Cung Le:
2007 Kung Fu Artist of the Year
Cung Le:
|
While many of his peers were content to do forms and continuous light sparring, Le found his calling in sanshou, China’s brand of full-contact fighting. With rules that allow the fullest expression of combat training—which, in Le’s case, includes wrestling, taekwondo and Vietnamese kung fu—sanshou’s combination of kickboxing with throws and takedowns fit him like a glove. Once he mastered the basics, Le set about conquering the tournament scene. He won his first national sanshou title in Orlando, Florida, in 1994. In 1995 he represented the United States at the International Wushu Federation sanshou tournament and brought home the bronze. He’s the only American athlete to medal three times in international sanshou competition. Not one to rest on his laurels, Le was driven to further sharpen his fighting skills. While critics complain that the techniques a martial artist uses in a demonstration are flashier than those used in a real fight, Le proved that hard training can make even the most incredible moves look easy. From his flying leg-scissor takedowns to his suplex throws to his jump spinning kicks, he brought real excitement back to even the most jaded fight fans. In 1998 Le finally managed to turn his talents into financial gain, winning the Chicago Shidokan Tournament with two knockouts and a tapout, taking home the $5,000 purse. Later that year, he turned pro, making his debut in the DRAKA (Russian-style sanshou) arena and thrashing Japanese champ Minaro Tauro in his second fight. Strikeforce came calling that same year, and Le inked a deal that saw him fighting professional sanshou matches for the first time on television. Le decided to return to competition and answer once and for all pundits who claimed he couldn’t cut it in the mixed-martial arts cage. He started logging hours with Garth Taylor, a Brazilian jiu-jitsu black belt under Claudio Franca, and the American Kickboxing Academy’s Javier Mendez, who serves as Le’s boxing, kickboxing and MMA coach. So far, he’s scored four MMA victories by KO. Le continues to push the envelope of martial arts combat, bringing the same electricity to the cage as he did to the ring. His talents earned him sponsorships from Throwdown Industries and Knoxx Gear, making him virtually the only sanshou athlete to gain corporate recognition at that level. He currently spends his time teaching, training for his MMA career, developing his film prospects and raising his two sons. For his dedication to representing sanshou and inspiring practitioners of all the Chinese arts, Black Belt is inducting Cung Le into its Hall of Fame as 2007 Kung Fu Artist of the Year. (This profile originally appeared in the December 2007 issue of Black Belt.) 
San Shou Champ Cung Le Reveals the Secrets of High Kicks and Flying Leg Attacks!Knee Thrust |
