Hector Echavarria
Encyclopedia
Héctor Echavarría is an Argentine
-born kickboxer, martial arts master, fitness guru, filmmaker, and actor
. Apart from being a kickboxer World Champion for many years, he also has had a long television and film career in his native Argentina. Today Hector continues his film career in the United States.
and Jiu Jitsu
under Mayamoto of the Kodokan. As a young teenager he was learning Karate
, Kung Fu, and Tae Kwon Do.
When he went to the United States he trained and thrived under the guidance of Grand Master Robert Trias
. Eventually, Ed Parker
, who was Elvis Presley
's bodyguard and the man who put Bruce Lee
in movies, discovered Echavarria, who was known for having showmanship in the ring.
Echavarria was chosen Full Contact Fighter of the Year by the United States Martial Arts Hall of Fame. He also was chosen to represent and be the leader of the International Karate and Kickboxing Association and Joe Corley's Professional Karate Association for all Latin America
. Hector has appeared in more than 20 martial arts and fitness magazine covers, including Blackbelt
, which named Hector "The Next Martial Arts Movie Star", Inside Karate, Men's Fitness
, and Martial Arts Illustrated.
He has given more than one hundred kickboxing exhibitions around the world, some in which he sparred with kickboxing champion of the world, Bill Wallace
. Echavarria has also given numerous demonstrations with celebrities including the Bee Gees
, Philip Michael Thomas
, and Richard Simmons
.
Echavarria has personally trained and helped achieve higher levels of fitness and health to other martial artits, professional sports athletes and celebrities, including Kendra Wilkinson
of Playboy
Superstars and "The Girls Next Door
"), former three time World Boxing Champion Macho Camacho
, and professional NFL kicker for the New England Patriots
, Super Bowl
winner Al Del Greco
, and mixed martial arts champions such as Quinton Jackson
, Cheik Kongo, and many others .
Hector has created his own unique home training fitness system that helped him achieve maximum ultimate results for his friends and clients called Ultimate System.
Publicist Carole Myers, who asked him if he wanted to become an actor. She obtained a television audition for him, and Hector appeared in the 1988 season premiere of Miami Vice, Down for the Count. A few years later, an Argentine producer saw Echavarria in a television demonstration and cast him in the action film Los Extermineitors. This film and its two sequels became the highest grossing winter release movies in South America. Hector played a main character in the Argentine action comedy television series Brigada Cola along with fellow Los Extermintors cast member and comedian Guillermo Francella
, which ran in South America
, Europe
, and the Middle East
from 1992 to 1997.
Among many other features, Echavarria produced the horror flick Lake Dead
, with theatrical distribution through After Dark Films. Later on, Hector produced and starred in Confessions of a Pit Fighter
, distributed by Lionsgate. In 2008, he wrote, directed and starred as Diego Carter in the film Never Surrender
, also distributed by Lionsgate. Hector has another film completed as director and star to be released in 2012: Duel of Legends.
On April 2009, Echavarria filmed a feature called Death Warrior in Toronto, co-starring Nick Mancuso
of Under Siege
and Rapid Fire
. Death Warrior was produced by Sean Buckley of Buck Productions and directed by Bill Corcoran and will be distributed by Grindstone Entertainment Group and Lions Gate Entertainment
towards the end of 2009.
In 2012 Hector is set to star in Last Tango. Film in winch Hector co star with international Spanish star Paz Vega
and Actress Super Model Estella Warren
.Also Hector is set to star in Hunters a big Hollywood production to be produced by Ron Shusett.
Some of the projects he has in production include: Duran, King of the Cage, Devil's Dogs, Dragon Island, Kill the Dragon and others with distribution by Lionsgate. In September 2009, Hector started production on Unrivaled
in Toronto
. He is credited as executive producer, writer as well as acting as "Ringo Duran," a "down-on-his-luck cage fighter" along with Rashad Evans
and Keith Jardine
.
