RON VAN CLIEF
330 Saratoga Rd #88941
Honolulu, Hawaii 96815
email: ronvanclief@yahoo.com
cell (347) 417-3610
ronvanclief.com www.blackdragonfan.com
EXPERIENCE AND TRAINING
The United States Marine Corps 1960-1966
Screen Actors Guild 1973-2022
New York City Transit Police Officer 1965-1969
East Coast Stuntmens Association 1973
Appointed 10th Degree Red Belt Grandmaster 1971
Hong Kong Movie World “Ron Van Clief is the 1st foreigner to headline Hong Kong Films
Author of THE MANUAL OF THE MARTIAL ARTS 1981
Author of THE RON VAN CLIEF WHITE BELT GUIDEBOOK 1985
Author of THE RON VAN CLIEF PURPLE BELT GUIDEBOOK 1985
Author of BLACK HEROES OF THE MARTIAL ARTS 1996
Author of THE HANGED MAN The Story of Ron Van Clief 2012
Author of ZENTENCES The Tao of the Black Dragon 2022
Graduate of the NEW YORK VIETNAM VETERANS LEADERSHIP PROGRAM
Commissioner of the ULTIMATE FIGHTING CHAMPIONSHIP 1994-1996
Senior Defensive Tactics Instructor for the US SECRET SERVICE 1983-1993
CREDITS
5 Time WORLD KARATE CHAMPION
15 Time ALL AMERICAN OPEN KARATE/KUNGFU CHAMPION
2022 Inductee THE INTERNATIONAL SPORTS HALL OF FAME CLASS OF 2022
2021 produced the ULTIMATE WARRIORS HALL OF FAME CLASS OF 2022
2020 produced THE HANGED MAN The Story of Ron Van Clief (documentary)
2019 Author BLACK HEROES OF THE MARTIAL ARTS Vol 2
2018 INTERNATIONAL COUNCIL OF GRANDMASTER MEMBER AND ADVISORY BOARD
2018 URBAN ACTION SHOWCASE URBAN FISTS OF LEGENDS AWARD HONOREE
2018 At 75 years old competed in my first BJJ CHAMPIONSHIP (2ND PLACE SILVER MEDAL)
2018 THE PHILADELPHIA HISTORIC MARTIAL ARTS SOCIETY HALL OF FAME HONOREE
2017 THE ICON AWARD HONOREE ACTION ON FILM INTERNATIONAL FILM FESTIVAL
2017 THE LIVING LEGEND AWARD AT THE URBAN ACTION SHOWCASE AND EXPO
2016 THE LEGACY AWARD THE URBAN ACTION FILM FESTIVAL AND EXPO
2015 SILVER MEDALIST AT THE TRIPLE CROWN BJJ CHAMPIONSHIPS
2014 LIFETIME ACHIEVEMENT AWARD AT THE URBAN ACTION SHOWCASE
2013 POLICE TACTICS INSTRUCTORS OF AMERICA CERTIFICATION
2012 COMBAT PTSD PROGRAM AT LYONS VA HOSPITAL, NJ
2011 AWARD PH.D MARTIAL ARTS /ASIAN STUDIES HONORARY DEGREE
2010 THE MMA FIGHT COUNCIL ADVISORY BOARD MEMBER
2009 ELITE MMA REFEREE CERTIFICATION
2009 MONTESSORI AFTERSCHOOL PROGRAM SELF DEFENSE 101
2009 ANTILLES AFTER SCHOOL PROGRAM SELF DEFENSE 101
2009 IVANA EUDORA KEAN SCHOOL AFTERSCHOOL PROGRAM SELF DEFENSE 101
2009 BERTHA C BOSHOLTE MIDDLE SCHOOL PROGRAM SELF DEFENSE 101
2008 GRANDMASTER OF THE YEAR MADISON SQUARE GARDEN HALL OF FAME
2007 AN AFTERNOON WITH RON VAN CLIEF at the MUSEUM OF THE MOVING IMAGE
2004 BRONX INTERNATIONAL HIGH SCHOOL PROGRAM SELF DEFENSE 101
2003 MORRIS HIGH SCHOOL AFTERSCHOOL PROGRAM SELF DEFENSE 101
2003 BUDO INTERNATIONAL MAGAZINE GRANDMASTER OF THE YEAR HONOREE
2002 BLACK BELT MAGAZINE HALL OF FAME INDUCTEE
2002 ALL AMERICAN KARATE CHAMPION 1ST PLACE FIGHTING AND 1ST PLACE KATA
AT 60 YEARS OLD
2001 HISTORIC FIGURE AWARD HALL OF FAME SOKESHIP COUNCIL HONOREE
2000 MILLINEUM LIVING LEGEND AWARD HONOREE AT WORLD SOKESHIP COUNCIL
1998 MASTERS OF THE MARTIAL ARTS OF THE 20TH CENTURY LIFETIME ACHIEVEMENT AWARD
1994 UFC IV AT AGE 51 FOUGHT IN THE ULTIMATE FIGHTING CHAMPIONSHIP 4 AGAINST 26 YEAR OLD BJJ PHENOM ROYCE GRACE
