No collection of
martial arts greats is complete without Shihan Christine
Bannon-Rodrigues. A New England native who chose karate over other
sports because of its high level of participation (less “time on
the bench,” as she says), she would soon realize it was her
calling. She was 17 when she earned her first black belt, and was
successfully competing at the world championship level by 25.
Competition earned Bannon-Rodrigues 135 grand championship wins, her
most notable being nine world titles at the WAKO games – two in
forms, three in weapons, and four in fighting. The “Lady Lightning”
balanced this career with one in show business, netting stunt roles
in major productions while shining as a featured fighter on the small
screen. Now retired from competition and appearing only infrequently
on film, she co-owns and teaches at the Don Rodrigues Karate Academy
in Warwick, RI.
Styles &
Accomplishments
Oki-Ryu
Kenpo (9th
Dan; 9-time
WAKO World Champion)
Kickboxing
Wushu
Judo
Jujutsu
Krav
Maga
Films to
See
Xtreme
Fighter
(2004) – co-starring role
WMAC
Masters
(1995-1996) – recurring role
The
Martial Arts Kid
(2015)
–
cameo
Trivia
Bannon-Rodrigues
set back-to-back world records at the WAKO games. At the 1991 world
championships, she became the first competitor to win three titles at
the same event. When
critics dismissed this as
a fluke, she repeated the feat two years later at the 1993 world
championships.
B-Movie Dragons 