Bill Wallace (martial arts)
Encyclopedia
William "Bill" Louis Wallace (born December 1, 1945) is an American martial artist who was a Professional Karate Association world full- contact karate champion. He was the Professional Karate Association (PKA)
Middleweight Champion kickboxer
for almost six years.
, Indiana
, and trained in wrestling
during his high school years. He began his study of Judo
in 1966 and was forced to discontinue his Judo related activities because of an injury he suffered to his right knee during practice. He then began to study Shorin-ryu
Karate
under Michael Gneck in February 1967 while serving in the U.S. Air Force. After entering the point fighting tournament scene and achieving success there, he switched to full-contact kickboxing.
With the coaching help of veteran fighter Jim 'Ronin' Harrison, Wallace won 23 consecutive professional fights between 1974 and 1980, becoming the Professional Karate Association
middleweight world full-contact karate champion and retiring undefeated. He was known for his fast left leg kick
s, especially his roundhouse kick
and his hook kick, which was clocked at about 60 mph. He focused on his left leg because of the Judo-related injury to his right knee, using the right leg primarily as a base. He also suffered the loss of one testicle
during a point fighting tournament, when his protective cup was struck at an unfortunate angle. He saved the testicle and showed it to football running back legend, Jim Brown at the first Ultimate Fighting Championship (which also featured commentating from Wallace).
A year later, Wallace turned professional and captured the PKA
middleweight karate championship with a second-round knockout. He relinquished the crown in 1980, undefeated. The PKA promoted the sport of full-contact karate. Full-contact karate differed from kickboxing in that leg kicks were allowed in kickboxing and forbidden in full-contact karate.
, earning a bachelor's degree
in 1971 in physical education
. In 1976, he earned a master's degree
in Kinesiology
from Memphis State University
.
starring Chuck Norris
. Wallace was the play-by-play commentator for the inaugural Ultimate Fighting Championship
pay-per-view
event in 1993 alongside fellow kickboxer Kathy Long
and NFL Hall of famer
Jim Brown
. Wallace administers an organization of karate schools under his "Superfoot" system. He was elected to Black Belt Magazine's Hall of Fame in 1973 as "Tournament Karate Fighter of the Year" and again in 1978 as "Man of the Year." His film credits include A Force of One
with Chuck Norris
; Kill Point, with Cameron Mitchell
; Continental Divide
and Neighbors
, with John Belushi
; The Protector
, with Jackie Chan
; Los Bravos with Hector Echavarria
; A Prayer for the Dying
, with Mickey Rourke
; Ninja Turf
; and Sword of Heaven. Wallace was a trainer and close friend of Elvis Presley
and John Belushi
and was the personal trainer who found Belushi dead of a drug overdose at the Chateau Marmont on March 5, 1982.
Wallace has written and co-written a number of books, including:
DVD format:
Professional Karate Association
The Professional Karate Association was originally a martial arts sanctioning organization, now transformed into a martial arts promotion company....
Middleweight Champion kickboxer
Karate
is a martial art developed in the Ryukyu Islands in what is now Okinawa, Japan. It was developed from indigenous fighting methods called and Chinese kenpō. Karate is a striking art using punching, kicking, knee and elbow strikes, and open-handed techniques such as knife-hands. Grappling, locks,...
for almost six years.
Background
Wallace was born in PortlandPortland, Indiana
-Demographics:As of the census of 2000, there were 6,437 people, 2,739 households, and 1,750 families residing in the city. The population density was 1,566.8 people per square mile . There were 2,928 housing units at an average density of 712.7 per square mile...
, Indiana
Indiana
Indiana is a US state, admitted to the United States as the 19th on December 11, 1816. It is located in the Midwestern United States and Great Lakes Region. With 6,483,802 residents, the state is ranked 15th in population and 16th in population density. Indiana is ranked 38th in land area and is...
, and trained in wrestling
Wrestling
Wrestling is a form of grappling type techniques such as clinch fighting, throws and takedowns, joint locks, pins and other grappling holds. A wrestling bout is a physical competition, between two competitors or sparring partners, who attempt to gain and maintain a superior position...
during his high school years. He began his study of Judo
Judo
is a modern martial art and combat sport created in Japan in 1882 by Jigoro Kano. Its most prominent feature is its competitive element, where the object is to either throw or takedown one's opponent to the ground, immobilize or otherwise subdue one's opponent with a grappling maneuver, or force an...
in 1966 and was forced to discontinue his Judo related activities because of an injury he suffered to his right knee during practice. He then began to study Shorin-ryu
Shorin-Ryu
is one of the major modern Okinawan martial arts. It was founded by Choshin Chibana in 1933. Shōrin-ryū combines elements of the traditional Okinawan fighting styles of Shuri-te.-History:Chosin Chibana was a top student of the great master of shuri-te, Anko Itosu...
