Renowned for his action and martial arts films during the 1980s and 1990s, Jean-Claude Van Damme is a renowned action actor in the industry who has been part of several movies. During his career, Van Damme was popular for doing his own stunts and his own fight scenes, which made his films more entertaining to watch. The actor’s high kicks were his signature move in the movies which made him different from the other action stars of his time.
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Jean-Claude Van Damme
Moreover, Jean-Claude Van Damme has trained for four years to be a professional martial artist and he had a successful career with jaw-dropping statistics. The Cyborg actor is a complex mix of charm and charisma who has a great sense of humor. However, the actor once tracked down Steven Seagal when he claimed that he can beat Van Damme in a fight before running away.
Jean-Claude Van Damme Tracked Down Steven Seagal for a Fight
Sylvester Stallone answered a number of questions from the readers of Ain’t It Cool News, and during the Q&A session a fan asked why have they “never got to see their ultimate dream action movie with all the biggest action stars in their prime? I’m talking about why we never saw a great action movie starring Stallone, Ford, Schwarzenegger, Willis, Van Damme, Seagal, etc?” The actor gave an honest answer and continued by saying that Van Damme and Seagal were very close to fighting each other in real life.
Jean-Claude Van Damme
Sylvester Stallone continued that in 1996 or 1997 he hosted a party at his house, that was attended by a number of stars such as Bruce Willis, Shaquille O’Neal, Arnold Schwarzenegger, Don Johnson, Madonna, Jean-Claude Van Damme, and Steven Seagal. The guests were enjoying the party, but the Kickboxer actor was tired of Steven Seagal saying “he could kick his ass.” So, he went up to Seagal and offered to settle the matter once and for all, but the Under Seige actor made some excuse and left.
“But I remember once, at my home in Miami, I believe it was in ’96 or’97, Van Damme was there with Seagal, Willis, Schwarzenegger, Shaquille O’Neal, Don Johnson, and Madonna… it was a heck of a party. Van Damme was tired of Seagal saying he could kick his a** and went right up to him and offered him the chance to step outside so he could wipe the floor with him, or should I say wipe the backyard with him. Seagal made some excuse and left.”
Steven Seagal
Stalone continued that the Universal Soldier actor was blind with rage and tracked down the Exit Wounds actor, and offered to settle the fight once and for all. However, Steven Seagal disappeared again because Jean-Claude Van Damme was too much for him.
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“His destination was some Ocean Drive nightclub in Miami. Van Damme, who was completely berserk, tracked him down and again offered him a fight, and again Seagal pulled a Houdini. Who would win? I have to say I believe Van Damme was just too strong and Seagal wanted no part of it. That’s just my opinion.”
It was a hilarious incident that sounds like it is coming straight from an action film. And it looks like Steven Seagal should choose his words very carefully when it comes to talking about Jean-Claude Van Damme.
Jean-Claude Van Damme has an extraordinary career. Before he became an actor, he was a martial artist and this was the reason why he was introduced to the movie industry. Since martial arts films were popular in the 80s and early 90s, the actor quickly rose to fame. Before becoming an actor, he was a successful kickboxer and had an impressive personal record of 18-1. Moreover, the actor also trained for four years to be a martial artist and earned himself a spot in the Belgian Karate team, having a personal record of 44-4.
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A still from Bloodsport
The actor retired from Martial Arts in 1982 and became an action star in Hollywood doing films like Bloodsport, Kickboxer, Universal Soldier, Lionheart, and many more. But apart from his acting and action, Jean-Claude Van Damme had a charismatic personality that made his characters more appealing to the audience, cementing him as a great action star.
Tushar Auddy, Content Writer. He has been in the entertainment industry for 3 years and is always on the lookout for a captivating story. He is a student of Linguistics and currently pursuing his Master's degree in the same field. He has a passion for literature that runs deep and loves nothing more than getting lost in a novel for hours on end. When he isn't reading, you'll find him capturing the beauty of language.
