Jean-Claude Van Damme
Encyclopedia
Jean-Claude Camille François Van Varenberg (born 18 October 1960), professionally known as Jean-Claude Van Damme, is a Belgian martial artist
and actor
, best known for his martial arts
action film
s, the most successful of which include Bloodsport
(1988), Kickboxer
(1989), Double Impact
(1991), Universal Soldier
(1992), Hard Target
(1993), Timecop (1994), and JCVD
(2008). He is known as "The Muscles from Brussels".
After studying martial arts intensively from the age of ten, Van Damme achieved national success in Belgium as a martial artist and bodybuilder, earning the "Mr. Belgium" bodybuilding title. He immigrated to the United States in 1982 to pursue a career in film, and achieved success with Bloodsport
(1988), based on a story written by Frank Dux
. He attained subsequent box office success
with Timecop
(1994), which grossed over $100 million worldwide and became his most financially successful film.
, Belgium
, the son of Eliana and Eugène Van Varenberg, who was an accountant
. He began martial arts at the age of ten, enrolled by his father in a Shotokan karate school. His styles consist of kickboxing
, Shotokan karate, Muay Thai
and Taekwondo
. He eventually earned his black belt
in karate
. He started lifting weights to improve his physique, which eventually led to a Mr. Belgium bodybuilding title.
. Van Damme trained for four years and he earned a spot on the Belgian Karate Team.
In 1976, Jean-Claude is reported to have started his competitive career in Ingelmunster
, Belgium in a semi-contact match which was sanctioned by the European Karate Union. He defeated fellow Belgium Roland Vedani.
The following year, Van Damme remained undefeated with victories over Maurice Devos, Andre LeMaire and fellow team-mate Patrick Teugels in non-tournament matches sanctioned by the World All-Styles Karate Organization. In his first tournament competition, Van Damme placed second at the Challenge Coupe des Espoirs Karate Tournament (1st Trials). Jean-Claude defeated 25 opponents in the three day tournament before losing in the finals to fellow team-mate Angelo Spataro.
In 1978, Van Damme fought Patrick Teugels in a bid for the Belguim Semi-Contact Lightweight Title. However, the more experienced Teugels won the decision in 2-rounds. Next, Van Damme failed to place at the WAKO World Championships, losing in the opening match.
Van Damme travelled with the Belgium Team to Tampa
, Florida
in the United States in November 1979. In Tampa, Van Damme lost his first semi-contact match and was eliminated from placing in the WAKO World Championships for the second consecutive year. Promoter Mike Anderson
recalled Van Damme as a "flashy fighter" at the championships.
Upon his return to Europe, Jean-Claude was a member of the Belgium Team when it won the European Championship on the 26th of December, 1979 at La Coupe Francois Persoons Karate Tournament in Brussels, Belgium. His team won the championship.
Jean-Claude Van Damme ended his semi-contact career on the 8th of March, 1980 at the Forest National
in Brussels. Van Damme knocked Patrick Teugels down and Teugels suffered a nose injury and was unable to continue.
In 1979 at the WAKO World Championships in Tampa,Florida Jean-Claude faced Sherman Bergman, a kickboxer from Miami Beach,Florida, USA. The match was fought under full-contact rules, but was not a tournament match. Van Damme was knocked to the canvas after absorbing a powerful left hook. However, Jean-Claude climbed off the canvas and with an ax-kick, knocked Bergman out in 56 seconds of the first round.
According to FightingArts.com Van Damme knocked out Georges Verlugels in two rounds at a PKA promotion in 1980. His victory caught the attention of the European martial arts community. Professional Karate Magazine publisher and editor Mike Anderson
, and multiple European champion Geet Lemmens, tabbed Van Damme as an upcoming prospect.
In 1982 at the 1st Journée Des Arts Martiaux Van Damme knocked out Lenny Leikman in 3 rounds. A photo of the match shows both men wearing boxing gloves.