Karate
Karate
is a martial art developed in the Ryukyu Islands in what is now Okinawa, Japan. It was developed from indigenous fighting methods called and Chinese kenpō. Karate is a striking art using punching, kicking, knee and elbow strikes, and open-handed techniques such as knife-hands. Grappling, locks,...
under Michael Gneck in February 1967 while serving in the U.S. Air Force. After entering the point fighting tournament scene and achieving success there, he switched to full-contact kickboxing.
With the coaching help of veteran fighter Jim 'Ronin' Harrison, Wallace won 23 consecutive professional fights between 1974 and 1980, becoming the Professional Karate Association
Professional Karate Association
The Professional Karate Association was originally a martial arts sanctioning organization, now transformed into a martial arts promotion company....
middleweight world full-contact karate champion and retiring undefeated. He was known for his fast left leg kick
Kick
In combat sports and hand-to-hand combat, a kick is a physical strike using the foot, leg, or knee . This type of attack is used frequently, especially in stand-up fighting...
s, especially his roundhouse kick
Roundhouse kick
A roundhouse kick is a kick in which the attacker swings his leg around in a semicircular motion, striking with the front of the leg or foot. This type of kick is utilized in many different martial arts and is popular in both non-contact and full-contact martial arts competitions...
and his hook kick, which was clocked at about 60 mph. He focused on his left leg because of the Judo-related injury to his right knee, using the right leg primarily as a base. He also suffered the loss of one testicle
Testicle
The testicle is the male gonad in animals. Like the ovaries to which they are homologous, testes are components of both the reproductive system and the endocrine system...
during a point fighting tournament, when his protective cup was struck at an unfortunate angle. He saved the testicle and showed it to football running back legend, Jim Brown at the first Ultimate Fighting Championship (which also featured commentating from Wallace).
A year later, Wallace turned professional and captured the PKA
PKA
PKA, pKa, or other similar variations may stand for:* pKa, the symbol for the acid dissociation constant at logarithmic scale* Protein kinase A, a class of cAMP-dependent enzymes* Pi Kappa Alpha, the North-American social fraternity...
middleweight karate championship with a second-round knockout. He relinquished the crown in 1980, undefeated. The PKA promoted the sport of full-contact karate. Full-contact karate differed from kickboxing in that leg kicks were allowed in kickboxing and forbidden in full-contact karate.
Education
Wallace studied at Ball State UniversityBall State University
Ball State University is a state-run research university located in Muncie, Indiana. It is also known as Ball State or simply BSU.Located on the northwest side of the city, Ball State's campus spans and includes 106 buildings...
, earning a bachelor's degree
Bachelor's degree
A bachelor's degree is usually an academic degree awarded for an undergraduate course or major that generally lasts for three or four years, but can range anywhere from two to six years depending on the region of the world...
in 1971 in physical education
Physical education
Physical education or gymnastics is a course taken during primary and secondary education that encourages psychomotor learning in a play or movement exploration setting....
. In 1976, he earned a master's degree
Master's degree
A master's is an academic degree granted to individuals who have undergone study demonstrating a mastery or high-order overview of a specific field of study or area of professional practice...
in Kinesiology
Kinesiology
Kinesiology, also known as human kinetics is the scientific study of human movement. Kinesiology addresses physiological, mechanical, and psychological mechanisms. Applications of kinesiology to human health include: biomechanics and orthopedics, rehabilitation, such as physical and occupational...
from Memphis State University
University of Memphis
The University of Memphis is an American public research university located in the Normal Station neighborhood of Memphis, Tennessee and is the flagship public research university of the Tennessee Board of Regents system....
.
Accomplishments
Wallace has taught karate, judo, wrestling and weight lifting at Memphis State University. The author of a college textbook about karate and kinesiology, he continues to teach seminars across the United States and abroad. He has acted, most notably in A Force of OneA Force of One
A Force of One is a 1979 martial arts film starring Chuck Norris, Jennifer O'Neill, Ron O'Neal, Clu Gulager, and Bill Wallace. The film was directed by Paul Aaron and written by Pat E...
starring Chuck Norris
Chuck Norris
Carlos Ray "Chuck" Norris is an American martial artist and actor. After serving in the United States Air Force, he began his rise to fame as a martial artist and has since founded his own school, Chun Kuk Do...
. Wallace was the play-by-play commentator for the inaugural Ultimate Fighting Championship
Ultimate Fighting Championship
The Ultimate Fighting Championship is the largest mixed martial arts promotion company in the world that hosts most of the top-ranked fighters in the sport...
pay-per-view
Pay-per-view
Pay-per-view provides a service by which a television audience can purchase events to view via private telecast. The broadcaster shows the event at the same time to everyone ordering it...
event in 1993 alongside fellow kickboxer Kathy Long
Kathy Long
Kathy Long is an American retired five time world kickboxing champion and mixed martial arts fighter.- Biography :Long was born in St. Louis, Missouri, and was raised in Sunny Mead, California...
and NFL Hall of famer
Pro Football Hall of Fame
The Pro Football Hall of Fame is the hall of fame of professional football in the United States with an emphasis on the National Football League . It opened in Canton, Ohio, on September 7, 1963, with 17 charter inductees...
