The Full Wiki

Cung Le: Wikis
  
  

Note: Many of our articles have direct quotes from sources you can cite, within the Wikipedia article! This article doesn't yet, but we're working on it! See more info or our list of citable articles.

Encyclopedia

Updated live from Wikipedia, last check: June 01, 2012 05:25 UTC (54 seconds ago)

From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

Cung Le

Cung Le in 2009.
Born May 25, 1972 (1972-05-25) (age 37)
South Vietnam Saigon, South Vietnam
Other names Kung Lee
Nationality United States Vietnamese American
Height 5 ft 10 in (1.78 m)[1]
Weight 185 lb (84 kg; 13.2 st)
Style Sanshou, Muay Thai, Taekwondo, Viet Vo Dao[2], Wrestling[3], Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu[4]
Fighting out of San Jose, California
Team American Kickboxing Academy , Universal Strength Headquarters
Rank      black belt in Tae Kwon Do
     blue belt in BJJ
Kickboxing record
Total 17
Wins 17
By knockout 12
Losses 0
MMA record
Total 7
Wins 6
By knockout 6
Losses 1
Draws 0
Other information
Mixed martial arts record from Sherdog

Cung Le (born May 25, 1972) is a Vietnamese American kickboxer, mixed martial artist, and actor from San Jose, California currently competing in Strikeforce. He defeated Frank Shamrock to become the second Strikeforce Middleweight Champion before vacating the title to further pursue his acting career.

Contents

Life and career

Cung Le was born in Saigon, South Vietnam. He fled his home country with his mother in 1975 as the capital city fell to communist rule (reportedly fleeing in a helicopter under machine gun fire). He ended up in San Jose, California where early racial bullying inspired him to learn to fight. His mother enrolled him in Taekwondo classes at the age of 10. Since those first classes he has absorbed a variety of styles, and was undefeated as a professional kickboxer (16-0). He is a three time world champion and also coaches his own team, which is now 11-0 in team competition.[5]

Kickboxing and Sanshou (Sanda, kung fu - Chinese KickBoxing)

Cung Le is undefeated in his professional Sanshou career (16-0).[6] He has won three US Open International Martial Arts Championships (1994, 1995,1996). In 1998 he won the Shidokan tournament championship.[7] 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 Sanshou 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 Wushu Championships in 1997 (Italy) and 1999 (Hong Kong). On December 15, 2001 he defeated Shonie Carter by unanimous decision in San Jose, California to win the IKF Pro Light-Heavyweight San Shou World Title.[6] In May 2003, Le entered into K-1 competitions where he garnered a 3-0 career record, including 1 knockout.[6]

MMA career

Cung Le and Frank Shamrock after their bout.

Le made his mixed martial arts debut at Strikeforce: Shamrock vs. Gracie on March 10, 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 went on to fight the veteran Tony Fryklund who had just suffered a spectacular loss to Anderson Silva one year prior. Like Silva, Le beat Fryklund via KO late in the third round. Soon after Le fought Sammy Morgan at Strikeforce: Four Men Enter, One Man Survives. He utilized his throws to keep Morgan off and won the bout via TKO.

On March 29, 2008, Le defeated a long time MMA veteran Frank Shamrock in a 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.

On September 17, 2009, Strikeforce CEO Scott Coker announced that Le had relinquished his belt after securing another major motion picture deal.[8]

Le returned to Strikeforce to face Scott Smith at Strikeforce: Evolution on December 19, 2009. Despite dominating the majority of the fight, Le suffered his first defeat, losing via KO at 3:25 of round 3.

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 2010. Le had supporting roles in the science fiction film Pandorum with Dennis Quaid and Ben Foster, and Fighting, released in 2009 alongside Channing Tatum. He also stars in a Hong Kong martial art film Bodyguards and Assassins coming out on December 18, 2009.

Personal life

Cung has two sons with his ex-wife.[9] He and his second wife Suzanne were married in August 2009.[10]