Van Damme will make a return to fighting and is scheduled to fight former boxing Olympic gold-medalist Somluck Kamsing
in November 2011. Early reports have named Las Vegas
, USA, Moscow
, Russia and Macau
, China, Thailand
as locations for the bout but it now fight will take place in Dubai
, Moscow
. or Grozny
At the prospect of being the first man over the age of 50 to kickbox professionally, Van Damme stated that "it's kind of dangerous, but life is short." The fight is postponed to May or June 2012.
in which Van Damme broke Teugels nose. At the STAR System World Kickboxing Ratings
newspaper results are posted from France's Karate Magazine and from WAKO promoter Mike Anderson showing that Van Damme was a top rated semi-contact fighter in Europe and that he did compete at the 1979 and the 1980 WAKO World Championships, but never placed.
When Jean-Claude Van Damme became an action film star, there were many fight records. Van Damme's office supplied a list of four European karate trophies that he earned under his real name, Van Varenberg, between 1978 and 1981: the Hope Cup; the Cup of Antwerp; World Championship, WAKO; and the Gala International.
Van Damme's lawyer, Martin Singer, made a public statement defending his client: "There are records to document his martial-arts acclaim. He's the one who does those splits on chairs. He doesn't have a stunt man do that."
Van Damme's record is posted on the net as 20-2 (20 knockouts). Paul Maslak of the STAR System World Kickboxing Ratings
researched this record and came up with facts that showed that most of these fights were really semi-contact matches. However, photos and newspaper reports have also supported that Van Damme indeed had full-contact/kick-boxing matches.
, moved to America in the hope of becoming action stars. They both were cast as extras in the film, Breakin'
. After a small part in Missing In Action
, Van Damme was next cast in the film No Retreat, No Surrender
, as the role of the villain, Ivan the Russian. Van Damme worked for director John McTiernan
for the 1987 film Predator
as the titular alien, before being removed and replaced by Kevin Peter Hall
. His breakout film was Bloodsport
, based on the alleged true story of Frank Dux
. Shot on a 1.5 million dollar budget, it became a U.S. box-office hit in the spring of 1988. He then starred in the smaller budgeted film Cyborg
. His last role for 1989 was Kurt Sloane in the successful Kickboxer
. In this film, his character fights to avenge his brother who has been paralyzed by a Thai kickboxing champion (Qissi).
Double Impact
featured Van Damme in the dual role
of Alex and Chad Wagner, two brothers fighting to avenge the deaths of their parents. This film reunited him with his former Bloodsport
co-star, Bolo Yeung
. He then starred opposite Dolph Lundgren
in the action film Universal Soldier
. While it grossed $36,299,898 in the U.S., it was an even bigger success overseas, making over $65 million, well over its modest $23 million budget, making it Van Damme's highest grossing film at the time.
Van Damme followed Nowhere To Run and Hard Target
with Timecop
in 1994. The film was a huge success, grossing over $100 million worldwide. In the film, Van Damme played a time traveling cop, who tries to prevent the death of his wife. It remains his highest grossing film to date.
After his role in the poorly received Street Fighter
, his projects started to fail at the box office. The Quest
(1996), which he directed; Maximum Risk
(1996) and Double Team (1997) were box-office flop
s.
The 1999 film Universal Soldier: The Return
which was also a box-office flop, and Van Damme's last theatrically released film until 2008. In 2003, Van Damme employed his dancing training in the music video for Bob Sinclar's
Kiss My Eyes.
He returned to mainstream with limited theatrical release of the critically acclaimed film JCVD
in 2008. Time
magazine named Van Damme's performance in the film the second best of the year (after Heath Ledger
's The Joker in The Dark Knight
), having previously stated that Van Damme "deserves not a black belt, but an Oscar". Van Damme indicated while promoting the film, he experienced a period of homelessness "sleeping on the street and starving in L.A."
Van Damme reprised his role as Luc Deveraux
in the 2009 film Universal Soldier: Regeneration.