He has helped start the film career of some of his friends, including Georges St. Pierre
, BJ Penn, Rashad Evans
, Anderson Silva
, Lyoto Machida
. Echavarria is currently working with writer/producer Ron Shusett, whose sci-fi action and thriller films have reached worldwide grosses of over one and a half billion dollars and who has produced and wrote Total Recall and Minority Report for director Steven Spielberg
in the development and the creation of a franchise project with Hector.
Argentina
Argentina , officially the Argentine Republic , is the second largest country in South America by land area, after Brazil. It is constituted as a federation of 23 provinces and an autonomous city, Buenos Aires...
-born kickboxer, martial arts master, fitness guru, filmmaker, and actor
Actor
An actor is a person who acts in a dramatic production and who works in film, television, theatre, or radio in that capacity...
. Apart from being a kickboxer World Champion for many years, he also has had a long television and film career in his native Argentina. Today Hector continues his film career in the United States.
Early life
By the age of six, he was training in JudoJudo
is a modern martial art and combat sport created in Japan in 1882 by Jigoro Kano. Its most prominent feature is its competitive element, where the object is to either throw or takedown one's opponent to the ground, immobilize or otherwise subdue one's opponent with a grappling maneuver, or force an...
and Jiu Jitsu
Jujutsu
Jujutsu , also known as jujitsu, ju-jitsu, or Japanese jiu-jitsu, is a Japanese martial art and a method of close combat for defeating an armed and armored opponent in which one uses no weapon, or only a short weapon....
under Mayamoto of the Kodokan. As a young teenager he was learning Karate
Karate
is a martial art developed in the Ryukyu Islands in what is now Okinawa, Japan. It was developed from indigenous fighting methods called and Chinese kenpō. Karate is a striking art using punching, kicking, knee and elbow strikes, and open-handed techniques such as knife-hands. Grappling, locks,...
, Kung Fu, and Tae Kwon Do.
When he went to the United States he trained and thrived under the guidance of Grand Master Robert Trias
Robert Trias
Robert A. Trias was a U.S. karate pioneer, founding the first karate school in the mainland United States. He also developed Shuri-ryū karate, an eclectic style with roots in the Okinawan Shuri-te tradition.-Early years:...
. Eventually, Ed Parker
Ed Parker
Edmund Kealoha "Ed" Parker was an American martial artist, promoter, teacher, and author.-Life:Parker was born in Hawaii, and raised a member of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints. He began his training in the martial arts at a young age in judo and later boxing...
, who was Elvis Presley
Elvis Presley
Elvis Aaron Presley was one of the most popular American singers of the 20th century. A cultural icon, he is widely known by the single name Elvis. He is often referred to as the "King of Rock and Roll" or simply "the King"....
's bodyguard and the man who put Bruce Lee
Bruce Lee
Bruce Lee was a Chinese American, Hong Kong actor, martial arts instructor, philosopher, film director, film producer, screenwriter, and founder of the Jeet Kune Do martial arts movement...
in movies, discovered Echavarria, who was known for having showmanship in the ring.
Fighting career
Echavarria began his martial arts training at age 4 and his competitive martial arts career at the age of 14 in his native country of Argentina.Echavarria was chosen Full Contact Fighter of the Year by the United States Martial Arts Hall of Fame. He also was chosen to represent and be the leader of the International Karate and Kickboxing Association and Joe Corley's Professional Karate Association for all Latin America
Latin America
Latin America is a region of the Americas where Romance languages – particularly Spanish and Portuguese, and variably French – are primarily spoken. Latin America has an area of approximately 21,069,500 km² , almost 3.9% of the Earth's surface or 14.1% of its land surface area...
. Hector has appeared in more than 20 martial arts and fitness magazine covers, including Blackbelt
Black Belt Magazine
Black Belt is an American magazine covering martial arts and combat sports founded in 1961 by Mitoshi Uyehara. During the early years of the publication, Uyehara was a hands-on owner and publisher...
