Christine Bannon-Rodrigues

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]