Kickboxing and Sanshou record

This list is incomplete; you can help by expanding it.
Result Date Event Weight Location
Win 2004 ISKA Light Heavyweight K-1 Super Fight (vs. Brian Warren) Light Heavyweight United States Las Vegas, Nevada, USA
Win 2003 ISKA Light Heavyweight K-1 Super Fight (vs. Phil Petit) Light Heavyweight United States Las Vegas, Nevada, USA
Win 2003 ISKA Light Heavyweight K-1 Super Fight (vs. Scott Sheeley) Light Heavyweight United States Las Vegas, Nevada, USA
Win 2001 IKF Light Heavyweight fight (vs. Shonie Carter) Light Heavyweight United States San Jose, California, USA
Win 2000 ISKA North American Light Heavyweight Fight (vs. God) Light Heavyweight United States San Jose, California, USA
Win 2000 ISKA Light Heavyweight K-1 Super fight (vs. Laimon M. Keita) Light Heavyweight United States Las Vegas, Nevada, USA
Win 2000 ISKA Cruiserweight title defense (vs. Mike Altman) Cruiserweight United States San Jose, California, USA
Win 1999 Art of War Light Heavyweight, China vs. USA (vs. Nashun Gerile) Light Heavyweight United States Honolulu, Hawaii, USA
Win 1999 ISKA Light Heavyweight Sanshou (vs. Scott Sheeley) Light Heavyweight United States San Jose, California, USA
Win 1998 ISKA Cruiserweight fight (vs. Dan Garett) Cruiserweight United States San Jose, California, USA
Win 1998 Draka Main Event (vs. Minaro Tauro) Light Heavyweight United States Los Angeles, California, USA
Win 1998 Draka Under card (vs. Gilk Isrelin) Light Heavyweight United States Los Angeles, California, USA
Win 1998 Shidokan Team USA(vs. Arne Soldwedel) Light Heavyweight United States Chicago, Illinois, USA
Win 1998 Shidokan Team USA (vs. Laimon M. Keita) Light Heavyweight United States Chicago, Illinois, USA
Win 1998 Shidokan Team USA (vs. Ben Harris) Light Heavyweight United States Chicago, Illinois, USA

MMA record

Result Opponent Method Event Date Round Time Location Notes
Loss United States Scott Smith TKO (Punches) Strikeforce: Evolution 12/19/2009 3 3:25 United States San Jose, California
Win United States Frank Shamrock TKO (broken arm) EliteXC / Strikeforce - Strikeforce: Shamrock vs. Le 3/29/2008 3 5:00 United States San Jose, California Won Strikeforce Middleweight Championship, Vacates title later due to filming obligations.
Win United States Sammy Morgan TKO (Body Kick) Strikeforce: Four Men Enter, One Man Survives 11/16/2007 3 1:58 United States San Jose, California
Win United States Tony Fryklund KO (Punch) Strikeforce: Shamrock vs. Baroni 6/22/2007 3 0:25 United States San Jose, California
Win United States Jason Von Flue TKO (Cut) Strikeforce: Triple Threat 12/8/2006 1 0:43 United States San Jose, California
Win United States Brian Warren TKO (Punches) Strikeforce: Revenge 6/9/2006 1 4:19 United States San Jose, California
Win United States Mike Altman KO (Punch) Strikeforce: Shamrock vs. Gracie 3/10/2006 1 3:51 United States San Jose, California

References

  1. ^ "Cung Le MMA Stats". Sherdog. http://www.sherdog.com/fighter/Cung-Le-14883. Retrieved 2010-1-30. 
  2. ^ http://www.blackbeltmag.com/archives/152
  3. ^ http://martialarts.about.com/od/eventsandcompetitions/p/cungle.htm
  4. ^ http://www.strikeforce.com/fighters/CungLe.asp
  5. ^ http://www.cungle.com/movies.php
  6. ^ a b c http://www.cungle.com/fightprofile.php
  7. ^ http://ezine.kungfumagazine.com/magazine/article.php?article=263
  8. ^ "LE STEPS DOWN; SHIELDS VS. LAWLER FOR 185 BELT". MMAWeekly.com. 2009-09-17. http://www.mmaweekly.com/absolutenm/templates/dailynews.asp?articleid=9607&zoneid=2. Retrieved 2009-09-17. 
  9. ^ "KNOXX’s Cung Le talks about 2008 and his upcoming movies for 2009". KNOXXGEAR.com. 2008-12-20. http://knoxxgear.wordpress.com/2008/12/20/knoxxs-cung-le-talks-about-2008-and-his-upcoming-movies-for-2009/. Retrieved 2009-07-26. 
  10. ^ "Exclusive Cung Le Interview". 2009-08-13. http://www.octagonbuzz.com/exclusive-cung-le-interview/. Retrieved 2009-08-22. 

External links

Preceded by
Frank Shamrock		 2nd Strikeforce Middleweight Champion
March 29, 2008 - September 17, 2009		 Vacant
Le stepped down due
to filming obligations
Title next held by
Jake Shields







Got something to say? Make a comment.
Your name
Your email address
Message
Please enter the solution to case below
5-2=