A.J. Verel

Verel with Barack Obama

A.J. Verel (born March 2) is an American kickboxer, martial artist, actor, stuntman, politician and inductee into the Pro Martial Arts/MMA Hall of Fame.

Verel is a former Light Heavyweight & Middleweight sport karate and kickboxing Champion. In 1992 he won the World Kickboxing Association's (WKA) Middleweight title. Verel holds black belts in five different martial arts and as co-captain of the U.S. National Martial Arts and N.A.C.K. (North American Champions Karate) Demonstration Teams won two gold medals.

Verel returned to the Original Toughman Contest in 2000 as the shows referee for the FOX televised reality show titled Toughman Contest Championship Series which ran for five seasons on the FX Network. Verel is active working on and appearing in movies, training fighters and producing televised events. Verel is the Chairman for the Official "Pro Martial Arts Hall of Fame & Museum" Chartered by New York States Education Department. In June 2010 Verel was named the United States Delegate for the 'World Kickboxing League" (WKL) for all Ring Sports along with Ambassadors Rick "The Jet" Rufus and Don "The Dragon" Wilson. Verel also is currently under consideration by President Barack Obama for a position on the Council for Fitness, Sports and Nutrition.

Education

Verel holds degrees in Psychology, Business, and Education.

Sporting career

Martial arts

Verel holds black belts in five different styles of martial arts and has been training since the age of 9. Verel was a member of the U.S. / Canadian (Can/Am) Tae Kwon Do demonstration team and the N.A.C.K. Team, which won two Gold Medals in 1988 and 1992. Like fellow kickboxers "Joe Lewis", "Troy Dorsey", "Benny Urquidez", and "Rick Roufus", Verel has a strong classical boxing background. Verel is credited with fellow Hall of Famers Joe Lewis, "Bill Wallace, and Troy Dorsey, for winning both World Sport Karate and Kickboxing Titles in the same year.

Original Toughman Contest

Verel won two consecutive boxing competitions in the Original "Toughman Contest".

KickBoxing

Verel is credited with winning four World Titles in two separate weight classes. The "[World Kickboxing Association]" (WKA) and "[World Kickboxing Organization]" (WKO) World Middleweight Titles, and the "[World Kickboxing Council]" (WKC) and "World Kickboxing Leagues" (WKL) Light Heavyweight Titles.

Mixed Martial Arts

Verel coached and trained fighters for "Ultimate Fighting Championship" I-VII, the "International Fighting Championships", "King Of The Cage", and Combat Zone as well as being an alternate himself.

Media career

Stage

In 1993 Verel was featured in two professional stage productions, Anything Goes, with Tony Award Winning Actress "Debbie Shapiro-Gravitte" and Tony nominated Actor Ray DeMattis and also the production Damn Yankees with Brian Sutherland.

Film

Verel first appeared in Talons of the Eagle and T.C. 2000 with Tae Bo creator "Billy Blanks". Verel became a union actor and stunt coordinator after having appeared in Against the Ropes, which starred "Meg Ryan", "Omar Epps", "Tony Shaloub" and "Tim Daly". The film was also directed by actor/director "Charles S. Dutton".

Verel has appeared in several features to date including Moving Target, Shadow Creature, Poultrygeist, Little Chicago, STAR TREK, Unstoppable, Starring "Denzel Washington" and "Chris Pine", "Tammy", "The American Side", "Best Man Holiday" and " The Amazing Spider-Man 2"

Production work

Behind the camera Verel has been in the role of stunt coordinator/stunt performer/second unit director and producer on a number of projects. Such as Shadow Creature, T.C. 2000, Talons of the Eagle, "Star Trek", Back in Action. and The Brawl in the Falls, which featured heavyweight boxers "Big" Michael Grant, and "The Italian Hitman" Paul Marinaccio.

Television

Verel has appeared as a boxing analyst for "CNN", LCTV, SportsBlast TV and Sunshine Sports. Verel was the chief official for four seasons on the FX reality show Toughman Championship Series.

Legal, professional and political career

Verel has been called as an expert to testify on combative sports. His knowledge of combative sport laws, his personal ring experience, educational and emergency medical background is why FSN and API chose him for television as a commentator and chief referee. Verel has officiated in 4 Different countries and over 20 of the United States. He has officiated over 2,500 boxing matches, 600 kickboxing and MMA and 40 professional entertainment wrestling matches.

In 2012 Verel wrote Bill proposals for New York State that will legalize MMA in New York since its ban in 1997 and establish a commission to oversee all amateur combative sports and single discipline martial arts. Currently New York State Assembly and Senate Members Angela Wozniak and Timothy Kennedy have introduced the Bills which have gained some support in 2015; though not enough support to pass through committee or move to the floor for a full vote.

