5 Things You Might Not Know About Cung Le

Cung Le was something of a comet in mixed martial arts, a here-today-gone-tomorrow talent who streaked across the sky in a blaze of brilliance and left fans wanting more.

The sanshou stylist retired in 2015 after he pieced together a 9-3 record across 12 assignments in Strikeforce and the Ultimate Fighting Championship, delivering eight of his nine victories by knockout or technical knockout. Le’s career covered a little more than eight years, with wins over Frank Shamrock, Rich Franklin, Patrick Cote and Scott Smith anchoring his resume. He made what was his final appearance in the cage on Aug. 23, 2014, when he succumbed to a knee strike and follow-up punches from Michael Bisping in the fourth round of their UFC Fight Night 48 headliner.

As Le drifts further and further into the rearview mirror, here are five things you might not know about him:

1. He escaped hell on earth.

Le was born on May 25, 1972 in Saigon, South Vietnam, with the Vietnam War still raging. In fact, at the age of 2, he was evacuated from his homeland by helicopter, along with his mother. They spent time in a refugee camp in the Philippines before emigrating to the United States.

2. He mixed the martial arts before becoming a mixed martial artist.

After settling in San Jose, California, Le started formal martial arts training when he was 10, his mother having enrolled him in taekwondo classes. He now holds the rank of black belt in the discipline. Le also earned all-state honors as a prep wrestler in high school and later competed at West Valley College in Saratoga, California, where he served as team captain for two years.

3. Kickboxing served as a springboard.

Le compiled a perfect 17-0 record as a professional kickboxer before he transitioned to mixed martial arts, capturing titles in the International Kickboxing Federation and the International Sport Karate Association. He was 33 years old by the time he made his professional MMA debut, as he punched out Mike Altman in a little less than four minutes at Strikeforce “Shamrock vs. Gracie” on March 10, 2006.

4. He acquired fame and fortune outside the UFC.

The 5-foot-11, 185-pound Le was one of five men to hold the undisputed Strikeforce middleweight championship, along with the aforementioned Shamrock, Jake Shields, Ronaldo Souza and Luke Rockhold. He laid claim to the title on March 29, 2008 and vacated it on Sept. 17, 2009. Le’s 588-day stay at the top ranks as the longest reign in the promotion’s history at 185 pounds.

5. Outside ventures offered a retirement plan.

Le has parlayed his undeniable charisma, world-class athleticism and considerable competitive exploits into a successful career in television and film. He has worked in a variety of roles on a variety of projects, from “Walker, Texas Ranger,” “Into the Badlands,” “NCIS: Los Angeles” and “Hawaii Five-0” to “Fighting,” “Tekken,” “The Man with the Iron Fists” and “Security.”