, which named Hector "The Next Martial Arts Movie Star", Inside Karate, Men's Fitness
Men's Fitness
Men's Fitness is a men's magazine published by American Media, Inc and founded in the United States in 1987. The premier issue featured Michael Pare from the television series The Greatest American Hero....
, and Martial Arts Illustrated.
He has given more than one hundred kickboxing exhibitions around the world, some in which he sparred with kickboxing champion of the world, Bill Wallace
Bill Wallace (martial arts)
William "Bill" Louis Wallace is an American martial artist who was a Professional Karate Association world full- contact karate champion. He was the Professional Karate Association Middleweight Champion kickboxer for almost six years.- Background :Wallace was born in Portland, Indiana, and...
. Echavarria has also given numerous demonstrations with celebrities including the Bee Gees
Bee Gees
The Bee Gees are a musical group that originally comprised three brothers: Barry, Robin, and Maurice Gibb. The trio was successful for most of their 40-plus years of recording music, but they had two distinct periods of exceptional success: as a pop act in the late 1960s and early 1970s, and as a...
, Philip Michael Thomas
Philip Michael Thomas
Philip Michael Thomas is an American actor. Thomas's most famous role is that of detective Ricardo Tubbs on the hit 1980s TV series Miami Vice. His first notable roles were in Coonskin and opposite Irene Cara in the 1976 film Sparkle...
, and Richard Simmons
Richard Simmons
Milton Teagle Simmons , known professionally as Richard Simmons, is an American fitness personality who promotes weight-loss programs, most famously through his Sweatin' to the Oldies line of aerobics videos and DVDs and is known for his eccentric, outgoing and frequently flamboyant personality...
.
Echavarria has personally trained and helped achieve higher levels of fitness and health to other martial artits, professional sports athletes and celebrities, including Kendra Wilkinson
Kendra Wilkinson
Kendra Leigh Baskett , professionally known by her maiden name, is an American television personality and glamour model...
of Playboy
Playboy
Playboy is an American men's magazine that features photographs of nude women as well as journalism and fiction. It was founded in Chicago in 1953 by Hugh Hefner and his associates, and funded in part by a $1,000 loan from Hefner's mother. The magazine has grown into Playboy Enterprises, Inc., with...
Superstars and "The Girls Next Door
The Girls Next Door
The Girls Next Door, also known as The Girls of the Playboy Mansion, is an American reality television series broadcast on the E! cable television network...
"), former three time World Boxing Champion Macho Camacho
Héctor Camacho
Héctor Camacho , nicknamed "Macho Camacho", is a Puerto Rican professional boxer. His son, Héctor Camacho Jr., is also a boxer.- Early life and amateur career :...
, and professional NFL kicker for the New England Patriots
New England Patriots
The New England Patriots, commonly called the "Pats", are a professional football team based in the Greater Boston area, playing their home games in the town of Foxborough, Massachusetts at Gillette Stadium. The team is part of the East Division of the American Football Conference in the National...
, Super Bowl
Super Bowl
The Super Bowl is the championship game of the National Football League , the highest level of professional American football in the United States, culminating a season that begins in the late summer of the previous calendar year. The Super Bowl uses Roman numerals to identify each game, rather...
winner Al Del Greco
Al Del Greco
Albert Louis Del Greco is a former American football placekicker and a current sports radio personality and high school coach in Birmingham, Alabama.-Biography:...
, and mixed martial arts champions such as Quinton Jackson
Quinton Jackson
Quinton Ramone Jackson ;, also known as Rampage Jackson, is an American mixed martial artist and actor. He is a former UFC Light Heavyweight Champion. Jackson rose to prominence in Japan's Pride Fighting Championships where he was noted for his powerful body slams including a knockout victory over...
, Cheik Kongo, and many others .
Hector has created his own unique home training fitness system that helped him achieve maximum ultimate results for his friends and clients called Ultimate System.