Verel ran for a vacant seat in the Buffalo Common Council in 2012. Though he was initially considered a standout in the race, he failed to gain support after allegations of a criminal history and prison sentence arose.[1] On April 25, 2012 "The Buffalo News" reported the Verel had twice been arrested for Burglary.[2] The first, in 1989, concluded with a conviction and prison sentence served between July 20, 1989 and May 31, 1991. The story goes on to allege that Verel was again arrested on second degree burglary charges in 1998.[3]

Career highlights

Year Event Description
1986 Pro Debut Canton Civic Center (WKA)
1988 U.S. TKD Demo Team (Result: Team Gold Medal) (WKA)
1991 Toughman Contest Champion
1992 U.S. DEMO TKD & N.A.C.K. Team Co-Capt. (Result: Team Gold Medal) (WKA)
1992 Hard Knock Series Atlantic City, NJ - 4th round decision over John Lucarrelli
1992 WKA World Championship Title Fight Ashville, NC (72.5 kg-160 lbs) Ø Opponent: Derrick “The Destroyer” Littlefield (Arkansas) (Title Holder) Ø Result: TKO 3rd round
1992 Feature Film “Moving Target” w/ Gerry Cooney
1993 Feature Film : Talons of the Eagle” with Billy Blanks
1993 Klassic Karate Cup Buffalo, NY
1993 Independent Film “Too Much Too Soon”
1993 ArtPark Lewiston, NY Summer Production “Anything Goes” w/ Tony award winning actress Debbie Shapiro
1993 UFC 1 Denver, CO
1994 Klassic Karate Cup Dallas, TX
1994 Feature Film “TC 2000” w/ Billy Blanks
1994 International Professional Tae Kwon Do Federation (IPTF) Man of the Year
1994 WKO World Championship Fight Yakima, WA Ø WKO Super Middleweight (72.5–76 kg – 164 lbs) World Championship Ø Opponent: Takuro Takahashi (Kanazawa, Japan) (Title Holder) Ø Result: KKO 7th round
1995 WKC World Championship Fight HorseHeads, NY Ø WKC Light Heavyweight (76–79 kg – 174 lbs) World Championship Ø Opponent: Marc “Nasty” Naughton (Chico,Ca) (Vacant Title) Ø Result: Majority Decision
1995 Feature Film “Shadow Creature”
1997–2003 Toughman Contest Referee_Fox Sports Network_FX Channel
2002 Feature Film “Against the Ropes” w/ Meg Ryan, Tony Shaloub, Omar Epps, Tim Daly, and Charles Dutton
2003 Romulus Club and Ilio DiPaolo Award
2003 Induction into World Karate & KickBoxing Hall of Fame
2003 World Karate Union Hall of Fame
2003 United States Martial Arts Association Hall of Fame / Lifetime Achievement
2000–2003 SportsBlast TV
2003 CNN Boxing Analyst
2003 Action Martial Art Magazine Award & Induction
2004 Took over operations as OM for the Martial Arts Hall of Fame
2005 Action Martial Art Magazine Award Recipient / Outstanding Achievement in MA
2006 Action Martial Art Magazine Award Recipient / Outstanding Contributions to MA
2006 Feature Film “Poultrygeist”
2007 Action Martial Art Magazine Award Recipient / Goodwill Ambassador
2007 Feature Film “Little Chicago” w/ Marisa Tomei and Ray Liotta
2007 Secured Museum Chartership status for the newly restructured Pro Martial Arts Hall of Fame
2008 Action Martial Art Magazine Award Recipient / Exemplary Contributions as Ambassador
2008 Televised Boxing "Brawl in the Falls"
2008 Named Chairman to the Official Pro Martial Arts Hall of Fame
2009 Feature Film “STAR TREK” w/ Chris Pine and Zachary Quinto Directed by J.J. Abrams
2010 Action Martial Art Magazine Award Recipient / Exemplary Contributions as Ambassador
2010 Feature Film “Unstoppable” w/ Denzel Washington and Chris Pine Directed by Tony Scott

Repeated:

References

[4] [5] [6] [7] [8] [9] [10]

  1. ↑ Kelly, Geoff (2012-02-05). "Common Council Report". Artvoice.com. Retrieved 2015-10-09.
  2. ↑ "Bain has support for Council vacancy". Politics Now. Retrieved 2015-10-09.
  3. ↑ "Council candidate spent two years in prison". The Buffalo News. Archived from the original on 26 April 2012.
  4. ↑ "CNN.com - Transcripts". Transcripts.cnn.com. 2003-06-18. Retrieved 2015-10-09.
  5. ↑ "A.J. Verel". IMDb.com. Retrieved 2015-10-09.
  6. ↑ "A.J. Verel". Complete Martial Arts.com. Retrieved 2015-10-09.
  7. ↑ "KYFA Wear Launches Web site Offering Visitors a Unique New Line of Attitude Clothing". Prweb.com. 2006-03-10. Retrieved 2015-10-09.
  8. ↑ "Wkl World Kickboxing League". Wklkickboxing.com. Retrieved 2015-10-09.
  9. ↑ Hanna, Philip (1970-01-01). "Is President Obama A Fan Of MMA?". Fightofthenight.com. Retrieved 2015-10-09.
  10. ↑ "Alumni | Medaille College". Alumni.medaille.edu. Retrieved 2015-10-09.
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