Age, Biography and Wiki

Benny Urquidez was born on 20 June, 1952 in Tarzana, California, U.S., is an American former professional kickboxer and martial artist. Discover Benny Urquidez's Biography, Age, Height, Physical Stats, Dating/Affairs, Family and career updates. Learn How rich is he in this year and how he spends money? Also learn how he earned most of networth at the age of 71 years old?

Popular As N/A
Occupation N/A
Age 71 years old
Zodiac Sign Gemini
Born 20 June 1952
Birthday 20 June
Birthplace Tarzana, California, U.S.
Nationality United States

We recommend you to check the complete list of Famous People born on 20 June. He is a member of famous Artist with the age 71 years old group.

Benny Urquidez Height, Weight & Measurements

At 71 years old, Benny Urquidez height is 5ft 6in and Weight 145 lb.

Physical Status
Height 5ft 6in
Weight 145 lb
Body Measurements Not Available
Eye Color Not Available
Hair Color Not Available

Who Is Benny Urquidez's Wife?

His wife is Sara Urquidez

Family
Parents Not Available
Wife Sara Urquidez
Sibling Not Available
Children Not Available

Benny Urquidez Net Worth

His net worth has been growing significantly in 2023-2024. So, how much is Benny Urquidez worth at the age of 71 years old? Benny Urquidez’s income source is mostly from being a successful Artist. He is from United States. We have estimated Benny Urquidez's net worth, money, salary, income, and assets.

Net Worth in 2024 $1 Million - $5 Million
Salary in 2024 Under Review
Net Worth in 2023 Pending
Salary in 2023 Under Review
House Not Available
Cars Not Available
Source of Income Artist

Benny Urquidez Social Network

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Wikipedia Benny Urquidez Wikipedia
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Timeline

1952

Benny Urquidez (born June 20, 1952) is an American former professional kickboxer, martial arts choreographer and actor.

Nicknamed "The Jet", Urquidez was a non-contact karate competitor who later pioneered full-contact fighting in the United States.

1958

Benny began competing in 1958, at the age of five, in "peewee" boxing and wrestling in Los Angeles.

His martial arts instruction started when he was seven years old; his first formal teacher was Bill Ryusaki.

1960

Urquidez received his black belt at the age of 14, a highly unusual feat in the 1960s.

His siblings also achieved the rank of black belt.

His sister Lilly Rodriguez was a pioneer in kickboxing for women, and their late brother Reuben Urquidez appeared with Benny in a documentary on the combination martial art budojujitsu.

1964

At the age of 12, Urquidez attended the Long Beach International Karate Championships in 1964.

He witnessed a demonstration by Bruce Lee, including the one-inch punch which sent a 245-pound man flying back.

This demonstration by Lee inspired a young Urqidez to start entering martial arts tournaments.

He entered the point circuit in 1964 and earned a reputation as a colorful fighter.

1972

At the 1972 Santa Monica Kempo Open, Urquidez lost in the finals to Brian Strian.

1973

In the 1973 Internationals, he fought John Natividad in what is considered one of the greatest non-contact bouts in history.

In an unprecedented 25-point overtime match, Natividad won the match 13–12, receiving the Grand Title and the $2,500 purse.

1974

He made the transition from point to full-contact karate in 1974, the year of its inception in the US, frequently fighting in bouts where the rules were ambiguous and contrasts in styles were dramatic.

Urquidez is also known for once holding the rare achievement of six world titles in five different weight divisions, and remained largely undefeated in his 27-year career.

His only loss came in a Muay Thai match which was shrouded in controversy, as Urquidez had only agreed to a no-decision exhibition, a clause which was ignored when the fight had ended.

Between 1974 and 1993, he amassed a documented professional record of 49–1–1 (win-loss-draw) with 35 knockouts and two controversial no-contests, although he is also supposed to have an additional record of 10–0–1 (10 KOs) in undocumented professional fights, making a total of 59–1–2–2 (45 KOs).

However, sources vary with Ratings listing Urquidez as 63–0–1, (57 knockouts) and on his own official webpage, Urquidez lists his fight record as 200–0, and says he was 63–0, with 57 knockouts in title defenses.

Also, he claims to have been undefeated in the "Adult Black Belt Division" prior to entering full-contact karate.

In May 1974, at the PAWAK Tournament, Urquidez lost a 4–1 decision to Joe Lewis.

He also competed in England and Belgium as a member of Ed Parker's 1974 US team.

Also in 1974, he began his move away from the non-contact style by entering and winning the World Series of Martial Arts Championship, effectively a tough-man contest with few rules.

Over the next two decades, he fought under various kickboxing organizations (NKL, WPKO, Professional Karate Association (PKA), World Kickboxing Association (WKA), AJKBA, Shin-Kakutojutsu Federation, NJPW and MTN) to amass a record of 58 wins with no losses.

This undefeated record, though official, is controversial and highly disputed.

1976

At the same time, Japanese professional wrestler Antonio Inoki, who gained the worldwide fame by fighting Muhammad Ali in the controversial 1976 boxer/wrestler mixed-match in Japan, had been looking for new opponents for what he called the world martial arts championship series.

Eventually, promoter Ron Holmes discovered Everett Eddy for Inoki.

By that time, Eddy had been coached by Arnold Urquidez, and lost in a knockout in the 1st round to PKA world heavyweight champion Ross Scott in the previous year.

In the same event, Benny Urquidez knocked out Howard Jackson, but soon his lightweight title was stripped by the PKA, and so both Eddy and Urquidez had no action in the US, and had to look for fights overseas.

Even though the Inoki/Eddy bout was successful, it was the fight between Urquidez and Suzuki, which shocked Japan, where Japanese kickboxing had been very popular.

Though never tested for or achieved any rank in Japanese karate, Urquidez has decided to bestow upon himself the title of sensei, a Japanese honorific term which is given to experts and instructors meaning: "someone who precedes you in knowledge".

1977

In 1977, Urquidez traveled to Japan and fought under the WKA's compromise US–Japan rules which included leg kicks and knees to the body.

He defeated Katsuyuki Suzuki by KO in the 6th round (August 1977) as part of the professional wrestling event in which Antonio Inoki fought Everett Eddy in what was said to be a wrestler/karate fighter mixed match but was a pre-determined pro wrestling match.

The Suzuki fight materialized because the newly formed WKA organization could not compete against the PKA in the US.

1978

Black Belt magazine voted Urquidez "Competitor of the Year" in 1978.

1984

He has appeared in occasional acting roles, including the Jackie Chan movies Wheels on Meals (1984) and Dragons Forever (1988), and played a hitman in George Armitage's Grosse Pointe Blank (1997).

Urquidez was born in Los Angeles County, California, the son of a Wrestling mother and a Boxing father.

His parents are of Spanish (Basque), Mexican and Blackfoot ancestry.

He has said that his father was Spanish and his mother was Native American.

2019

In 2019, he was inducted into the International Sports Hall of Fame.