Film career
While looking for a place in Miami to open a gym, Hector literally bumped into Miami ViceMiami Vice
Miami Vice is an American television series produced by Michael Mann for NBC. The series starred Don Johnson and Philip Michael Thomas as two Metro-Dade Police Department detectives working undercover in Miami. It ran for five seasons on NBC from 1984–1989...
Publicist Carole Myers, who asked him if he wanted to become an actor. She obtained a television audition for him, and Hector appeared in the 1988 season premiere of Miami Vice, Down for the Count. A few years later, an Argentine producer saw Echavarria in a television demonstration and cast him in the action film Los Extermineitors. This film and its two sequels became the highest grossing winter release movies in South America. Hector played a main character in the Argentine action comedy television series Brigada Cola along with fellow Los Extermintors cast member and comedian Guillermo Francella
Guillermo Francella
Guillermo Francella is an Argentine actor and comedian. Apart from being a television performer, he also has had a long theatrical and film career.-Life and work:...
, which ran in South America
South America
South America is a continent situated in the Western Hemisphere, mostly in the Southern Hemisphere, with a relatively small portion in the Northern Hemisphere. The continent is also considered a subcontinent of the Americas. It is bordered on the west by the Pacific Ocean and on the north and east...
, Europe
Europe
Europe is, by convention, one of the world's seven continents. Comprising the westernmost peninsula of Eurasia, Europe is generally 'divided' from Asia to its east by the watershed divides of the Ural and Caucasus Mountains, the Ural River, the Caspian and Black Seas, and the waterways connecting...
, and the Middle East
Middle East
The Middle East is a region that encompasses Western Asia and Northern Africa. It is often used as a synonym for Near East, in opposition to Far East...
from 1992 to 1997.
Among many other features, Echavarria produced the horror flick Lake Dead
Lake Dead
Lake Dead is a horror film that was released as part of the 2007 After Dark Horrorfest.-Synopsis:The film follows a group of teenagers who inherit a motel on a lake, only to uncover a series of dark and frightening family secrets.-Plot:...
, with theatrical distribution through After Dark Films. Later on, Hector produced and starred in Confessions of a Pit Fighter
Confessions of a Pit Fighter
Confessions of a Pit Fighter is a 2005 film. It is a fighting film that follows an embattled pit fighter on a quest for revenge against the man who killed his brother. It was filmed in Los Angeles, California and was produced by Alliance Group Entertainment...
, distributed by Lionsgate. In 2008, he wrote, directed and starred as Diego Carter in the film Never Surrender
Never Surrender (film)
Never Surrender is a 2009 film about an MMA champion who finds himself fighting in illegal underground cage fights. The film's cast features a number of real MMA fighters. It was filmed in Los Angeles, California and was produced by Destiny Entertainment Productions...
, also distributed by Lionsgate. Hector has another film completed as director and star to be released in 2012: Duel of Legends.
On April 2009, Echavarria filmed a feature called Death Warrior in Toronto, co-starring Nick Mancuso
Nick Mancuso
Nicodemo Antonio Massimo "Nick" Mancuso is a Canadian cinema and stage actor.-Career:Mancuso was born in Mammola, Calabria, Italy and immigrated to Canada in 1956...
of Under Siege
Under Siege
Under Siege is a 1992 American action film directed by Andrew Davis and starring Steven Seagal as a former Navy SEAL who must stop a group of mercenaries, led by Tommy Lee Jones and Gary Busey, on a U.S. Navy battleship...
and Rapid Fire
Rapid Fire (1992 film)
Rapid Fire is a 1992 action film starring the late Brandon Lee. Lee was reportedly in talks with 20th Century Fox about making Rapid Fire 2, prior to his death. School scenes were filmed at Occidental College in Los Angeles...
. Death Warrior was produced by Sean Buckley of Buck Productions and directed by Bill Corcoran and will be distributed by Grindstone Entertainment Group and Lions Gate Entertainment
Lions Gate Entertainment
Lions Gate Entertainment Corporation is a North American entertainment company. The company was formed in Vancouver, British Columbia in 1997, and is headquartered in Santa Monica, California...
towards the end of 2009.
