JAY BELL (NC)
Class of 2018
1971 – Started Karate, Hayes Taylor YMCA
1976 - Graduated from Northeast High School Greensboro, N.C.
1976 - Promoted to 1st Degree Black Belt Lawrence McSwain, Zanshin Kai Goju Ryu
1977 - Promoted to 2nd Degree Black Belt Darrell Wilson, Kyokushin Kai
1977-78 – Winter Festival Karate Open Black Belt Kumite, Lightweight 1st Place
1978 – Mid Atlantic Karate Open Grand Champion Black Belt
1978 - Promoted to 3rd Degree Black Belt
Darrell Wilson, Kyokushin Kai 1979 – Music City Pro AM Nashville, Tenn, Middleweight Champion Fighting
1980 – Kick Boxing Match, Jacksonville, North Carolina Jay Bell won over Frank “The Tank” McKnight
1981 – Promoted to 4th Degree Black Belt Lawrence McSwain, Zanshin Kai Goju Ryu
1982 – East Coast Karate Championships Black Belt Men Middleweight Fighting 1st Place
1983 – East Coast Karate Championships Grand Champion
1985 – Ranked 2nd in U.S., Middle or Lightheavy Weight Started training Al Lowes’ Boxing Gym
1986 – Selected for U.S. International Team Could not compete, broke his hand
1987 – WAKO (World All-Style Kickboxing Organization) Selected to be on the U.S. team, Won his division, 162 lbs. Light Middleweight division World Champion Award 26 Nations participated, Munich, Germany U.S. the overall tournament team champion Germany was 2nd 11,000 spectators – a sold out arena
1987 – Promoted to 5th Degree Black Belt Lawrence McSwain, Zanshin Kai Goju Ryu
1988 – Alamance Open Karate Tournament 1st Place, Men’s Black Belt Kumite, Middleweight
1988 – World Pro-AM Karate Championships 1st Place Kumite
1988 – 1st Annual Cleveland County Karate Championships Black Belt men Middleweight Kumite – 1st Place
1989 – Ranked 14th in the world by PKL (Professional Karate League)
1989 – Queen City Karate Classic Grand Champion Fighting
1989 – WAKO (World All-Style Kickboxing Organization) Selected to be on the U.S. team Won his division, 162 lbs. Light Middleweight division World Champion Award 26 Nations participated, Venice, Italy U.S. overall tournament team champion
1990 – Queen City Karate Classic Grand Champion – Kumite
1990 – Promoted to 6th Degree Black Belt Lawrence McSwain, Zanshin Kai Goju Ryu
1991 – Zebulon’s Say No To Drug Karate Championships Grand Champion
1991 – DKT Force One National Karate Team Team World Champions
1992 – Summer Open Korean, Kung-Fu Championship 1st Place Fighting
1993 – Battle of The Martial Arts Championship 1st Place Fighting
1993 – North Carolina Open Karate Championship 1st Place Fighting
1993 – Appalachian Karate Championships Grand Champion Fighting
1994 – Burlington National Summer Kick VI 1st Place Fighting
1994 – The Lenior Rumble 1st Place Fighting
1996 – Beach Blast Nationals 1st Place Fighting
1996 – North Carolina A&T Southeast Karate Open Grand Champion Kumite
1996 – Stumptown Nationals Karate Open 1st Place Fighting
1997 – Stumptown National Karate Open Grand Champion
1997 – North Carolina Open Martial Arts Championship 1st Place Fighting
1997 – Appalachian Karate Championships Grand Champion Fighting
1998 – Stumptown National Karate Open Grand Champion Fighting
1998 – Jeff McGregor’s American Karate Open 1st Place Fighting
1998 – Winter Festival Karate Open Grand Champion Fighting
1999 – Great Southeast Karate Open, Spartanburg, S.C. Grand Champion
2000 – Durham Karate Open 1st Place Middleweight Fighting Grand Champion
2001 – WFC East Carolina Kenpo Karate Championships, New Bern, N.C. Grand Champion Fighting
Over the years Jay Bell worked security detail for the following celebrities: Prince, Michael Jackson, Eddie VanHalen, Joni Jet, Ozzie Osborn.