Ben Rhodes receives S.C. Black Belt Hall of Fame honor in Columbia

Martial arts instructor and former law enforcement officer Ben “Yeti” Rhodes received the S.C. Black Belt Hall of Fame’s Leon Lott – First Through the Door Award during a private ceremony at Richland County Sheriff’s Department headquarters on Sept. 17. The honor recognized Rhodes’s work with U.S. and foreign special operations forces, counterterrorism roles, and martial arts credentials.

Why it matters: - The award recognizes a practitioner whose career spans martial arts, law enforcement, military support and counterterrorism work. - The honor is named for Richland County Sheriff Leon Lott, adding local law enforcement weight to the Hall of Fame recognition. - Rhodes’s work has included training and deployments with U.S. and foreign special operations forces.

What happened: - Ben “Yeti” Rhodes received the S.C. Black Belt Hall of Fame’s “Leon Lott – First Through the Door” Award on Thursday, Sept. 17. - The private ceremony took place at Richland County Sheriff’s Department headquarters in Columbia, South Carolina. - Richland County Sheriff Leon Lott, 10th-degree black belt Bruce Brutschy, Black Belt Hall of Famer Ray Thompson and Corporal Gerard Brown made the presentation. - The award is the namesake of Sheriff Leon Lott, who was identified as the 2021 National Sheriff of the Year.

The details: - Rhodes is a former police officer, SWAT team leader and veteran of the U.S. Navy’s special warfare boat teams supporting U.S. Navy SEALs. - Rhodes has trained and deployed overseas with SEALs, Air Force pararescuemen, Marine Force Reconnaissance teams, British SAS operators and the Israel Defense Force. - Rhodes also provided VIP protection for U.S. ambassadors. - Rhodes served as a subject matter expert for the U.S. State Department in counterterrorism and antiterrorism. - Rhodes holds black belts in several martial arts disciplines, including Judo and Thai boxing. - Rhodes holds a 4th degree black belt in Gracie Jiu-Jitsu, described as a form of Brazilian Jiu Jitsu that prioritizes leverage, energy efficiency and real-world combat over sport fighting. - Brutschy said Rhodes was “uniquely deserving” of the award and compared his story to “a modern Samurai.” - Brutschy also said, “If nothing else, the man can bench press 625 lbs.” - Lott said he was humbled to have his name on the award and to present it to Rhodes.

Between the lines: - The Hall of Fame appears to be spotlighting a profile that blends combat sports credibility with public-safety and military experience. - The ceremony also reinforces the relationship between the martial arts community and local law enforcement in South Carolina. - The remarks from Brutschy and Lott frame the award as both a performance honor and a character endorsement.

What's next: - The recognition adds to Rhodes’s standing within martial arts and special operations circles. - The award may further elevate the visibility of the S.C. Black Belt Hall of Fame and its Leon Lott namesake honor. - Rhodes’s continued work in martial arts instruction and security-related fields is likely to remain part of his public profile.