light Heavyweight	San Jose, California, USA
Champion	2000	ISKA North American Light Heavywieght Champion	Light Heavyweight	San Jose, California, USA
Champion	2000	ISKA Light Heavywieght K-1 Super fight Champion	Light Heavyweight	Las Vegas, Nevada, USA
Champion	2000	ISKA Light Cruzerweight World Champion(title defense)	Light Cruzer weight	San Jose, California, USA
Champion	1999	Art of War Light Heavyweight Champion(China vs. USA)	Light Heavyweight	Honolulu, Hawaii, USA
Champion	1999	ISKA Light Heavywieght Sanshou World Champion	Light Heavyweight	San Jose, California, USA
Champion	1998	ISKA Light Cruzer weight World Champion	Light cruzer weight	San Jose, California, USA
Champion	1998	Draka Main Event Champion	Light Heavyweight	Los Angeles, California, USA
Champion	1998	Draka Under card Champion	Light Heavyweight	Los Angeles, California, USA
Champion	1998	Shidokan Team USA Champion	Light Heavyweight	Chicago, Illinois, USA

MMA record

Professional record breakdown
6 matches	6 wins	0 losses
By knockout	6	0
By submission	0	0
By decision	0	0

Date	Result	Record	Opponent	Event	Method	Round	Time	Notes
3/29/2008	Win	6-0	Frank Shamrock	EliteXC / Strikeforce - Strikeforce: Shamrock vs. Le	TKO (Broken Arm)	3	5:00	Won Strikeforce Middleweight Championship
11/16/2007	Win	5-0	Sammy Morgan	Strikeforce: Four Men Enter, One Man Survives	TKO (Body Kick)	3	1:58
6/22/2007	Win	4-0	Tony Fryklund	Strikeforce: Shamrock vs. Baroni	KO (Punch)	3	0:25
12/8/2006	Win	3-0	Jason Von Flue	Strikeforce: Triple Threat	TKO (Cut)	1	0:43
6/9/2006	Win	2-0	Brian Warren	Strikeforce: Revenge	TKO (Punches)	1	4:19
3/10/2006	Win	1-0	Mike Altman	Strikeforce: Shamrock vs. Gracie	KO (Punch)	1	3:51

References

External links

CungLe.com (official website)
IKF San Shou
Professional MMA record for Cung Le from Sherdog
Le's K-1 Record
IMDB listing
[1] Kung fu Magazine: Cung Le, Sanshou's Goldben Boy

