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Mr. Stell started his Martial Arts training in 1975 at the age of 9. Along with being the Head of Officials for the IKF and a Representative, Referee and Judge for the ISCF, he is also an Official Referee and Judge for the California State Athletic Commission. When we don't see him in the ring as head Referee for a Kickboxing bout he is in the ring as Referee for Pro Boxing on broadcast on HBO, Showtime, ESPN, Fox Sports, PPV, Telemundo and other Networks. Mr. Stell is also a Judge for both Pro and Amateur Kickboxing and Boxing. he is also a member of the State of California Martial Arts Board. One thing that sets him apart from other officials is that he not only controls the sport as an official but he has "Walked the Walk" himself. He was a 4 time Kickboxing Champion (Before the IKF was founded) and is a a (Professor) 9th Degree Black Belt in the Kajukenbo System. As a Kickboxer, he won all but 2 of his bouts by KO or TKO and in doing so earned his nickname, "Bam Bam!" Mr. Stell is no stranger to other Martial Arts competition either. Before his amateur and professional career as a kickboxer he won over 100 point karate tournaments. However his biggest accomplishment to the IKF was his work in co-founding the organization with current IKF President Steve Fossum in June of 1992. The first IKF event was promoted in August that same summer and featured several of Stell's Kickboxing students who would later become some of the first IKF Champions. Stell was the person who design the first IKF logo/crest which was similar to the second version of it which is shown below. Many in the IKF have seen the IKF Crest change several times over the years. Both Stell and Fossum created the foundation of the IKF from their knowledge and experience as past Kickboxers (Over 100 bouts between them and multiple titles), Trainers of Champions and Kickboxing Event Promoters. In July, of 1996, Stell stepped down as IKF Vice President to pursue other desires. One of them was to step back into the fighting ring again. During this time he fought 2 more kickboxing bouts before officially retiring as a fighter and returning to the IKF in 1998 as Head of Officials. To read all of the IKF History Click HERE. Stell's work with the IKF has taken him all over North America as well as around the world to places such as China, Holland, Germany, and Malaysia. As a referee he has shared the ring with some of the Greatest fighters ever such as Don "The Dragon" Wilson, Rick "The Jet" Roufus, Stan "The Man" Longinidis, Wanderlei Silva, Chris Weidman, Ken Shamrock, Cung Le, Rudi Ott, Paul Biafore, Dave Marinoble, Carter Williams, Eric Regan, Kathy "The Punnisher" Long, Stephen "Wonderboy" Thompson, Ramona Gatto, Alex Gong, Enn Fairtex, Shoni Carter, Matee Jedeepitak, Danny "Hard As" Steele, Tommy Bach, Danny Hoyer, Fernando Calleros, Anthony "Powerhouse" Bartinelli, Bao Ligao, Mike Nevitt, Mark "The Hammer" Selbee, Raoul Doucet, Juan "The Ghost Warrior" Torres, Ivan Silva, Francis "Footloose" Farley, Curtis Schuster, Tommy "The Terminator" Kimber, Trent "Thunderfoot" Tompkins, Randy "The Taz" Bussart, Duane "Bang" Ludwig, Trisha "TNT" Hill, Toney "The Hammer" Hannon, Boyd "The Bounty Hunter" Murphy, Saeksan (Saekson) Saengchan Janjura (Janjira), George Tsutsui, Mike "Magicman" Dougherty, Jean-Claude Leuyer, Dan Rawlings, Angela Rivera (Parr), and of course, many Pro boxing Champions such as Andre Ward, Robert "The Ghost" Guerrero, Montel Griffin, Hector Camacho Jr. Mia St. John, Jessica Rokoski, Jennifer Alcorn, Livingstone Bramble, Paul Nava, Willie Jorrin, Juan Lascano, Michael Simms, Larry Johnson, Montel Griffin, Hector Camacho Jr. Mia St. John, Jessica Rokoski, Jennifer Alcorn, Livingstone Bramble, Paul Nava, Willie Jorrin, Juan Lascano, Michael Simms, Larry Johnson and MANY MORE... |
Up Close and Personal with... Sacramento, CA - March 7th, 2007 : We thought it might be a good idea to dig into the mind of one of our silent heroes in the martial arts today...Mr. Dan Stell of Fairfield, CA. Most martial artist / kickboxers know him as 'Bam Bam' relative to his impressive knockout wins in his amateur & professional kickboxing career. Dan works relentless to perfect his craft. He knows the rules and regulations and knows them well. As the Head of Officials for the International Kickboxing Federation (IKF) and a licensed and certified referee for the California State Athletic Commission, many have seen him at work but perhaps few know a lot about him. This is our effort to assist you in getting to know Dan just a little better. Those of us who dedicate our lives to the martial arts rarely get the recognition perhaps deserving. Sacrifices made by a few are many times not brought to the attention of the masses. However, there are those out there who burn the midnight oil and work tirelessly to assure a future for martial arts in particular Kickboxing, Boxing and MMA. Although the job of the referee could be a critical life-line between two combatants giving their all to get the win, too often they are the unsung heroes. I clearly remember introducing a referee to a friend as one who had officiated high profile fights and the comment back was "no one remembers the referee!" I remember the look on the ref's face as slightly embarrassed. Hopefully in our interview with Dan, you will become more familiar with the thoughts and ideas of one who is recognized around the world and becoming a model for many to follow. By his own admission, he's not perfect and occasionally makes mistakes (don't we all) but one thing for sure...when "Bam Bam" is the center of your event, you will get 100% effort; 100% fairness and 100% commitment to making your event successful! So, without further ado please enjoy our Up Close and Personal conversation with ... Mr. Dannn "Bam Bammm" Stellllll!
