Paulo Tocha

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Paulo Tocha , also Bruce Stallion , (born December 12, 1955 in South Africa ) is an American martial artist , actor and combat choreographer .

Life

Born in Africa, Tocha has Portuguese and Italian roots. He grew up in Mozambique and Johannesburg and later went to Thailand because he wanted to learn real Muay Thai boxing. He was one of the first foreign fighters to be accepted in Thailand. Tocha was trained at a renowned Muay Thai combat school, Sor Thanikul , in Bangkok in the early 1980s . From Thailand, Tocha traveled to China , where he was again the first foreigner to successfully fight and win.

Tocha also worked as an actor in Asia and had important roles in several ninja films, such as Ninja Dragon (1985) with Richard Harrison . In Final Fight (1986), Jet Li's only directorial work, he played the US marine and boxer Bailey , one of the antagonists of the protagonist played by Jet Li . In Bloodsport (1988) he plays the Muay Thai fighter Paco , who was defeated in the illegal martial arts competition by Frank Dux, played by Jean-Claude Van Damme .

He then went to Los Angeles , California , where he continued his acting career and became a teacher of Muay Thai. He retired from Muay Thai in February 2001.

Tocha is Senior Vice President of the United States Muay Thai Association (USMTA), judge and referee of the World Muay Thai Council (WMC), World Boxing Council (WBC) and referee of the Muay Thai Las Vegas ( NSAC ) Mixed Martial Arts (MMA).

Tocha has worked as a technical consultant in Hollywood for large studios in film, television and many independent film companies. His best-known films include Bloodsport , With Steel Fist , Stone Cold - Kalt wie Stein and In Hell . He was nominated for the US National Actor's Award , International Actor's Award, and US Judge and Arbiter of the Year 1999. In 2007 he was the face of Cingular Networks in its national and international television advertising campaign.

Tocha is currently the executive producer for a new television series called Strong Spirit .

Filmography (selection)

Web links

Individual evidence

  1. ^ OFDb: Filmography by Paulo Tocha , accessed on October 9, 2013.
personal data
SURNAME Tocha, Paulo
ALTERNATIVE NAMES Bruce Stallion (pseudonym)
BRIEF DESCRIPTION American martial artist, actor and combat choreographer
DATE OF BIRTH December 12, 1955
PLACE OF BIRTH South Africa