In 2012 Hector is set to star in Last Tango. Film in winch Hector co star with international Spanish star Paz Vega
Paz Vega
Paz Campos Trigo , better known as Paz Vega, is a Spanish actress.- Early life :Vega was born in Seville, Andalusia, Spain to a homemaker mother and a retired bullfighter father. Vega's younger sister has performed as a flamenco dancer. Vega has described her family as "traditional" and Catholic....
and Actress Super Model Estella Warren
Estella Warren
Estella Dawn Warren is a Canadian actress, former fashion model, and a former synchronized swimmer. Her swimming career includes time on the National Canadian Team including 3 national titles. Her work in modeling is known through publications such as Sports Illustrated as well as working for...
.Also Hector is set to star in Hunters a big Hollywood production to be produced by Ron Shusett.
Some of the projects he has in production include: Duran, King of the Cage, Devil's Dogs, Dragon Island, Kill the Dragon and others with distribution by Lionsgate. In September 2009, Hector started production on Unrivaled
Unrivaled
Unrivaled is a 2010 film starring, written and produced by Hector Echavarria as down-and-out cage fighter Ringo Duran.- PLOT :The best fighter in the world works two jobs and supports his sister. The only problem… he doesn’t know he’s the best. Ringo Duran, the son of Gracie Duran, a famous...
in Toronto
Toronto
Toronto is the provincial capital of Ontario and the largest city in Canada. It is located in Southern Ontario on the northwestern shore of Lake Ontario. A relatively modern city, Toronto's history dates back to the late-18th century, when its land was first purchased by the British monarchy from...
. He is credited as executive producer, writer as well as acting as "Ringo Duran," a "down-on-his-luck cage fighter" along with Rashad Evans
Rashad Evans
Rashad Anton Evans is an American mixed martial artist from Niagara Falls, New York, currently signed to the Ultimate Fighting Championship where he is a former UFC Light Heavyweight Champion. Evans won the heavyweight division of The Ultimate Fighter 2. Evans lost the UFC Light Heavyweight...
and Keith Jardine
Keith Jardine
Keith Hector Jardine is an American mixed martial artist who competes in the light heavyweight division and is best known for his time in the Ultimate Fighting Championship...
.
He has helped start the film career of some of his friends, including Georges St. Pierre
Georges St. Pierre
Georges St-Pierre , often referred to as GSP, is a Canadian mixed martial artist and the current Welterweight Champion of the UFC. St-Pierre is ranked as the No. 1 Welterweight in the world according to Sherdog, MMAWeekly and numerous other publications. St-Pierre is ranked the No. 2 pound for...
, BJ Penn, Rashad Evans
Rashad Evans
Rashad Anton Evans is an American mixed martial artist from Niagara Falls, New York, currently signed to the Ultimate Fighting Championship where he is a former UFC Light Heavyweight Champion. Evans won the heavyweight division of The Ultimate Fighter 2. Evans lost the UFC Light Heavyweight...
, Anderson Silva
Anderson Silva
Anderson da Silva is a Brazilian mixed martial artist. He is the current UFC Middleweight Champion and the promotion's longest reigning champion. With 14 consecutive wins, Silva holds the longest winning streak and title defense streak in UFC history...
, Lyoto Machida
Lyoto Machida
Lyoto Carvalho Machida is a Japanese-Brazilian mixed martial artist from Belém, Brazil who fights as a light heavyweight in the Ultimate Fighting Championship...
. Echavarria is currently working with writer/producer Ron Shusett, whose sci-fi action and thriller films have reached worldwide grosses of over one and a half billion dollars and who has produced and wrote Total Recall and Minority Report for director Steven Spielberg
Steven Spielberg
Steven Allan Spielberg KBE is an American film director, screenwriter, producer, video game designer, and studio entrepreneur. In a career of more than four decades, Spielberg's films have covered many themes and genres. Spielberg's early science-fiction and adventure films were seen as an...
in the development and the creation of a franchise project with Hector.