Ron van Clief facts for kids

Ron Van Clief (born January 25, 1943) is an American martial artist and actor. He was born in Brooklyn, New York City. Ron Van Clief is famous for his roles in action films from the 1970s, especially those that combined martial arts with stories about African-American characters. He is sometimes called "The Black Dragon." He also created his own martial arts style called "Chinese Goju System" in 1973.

Early Life and Military Service

Ronald Van Clief grew up in Brooklyn, New York City. He was born on January 25, 1943. When he was older, he joined the United States Marine Corps. He served in the Marines from 1961 to 1965. During his time in the military, he was stationed in places like North Carolina, Okinawa, and Cuba. He earned several awards, including the Marine Corps Good Conduct Medal.

Ron Van Clief's Martial Arts Journey

Ron Van Clief started his martial arts training by competing in karate tournaments. He competed in both full-contact (where fighters hit each other) and non-contact (where fighters stop before hitting) events. He won many national and world championships.

Learning from Masters

Van Clief learned from many different martial arts teachers. Some of his teachers included Gōjū-ryū masters Peter Urban and Frank Ruiz. He also studied Wing Chun with Grandmaster Leung Ting, Modern Arnis with Remy Presas, and Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu with Joe Moreira. Other styles he learned were Sanuces Ryu Jiu Jitsu, Shotokan Karate, and Ninjutsu.

Fighting in the UFC

On December 16, 1994, Ron Van Clief competed in the 4th Ultimate Fighting Championship (UFC). At 51 years old, he was the oldest fighter to compete in the UFC at that time. He fought against Brazilian jiu-jitsu expert Royce Gracie. Gracie won the match by making Van Clief give up using a move called a rear naked choke. After this, Ron Van Clief became a commissioner for the UFC. He stopped competing in 2002 after winning the All American Karate Championship when he was 60.

Achievements and Teaching

Ron Van Clief competed in over 900 tournaments during his 40-year career. He retired as a 5-time world karate/kungfu champion and a 15-time All American champion. He has continued to compete in Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu tournaments since 2015. He has also written books and made videos to teach martial arts. Some of his well-known students include Taimak, who starred in the movie The Last Dragon.

Awards and Honors

• Black Belt Magazine, 2002 Instructor of the Year
• International Sports Hall of Fame, Class of 2022.

Ron Van Clief's Film Career

Ron Van Clief's first acting role was in the 1974 Hong Kong film The Black Dragon. He starred opposite Jason Pai Piao. Many of his films in the 1970s were action movies that featured African-American martial artists. This was a new and exciting idea at the time, following the success of martial artists like Jim Kelly in Enter the Dragon.

The Black Dragon Nickname

His film roles helped him earn the nickname "The Black Dragon." This name was even used in the titles of his movies, such as The Black Dragon's Revenge (1975) and Way of the Black Dragon (1979). He also acted in films with other martial arts stars, like Leo Fong in Bamboo Trap (1975) and Dragon Lee in Kung Fu Finger Book. He also appeared in an Italian crime film called The Squeeze in 1977.

Choreography and Voice Work

In the mid-1980s, Ron Van Clief worked as the fight choreographer for the movie The Last Dragon. This means he designed and taught the fight scenes for the film. He also did voice-over work for an international TV show called Kung Faux. He was a member of the Screen Actors Guild, a group for actors, for over 30 years.

Mixed Martial Arts Record