Jim Brown
Jim Brown
James Nathaniel "Jim" Brown is an American former professional football player who has also made his mark as an actor. He is best known for his exceptional and record-setting nine-year career as a running back for the NFL Cleveland Browns from 1957 to 1965. In 2002, he was named by Sporting News...
. Wallace administers an organization of karate schools under his "Superfoot" system. He was elected to Black Belt Magazine's Hall of Fame in 1973 as "Tournament Karate Fighter of the Year" and again in 1978 as "Man of the Year." His film credits include A Force of One
A Force of One
A Force of One is a 1979 martial arts film starring Chuck Norris, Jennifer O'Neill, Ron O'Neal, Clu Gulager, and Bill Wallace. The film was directed by Paul Aaron and written by Pat E...
with Chuck Norris
Chuck Norris
Carlos Ray "Chuck" Norris is an American martial artist and actor. After serving in the United States Air Force, he began his rise to fame as a martial artist and has since founded his own school, Chun Kuk Do...
; Kill Point, with Cameron Mitchell
Cameron Mitchell (actor)
Cameron Mitchell was an American film, television and Broadway actor with close ties to one of Canada's most successful families, and considered, by Lee Strasberg, to be one of the founding members of The Actor's Studio in New York City.-Early life and career:Born Cameron MacDowell Mitzel in...
; Continental Divide
Continental Divide (film)
Continental Divide is a 1981 American romantic comedy. It was directed by Michael Apted from an original screenplay by Lawrence Kasdan and produced by Steven Spielberg and stars John Belushi and Blair Brown; the latter was nominated for a Golden Globe for her performance.An attempt was made during...
and Neighbors
Neighbors (film)
Neighbors is a 1981 film based on the book by Thomas Berger. It was released through Columbia Pictures, directed by John G. Avildsen and stars John Belushi as Earl, Dan Aykroyd as Vic , Cathy Moriarty as Ramona, Kathryn Walker as Enid, and Lauren-Marie Taylor as Elaine. The film takes liberties...
, with John Belushi
John Belushi
John Adam Belushi was an American comedian, actor, and musician, best known as one of the original cast members of the NBC sketch comedy show Saturday Night Live, The Star of the Films National Lampoon's Animal House and the The Blues Brothers and for fronting the American blues and soul...
; The Protector
The Protector (1985 film)
The Protector is a 1985 Hong Kong / USA action film, directed by James Glickenhaus and starring Jackie Chan. It was Chan's second attempt at breaking into the American film market, after 1980's The Big Brawl, a film which had flopped at the box office...
, with Jackie Chan
Jackie Chan
Jackie Chan, SBS, MBE is a Hong Kong actor, action choreographer, comedian, director, producer, martial artist, screenwriter, entrepreneur, singer and stunt performer. In his movies, he is known for his acrobatic fighting style, comic timing, use of improvised weapons, and innovative stunts...
; Los Bravos with Hector Echavarria
Hector Echavarria
Héctor Echavarría is an Argentine-born kickboxer, martial arts master, fitness guru, filmmaker, and actor. Apart from being a kickboxer World Champion for many years, he also has had a long television and film career in his native Argentina...
; A Prayer for the Dying
A Prayer for the Dying
A Prayer for the Dying is a 1987 thriller film about a former IRA member trying to escape his past. The film was directed by Mike Hodges, and stars Mickey Rourke, Liam Neeson, Bob Hoskins, and Alan Bates...
, with Mickey Rourke
Mickey Rourke
Philip Andre "Mickey" Rourke, Jr. is an American actor, screenwriter and retired boxer, who has appeared primarily as a leading man in action, drama, and thriller films....
; Ninja Turf
Ninja Turf
Ninja Turf aka Los Angeles Streetfighter is an 1986 martial arts film starring Loren Avedon and Phillip Rhee.Thomas F. Wilson appears in this film in a very small role.-Cast:*Jun Chong as Young*Phillip Rhee as Tony*James Lew as Chan...
; and Sword of Heaven. Wallace was a trainer and close friend of Elvis Presley
Elvis Presley
Elvis Aaron Presley was one of the most popular American singers of the 20th century. A cultural icon, he is widely known by the single name Elvis. He is often referred to as the "King of Rock and Roll" or simply "the King"....
and John Belushi
John Belushi
John Adam Belushi was an American comedian, actor, and musician, best known as one of the original cast members of the NBC sketch comedy show Saturday Night Live, The Star of the Films National Lampoon's Animal House and the The Blues Brothers and for fronting the American blues and soul...
and was the personal trainer who found Belushi dead of a drug overdose at the Chateau Marmont on March 5, 1982.
Wallace has written and co-written a number of books, including:
- The Best of Bill Wallace
- Competitive Karate: Featuring the Superfoot System
- The Ultimate Kick
- Dynamic Kicking & Stretching
- Karate: Basic Concepts & Skills
DVD format:
- BOOST Karate for Children
- Karate: Basic Concepts & Skills
Kickboxing record
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