Actor and BJJ blue belt Mario Lopez has received the ‘Outstanding American’ award from the National Wrestling Hall of Fame.
Lopez, who has been an advocate for martial arts, gave a statement and expressed gratitude,
“It is a great honor to be inducted into the National Wrestling Hall of Fame,” said Lopez, “I am grateful to be introduced to the sport at an early age. Wrestling taught me the importance of hard work and staying focused. You cannot rely on a team, it’s all on you to succeed.”
Lopez wrestled in high school for Chula Vista High School in San Diego, California. He finished second in the San Diego regionals and seventh in the California state tournament in 1991.
USA Wrestling’s website explains the criteria for the award, “The Outstanding American award is presented to those individuals who have used the disciplines of wrestling to launch notable careers in other walks of life, such as science and technology, business and industry, government and the military, and the arts and humanities.”
Read the whole write-up on the Team USA website here
