Actors - Benny Urquidez

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	Actors - Benny Urquidez

Benny Urquidez (born June 20, 1952), nicknamed The Jet, is a world-champion kickboxer, martial arts choreographer, and actor. He was born in California, the son of a wrestling mother and a boxing father, and is descended from Spaniards and Amerindians.

He began competing in 1958, at the age of five, in a "peewee" boxing division in Los Angeles. He entered the point circuit in 1964 and continued until 1973, when he began competing in full-contact karate.

Urquidez stands 5 ft 7 in, weighing 140 lb (64 kg). In an interview he tells that he limits himself to a few but dedicated techniques, mainly kicks. He obtained a black belt in nine styles: judo, kempo, shotokan, taekwondo, lima lama, white crane kung fu, jujutsu, aikido, and karate. He is the founder of Ukidokan Karate.

Urquidez played a leading role in various martial art movies. Some of these include Wheels on Meals
and Dragons Forever
, where he fights against the characters played by Jackie Chan, Sammo Hung and Yuen Biao, with Urquidez as a tough opponent who is defeated in the climactic fight scenes of both movies.

Urquidez competed against Muay Thai fighters several times. In March, 1977 in California, Urquidez fought a Thai named Nalongleng. While Urquidez was downed by Nalongleng's roundhouse in the 9th round, the match was declared a "no decision". In a fight against Prayoud Sittiboonlert, another Thai boxer, Urquidez's corner threw in the towel after the second round; Urquidez claims that this was only an exhibitional fight. Urquidez's second and last defeat was to Thai boxer Bayud in August, 1978 in Tokyo, where he lost by decision after 6 rounds. Urquidez has not fought another Thai opponent again.

In 1993, Urquidez retired from kickboxing competition. At that point he had won six world championships. From that time on, he devoted himself to acting and teaching kick boxing and martial arts choreography. For the latter he has written various books and produced instructional videos.

He trained actor John Cusack in the western style of kickboxing. Urquidez starred in the film Grosse Pointe Blank as a hitman sent to kill Cusack's character.

[ Visit the complete Wikipedia entry for Benny Urquidez ]

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