Gerard Gordeau
Dutch karateka and 1991 savate world champion who reached the final at UFC 1 in 1993, where he lost to Royce Gracie.
Quick Facts
NetherlandsBiography
Gerard Gordeau is a Dutch karateka and savate fighter known for competing in the first UFC tournament. He was born on 30 March 1956 in The Hague. He is 196 cm tall and weighs 98 kg.
An Indonesian friend introduced him to karate. He started training seriously after two losses to a Japanese training partner, whom he defeated in a rematch after a year of training. From the age of 16 he trained mainly in Kyokushin karate, and also practiced savate, wrestling, boxing, sambo, silat, muay thai and judo. We have not been able to verify the names of his teachers.
Between 1978 and 1985 he was Dutch karate champion eight times in a row, European savate champion from 1988 to 1991, and savate world champion in 1991. Before MMA his combat sports record was 27 wins and 4 losses. He holds 9th dan in Kyokushin karate, 7th dan in Sei Budo Kai and 4th dan in Oyama karate. With his brothers Al and Nic he runs the Kamakura dojo in The Hague, and with Robert Pepels the International Karate Organization; he has trained Mourad Bouzidi, Daniel Ghiță, Cem Senol and Pepels.
At UFC 1 on 12 November 1993 in Denver he defeated Teila Tuli by technical knockout after 26 seconds, in the first televised UFC fight, and beat Kevin Rosier in the semifinal after 59 seconds. In the final he lost to Royce Gracie by rear naked choke and bit his ear during the fight; they reconciled in 2012. In the Vale Tudo Japan final on 20 April 1995 in Tokyo he lost by armbar to Yuki Nakai, whose eye he gouged during the fight; they reconciled in 2019.
Associated Martial Arts
An Okinawan striking art reshaped in the 20th century into Japanese budo and an Olympic sport. Built on kata and hand and foot techniques.
SavateChampion→A French striking sport in which one kicks with the foot in a shoe and boxes with the hands. Its modern form was given by Charles Lecour and Joseph Charlemont in the 19th century.
KyokushinNotable figure→A full-contact style of karate developed by Masutatsu Oyama. Fighting is without gloves, kicks to the head are allowed, punches and elbows to the face are not.
Achievements and honours
- UFC 1Major tournament · 2nd place · 1993
Filmography
A screen role does not mean the person actually practises the art — that is listed above.