Christine Bannon-Rodrigues
| Christine Bannon-Rodrigues | |
|---|---|
| Born | November 6, 1966 Warwick, Rhode Island, United States |
| Nationality | American |
| Height | 1.68 m (5 ft 6 in) |
| Weight | 55 kg (121 lb; 8.7 st) |
| Division | Bantamweight |
| Style | Kenpō, Wushu |
| Stance | Southpaw |
| Team | Team Paul Mitchell Don Rodrigues Karate Academy |
| Trainer | Paul Mitchell Don Rodrigues |
| Rank | 9th degree black belt in Oki-ryu |
| Medal record | ||
|---|---|---|
| Representing United States | ||
| Semi-Contact Kickboxing | ||
| WAKO Amateur World Championships | ||
| 1990 Mestre, Italy | 55 kg | |
| 1991 London | 55 kg | |
| 1993 Atlantic City | 55 kg | |
Christine Bannon-Rodrigues (born November 6, 1966) is an American martial artist, actress, stunt person, and choreographer.
Biography
A student of Don Rodrigues, Bannon-Rodrigues is a 9th degree black belt.[1] She was a top ranked karate point fighter and semi-contact kickboxer,[2] and forms champion with and without weapons. She won Black Belt Magazine's Female Competitor of the year in 1989.[3]
She holds 9 World Championships, including consecutive 3-time World Titles at the W.A.K.O. Games.[1][4] In 1990 at the W.A.K.O. World Championships Bannon-Rodrigues took bronze in Women's Semi-Contact Kickboxing and took gold in Women's Musical Forms.[5] In 1991 at the W.A.K.O. World Championships Bannon-Rodrigues took gold in Women's Semi-Contact Kickboxing, Women's Musical Forms Soft Styles and Weapons.[5][6] In 1993 at the W.A.K.O. World Championships Bannon-Rodrigues took gold in Women's Semi-Contact Kickboxing, Women's Musical Forms Soft Styles and Soft Style Weapons.[5][6] 1995 Bannon-Rodrigues won gold in W.A.K.O. Pro World Champion Women’s Lightweight Fighting,[7] and won gold again at the 1999 W.A.K.O. World Champion Women’s Lightweight Fighting.[5]
Bannon-Rodrigues has acted for both film and television, including the feature films Sci-Fighter (aka X-Treme Fighter) and 27 Dresses.[1][6] Her stunt work can be seen in a number of Hollywood productions, including Underdog, Batman and Robin, and The Next Karate Kid.[1][8][6] Christine has appeared on television in WMAC Masters,[8] and Mortal Kombat: Conquest.[1][6]
In 2012 Christine did the martial arts choreography for the film Champions of the Deep (2012).[5] In 2025 she was inducted into the Martial Arts History Museum Hall of Fame.[1] Christine teaches at the Don Rodrigues Karate Academy, where she is a co-owner with Shihan Don Rodrigues.[1]
Filmography
| Year | Film/Television | Role | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1994 | The Next Karate Kid | Stunt double Hilary Swank | |
| 1995–96 | WMAC Masters | Lady Lightning | also stunts |
| 1997 | Batman & Robin | Stunt double Batgirl | |
| 1998 | Mortal Kombat Conquest | Stunt double Kitana | 1 episode |
| 2004 | Sci-Fighter | Virus | |
| 2007 | Underdog | Stunts | |
| 2008 | 27 Dresses | Bridesmaid | |
| 2012 | Champions of the Deep | Choreographer | |
| 2015 | "The Martial Arts Kid" | Cameo As Herself | |
| 2015 | The Real Mr. Miyagi | Herself |
Championships and accomplishments
Kickboxing
- WAKO Amateur World Championships
- W.A.K.O. World Championships 1991 −55 kg/122 lb semi-contact kickboxing gold medalist
- W.A.K.O. World Championships 1993 −55 kg/122 lb semi-contact kickboxing gold medalist
References
- Black Belt Magazine, "Tournament Champs become Cinema Heroes", October 2012
- ^ a b c d e f g "Christine Bannon Rodrigues Mentor, Trailblazer, a Martial Arts Icon Honored". Black Belt. Retrieved October 30, 2025.
- ^ "Sport Karate Rankings". PointFighterLive. Retrieved October 30, 2025.
- ^ "Black Belt Times". Black Belt. November 1997. p. 57. Retrieved September 30, 2025.
- ^ Biography at IMDb
- ^ a b c d e "Christine Bannon Rodrigues". WomenFitness. Retrieved October 30, 2025.
- ^ a b c d e "Christine Bannon-Rodrigues". USADojo.com. Retrieved September 10, 2025.
- ^ "Christine Bannon-Rodrigues Wins Match". Black Belt. October 1999. p. 11. Retrieved September 30, 2025.
- ^ a b "Christine Bannon-Rodrigues". MartialArtsEncyclopedia. Retrieved October 30, 2025.
External links
- Bio at USADojo.com Archived February 3, 2013, at the Wayback Machine
- Christine Bannon-Rodrigues at IMDb