@@ Line 1: / Line 1: @@
 {{MMAstatsbox|name=Cung Le
-|image=
+|image=Cung-le3.jpg‎
 |imagesize=150px
 |height=5 ft 10 in (178 cm)
@@ Line 9: / Line 9: @@
 |hometown=[[Sài Gòn]], [[South Vietnam]]
 |fightteam= [[American Kickboxing Academy]]
-|fightstyle=[[Sanshou]], [[Muay Thai]], [[Tae Kwon Do]], [[Vovinam]]<ref>http://www.blackbeltmag.com/archives/152</ref>, [[Wrestling]]<ref>http://martialarts.about.com/od/eventsandcompetitions/p/cungle.htm</ref>
+|fightstyle=[[Sanshou]], [[Muay Thai]], [[Tae Kwon Do]], [[Viet Vo Dao]]<ref>http://www.blackbeltmag.com/archives/152</ref>, [[Wrestling]]<ref>http://martialarts.about.com/od/eventsandcompetitions/p/cungle.htm</ref>
 |wins= 6
 |ko= 6
@@ Line 22: / Line 22: @@
 Cung Le was born in [[Saigon]], [[South Vietnam]]. He fled his home country with his mother in 1975 as the city fell to chaotic communist rule. He ended up in San Jose, California where early bullying inspired him to learn to fight. His mother enrolled him in Tae Kwon Do classes at the age of 10. Since those first classes he has absorbed a variety of styles to become one of the most dominant superstars in MMA, and was undefeated as a professional kickboxer (22-0). He is a three time world champion and also coaches his own team, which is now 11-0 in team competition.
-==Sanshou career==
+==Kickboxing==
 Cung Le is undefeated in his professional [[Sanshou]] career (17-0-0). He has won three US Open International Martial Arts Championships (1994, 1995,1996). He has also won 4 US National Championships (Orlando, Florida 1994, Dallas, TX, 1995, Baltimore, MD, 1997).  He earned three bronze medals in his amateur [[San Shou]] world competition.  He has been a three-time captain of the [[United States]] teams that competed and was the [[U.S.]] team captain at the [[World Martial Arts Championships]] in 1997 ([[Italy]]) and 1999 ([[Hong Kong]]).  On [[15 December]] [[2001]] he defeated [[Shonie Carter]] by unanimous decision in [[San Jose, California]] to win the [[International Kickboxing Federation|IKF]] Pro Light-Heavyweight San Shou World Title.  In May 2003, Le entered into [[K-1]] competitions where he garnered a 3-0 career record, including 1 knockout.
@@ Line 36: / Line 36: @@
 Kung Fu Cinema confirms Cung Le will co-star in the live-action ''[[Tekken (film)|Tekken]]'' film, based upon the popular martial arts fighting game, as [[Marshall Law (Tekken)|Marshall Law]]. The movie has already completed filming, and is set to be released in 2009. Cung Le has also confirmed on November 28, 2008 on [[Inside MMA]] that he will star in a supporting role in the upcoming science fiction film [[Pandorum]] with [[Dennis Quaid]] and [[Ben Foster]].
-==Championships==
+==Championships and accomplishments==
+{| style="font-size:85%;" class="wikitable" width="750"
-*[[Strikeforce]] Middleweight Champion
+|-
+! width="75"|Status !! width="150"|Date !! width="225"|Championship !! width="100"|Weight !! width="200"|Location
+|-
+| align="center" | Champion
+| align="center" | March 29, 2008 - present
+| [[Strikeforce]] Middleweight MMA Champion
+| align="center" | Middleweight
+| {{flagicon|USA}} [[San Jose]], [[California]], USA
+|-
+| align="center" | Champion
+| align="center" | 2005
+| [[Strikeforce]] Light Heavyweight Sanshou Champion
+| align="center" | Light Heavyweight
+| {{flagicon|USA}} [[San Jose]], [[California]], USA
+|-
+| align="center" | Champion
+| align="center" | 2004
+| ISKA Light Heavywieght K-1 Super Fight Champion
+| align="center" | Heavyweight
+| {{flagicon|USA}} [[Las Vegas]], [[Nevada]], USA
+|-
+| align="center" | Champion
+| align="center" | 2003
+| ISKA Light Heavywieght K-1 Super Fight Champion( vs. Phil Petit)
+| align="center" | Light Heavyweight
+| {{flagicon|USA}} [[Las Vegas]], [[Nevada]], USA
+|-
+| align="center" | Champion
+| align="center" | 2003
+| ISKA Light Heavywieght K-1 Super Fight Champion( vs. Scott Sheeley)
+| align="center" | Light Heavyweight
+| {{flagicon|USA}} [[Las Vegas]], [[Nevada]], USA
+|-
+| align="center" | Champion
+| align="center" | 2001
+| IKF Light Heavywieght World Champion
+| align="center" | Light Heavyweight
+| {{flagicon|USA}} [[San Jose]], [[California]], USA
+|-
+| align="center" | Champion
+| align="center" | 2000
+| ISKA North American Light Heavywieght Champion
+| align="center" | Light Heavyweight
+| {{flagicon|USA}} [[San Jose]], [[California]], USA
+|-
+| align="center" | Champion
+| align="center" | 2000
+| ISKA Light Heavywieght [[K-1]] Super fight Champion
+| align="center" | Light Heavyweight
+| {{flagicon|USA}} [[Las Vegas]], [[Nevada]], USA
+|-
+| align="center" | Champion
+| align="center" | 2000
+| ISKA Light Cruzerweight World Champion(title defense)
+| align="center" | Light Cruzer weight
+| {{flagicon|USA}} [[San Jose]], [[California]], USA
+|-
+| align="center" | Champion
+| align="center" | 1999
+| Art of War Light Heavyweight Champion(China vs. USA)
+| align="center" | Light Heavyweight
+| {{flagicon|USA}} [[Honolulu]], [[Hawaii]], USA
+|-
+| align="center" | Champion
+| align="center" | 1999
+| ISKA Light Heavywieght Sanshou World Champion
+| align="center" | Light Heavyweight
+| {{flagicon|USA}} [[San Jose]], [[California]], USA
+|-
+| align="center" | Champion
+| align="center" | 1998
+| ISKA Light Cruzer weight World Champion
+| align="center" | Light cruzer weight
+| {{flagicon|USA}} [[San Jose]], [[California]], USA
+|-
+| align="center" | Champion
+| align="center" | 1998
+| Draka Main Event Champion
+| align="center" | Light Heavyweight
+| {{flagicon|USA}} [[Los Angeles]], [[California]], USA
+|-
+| align="center" | Champion
+| align="center" | 1998
+| Draka Under card Champion
+| align="center" | Light Heavyweight
+| {{flagicon|USA}} [[Los Angeles]], [[California]], USA
+|-
+| align="center" | Champion
+| align="center" | 1998
+| Shidokan Team USA Champion
+| align="center" | Light Heavyweight
+| {{flagicon|USA}} [[Chicago]], [[Illinois]], USA
+|}
-==MMA record==
+===MMA record===
 {{MMArecordbox
 |wins=6
@@ Line 122: / Line 215: @@
 |-
 {{end box}}
 ==References==