1983-1993 SENIOR DEFENSIVE TACTICS INSTRUCTOR FOR THE UNITED STATES
SECRET SERVICE AT THE WORLD TRADE CENTER IN NYC
1985-1998 RADO PHYSICAL CULTURE INSTITUTE martial arts/fitness director
RON VAN CLIEF
Ron Van Clief aka The Black Dragon was born in Brooklyn, New York. He started his martial arts education at the St Johns Community Center. Grandmaster Moses Powell and Grandmaster Ronald Duncan were his first teachers as a teenager. In 1960 he joined the United States Marine Corps at the age of 17. He celebrated his 18th birthday at Parris Island Recruit Depot. Honorably discharged in 1966. In 1965 Ron became a member of the New York Transit Police Dept. During this period he lived in the east village and joined the Negro Ensemble Company. The Ron Van Clief Company was created to develop and produce live martial arts movies on stage. Alex Stevens and Harry Madsen were my mentors in the EAST COAST STUNTMENS ASSOCIATION in 1974 Ron got his opportunity to audition for THE BLACK DRAGON by MS BETTY WHITE, of BLACK BEAUTY AGENCY. Becoming the first foreigner to headline a Hong Kong martial arts movie {HONG KONG FILM WORLD). During this period Ron was still competing in karate tournaments around the world. He has competed in over 900 tournaments in a 60 years tournament history. Ron has worked on over 300 films;/television series as an extra, actor, stuntman, action director and martial arts choreographer. It was during this period he became a karate world champion 5 times and All American Karate champion 15 times. From 1983 to 1993 Ron was the Senior Defensive Tactics instructor for the United States Secret Service at the World Trade Center headquarters in New York city. Featured in BLACK BELT MAGAZINE, SPORTS ILLUSTRATED, KARATE ILLUSTRATED, OFFICIAL KARATE MAGAZINE AND INSIDE KUNG FU MAGAZINE At the age of 51 he became the oldest competitor in the ULTIMATE FIGHTING CHAMPIONSHIP in 1994. Ron served as the UFC Commissioner from 1995-1996. He retired from karate competition at the age of 60 after winning the 2002 ALL AMERICAN OPEN KARATE/KUNGFU CHAMPIONSHIP. Ron started competing in Brazilian jiujitsu championship at the age of 74 fighting competitors half his age. A prolific author of 11 books, six of which have been published, three screenplays DIVE, SKINHEAD and RETURN OF THE BLACK DRAGON, THE MANUAL OF THE MARTIAL ARTS(1981), THE RON VAN CLIEF GUIDEBOOKS SERIES (5 VOLUMES), BLACK HEROES OF THE MARTIAL ARTS (1996), THE HANGED MAN The Story of Ron Van Clief (2011), BLACK HEROES OF THE MARTIAL ARTS 2,3 & 4 (2019-2022). He has produced the documentary THE HANGED MAN (2021) and is available for world distribution. Ron is in post production with the animated film THE TAO OF THE BLACK DRAGON van clief prods and daetrix master art co production 2022. On March 3, 2022 Ron Van Clief was inducted into THE INTERNATIONAL SPORTS HALL OF FAME by Arnold Swartznegger and Dr. Robert Goldman at the ARNOLD CLASSIC SPORTS FESTIVAL. At the present Ron is editing his latest book, ZENTENCES THE TAO OF THE BLACK DRAGON.(2022 release). For past 11 years he has trained in RELSON GRACIE JIUJITSU and started competing at the age of 72 in bij. Ron lives with his wife, Kathy and son, Kai in Honolulu,Hawaii.