"The true test of a person is not during times of comfort and convenience but in times of trials and tribulation" as paraphrased by the late Dr. Martin Luther King Jr.. This saying fits Dan like a glove. Through good times and bad, he continues to stand tall, remain committed and grace the ring with his presence, knowledge and passion! He sincerely cares about the sport and the fighters. Be sure you let him know how much you appreciate his efforts next time you see him! Forward March! The Dan Stell interview was conducted by IKF/AKP Staff Writer Johnny Davis. More information at www.AKPromotions.org More on Dan Stell... Click Here.
Up Close and Personal with...
Hope To See You At "Physical fitness is not only one of the most
important keys to a healthy body; it is the basis of dynamic and creative
intellectual activity."
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At home in his Gym Training Fighters.
Dan always has a smile for everyone.
IKF Pro San Shou World Title Bout
Cung Le VS Shoni Carter
Cung Le VS Shoni Carter
IKF Pro San Shou World Title Bout
Cung Le defeats Shoni
Carter San Jose, California, USA
December 15th, 2001
IKF Pro San Shou World Title Bout
Rudi Ott defeats Dave
Marinoble, Redding, California, USA
August 31st, 2002
With his winning Kickboxer in 1991
Fossum, Stell & Thompson
2003 IKF/TKO USA Nationals
Cedar
Rapids, Iowa, USA
Ready To Raise The Winners Hand
1999 IKF/RINGSIDE USA
Nationals
Council Bluffs, Iowa, USA
IKF Pro San Shou World Title Bout
Danny Hoyer defeats
Alexis Hountondji in Brunssum, Holland/Netherlands
May 1st, 2004
Trisha Hill reacts after the decision as she defeated
Angela Rivera, by split decision, 49-46, 49-47, 50-45.
on December 2nd,
2000 in Monterey, California, USA
to become the IKF Woman's Amateur Muay
Thai Ruless
U. S. Featherweight Champion.
Counting Pro Fighter Keith Nesbitt Out
August 25th, 2002,
Akron, Ohio, USA
Keeping a Close Watch
1999 IKF/RINGSIDE USA Nationals
Council
Bluffs, Iowa, USA
IKF Amateur FCR World Title Bout
Stephen Thompson defeats
Kevin Engel
November 15th, 2003, Greenville, South Carolina, USA
The DRAKA Team 1998.
Dan was one of the Chief Referees for
the Russian Fighting Style known as DRAKA
when it made it's debut in the USA in 1998.
DRAKA rules were a lot like San Shou.
Stell & Pro Wrestler
Raising The Winners Hand
1999 IKF/RINGSIDE USA Nationals
Council
Bluffs, Iowa, USA
Two of IKF's Best Referees
Dan Stell & Scott Fischer
Breaking Action in IKF Point Kickboxing
IKF Pro FCR Heavyweight US Title Bout
Mark Selbee defeats
Kevin Hudson
in Atlanta, Georgia, USA on February 1st, 2003
Dan at the center of the action as Cung Le defeates Gaik
Israelyan of Armenia in a DRAKA
bout in 1998.
Raising another winners hand
Training one of his kickboxings at the
Fossum's IKF
Headquarters in
Newcastle, CA, 1992
In Malaysia - 2001 - for
IKF Pro Middleweight World Title
Bout.
IKF Pro San Shou North American Title Bout
Rudi Ott defeats
Peter Kaljevic, San Shou, California, USA
December 15th, 2001
Dan Stell -Center- in "THE PIT" at the 2004 NAC in
Orlando Florida
Mass Destruction - 1999
IKF Pro Champion Randy Bussart
with Fossum & Stell,
March 20th, 1999 in Vacaville
IKF Amateur FCR World Title Bout
Stephen Thompson defeats
Kevin Engel
November 15th, 2003, Greenville, South Carolina, USA
Dan Stell & Steve Fossum on the Great Wall - China
You
can only imagine how cold it was on this trip...
Raising the hand of yet another winner.
On the way to a China IKF Event
Doing some shopping in China.
Referee For IKF Pro World Title Bout, December 7th, 2003,
Beijing, China
Referee For IKF Pro World Title Bout, December 7th, 2003,
Beijing, China
Way Up High On the China Wall December 2003
Hotel, China, December 2003
Hotel, China, December 2003
IKF Champion Jon Pryor & Dan Stell
EARLIER DAYS
Rick Roufus (L) and Stan Longinidis (R) listen
to IKF Head of Officials Dan Stell
(C) for the pre-fight quick talk
before their IKF IR Heavyweight Title bout
on the Mass
Destruction Live PPV Event on May 14th, 1999 at Tsongas Arena in Lowell
Massachusetts, USA.
IKF Head of Officials
Dan Stell stands with
Stan Longinidis (L) and Rick Roufus (R) after Roufus's defeated
Stan
to win the IKF IR Heavyweight Title bout on the
Mass Destruction
Live PPV Event on May 14th, 1999 at Tsongas Arena in Lowell Massachusetts, USA.
Bodyguarding for Sugar Ray Leonard - Dan At Left
Dan Stell, Chris Penn & Steve Fossum - Las Vegas,
March, 1992...
Just a few months before Fossum & Stell formed the
International Kickboxing Federation.
Steve Fossum, Randall Cunningham, Dan Stell and Maurice
Smith - Las Vegas, March, 1992...
Just a few months before Fossum &
Stell formed the International Kickboxing Federation.
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