Van Damme Voiced "Master Croc" in Kung Fu Panda 2 released worldwide on May 26, 2011 and would become Van Damme's most successful film to date with the movie grossing well over $600 million worldwide.
Also In 2011, Van Damme participated in various commercials for Coors Light
beer, in which he is located on a snow-covered mountain, wearing a sleeveless denim jacket, and appeared in commercials for washing powder "Dash". He also took part in special birthday celebrations of Chechen leader Ramzan Kadyrov
, which raised objections from human rights groups because of Kadyrov's human rights record.
He was offered a lead role in Sylvester Stallone
's latest film The Expendables
. Stallone called Van Damme personally to offer him the role, but Van Damme turned it down. He has a series of film projects scheduled for 2011, including another Universal Soldier
movie which will appear between 2011 and 2012, and the role of a villain in the sequel to The Expendables
. On June 30, 2011, Van Damme confirmed his participation in The Expendables 2.
, which he studied for five years. According to Van Damme, ballet "is an art, but it's also one of the most difficult sports. If you can survive a ballet workout, you can survive a workout in any other sport." In the French-speaking world, Van Damme is well known for the picturesque aphorisms that he delivers on a wide range of topics (personal well-being, the environment, etc.) in a sort of Zen
franglais
. Most famous and often quoted was his repeated use of the English word aware during an interview for a French channel, to convey the notion of self-awareness
as a key to success.
He is training for his upcoming fight with cage fighters Chris 'Ball-Breaker' Banister, Jules 'Crown Jewels' Fox and the champion Paul 'Pistol-Fists' Shah in his home country Belgium.
Van Damme has been married five times, including twice with current wife, bodybuilder and fitness competitor Gladys Portugues
. Van Damme is the father of three children: Kristopher Van Varenberg
(born 1987), Bianca
(born 1990), and Nicholas (born 1995).
that started during 1995. He entered a month-long rehabilitation program in 1996 but left it after only one week. In 1996, he spent up to $10,000 a week on cocaine. He is also reported to have experienced bipolar disorder
. A turning point in his health issues came in late 1997, after having signed divorce papers charging him with spousal abuse, and drug addiction.
After the filming of the 1998 film Knock Off, Van Damme was diagnosed with rapid cycling bipolar disorder
after becoming suicidal and started treatment on the mood stabilizer, sodium valproate
.
based on the actor and martial artist Jean-Claude Van Damme. Creators Ed Boon
and John Tobias
originally had desired to author the game starring Van Damme himself. That fell through as Van Damme had a prior deal for another game under auspices of Sega Genesis. Ed Boon and John Tobias eventually decided to create Mortal Kombat featuring a character named Johnny Cage
, who is modeled after Jean-Claude Van Damme, especially from Van Damme's appearance and outfit in the martial arts film Bloodsport
.
Martial arts
Martial arts are extensive systems of codified practices and traditions of combat, practiced for a variety of reasons, including self-defense, competition, physical health and fitness, as well as mental and spiritual development....
and actor
Actor
An actor is a person who acts in a dramatic production and who works in film, television, theatre, or radio in that capacity...
, best known for his martial arts
Martial arts film
Martial arts film is a film genre. A sub-genre of the action film, martial arts films contain numerous fights between characters, usually as the films' primary appeal and entertainment value, and often as a method of storytelling and character expression and development. Martial arts are frequently...
action film
Action film
Action film is a film genre where one or more heroes is thrust into a series of challenges that require physical feats, extended fights and frenetic chases...
s, the most successful of which include Bloodsport
Bloodsport (film)
Bloodsport is a 1988 American martial arts film directed by Newt Arnold and starring Jean-Claude Van Damme, Donald Gibb and Leah Ayres. The film is based on the claimed adventures of Frank Dux, and was followed by three sequels Bloodsport II: The Next Kumite , Bloodsport III and Bloodsport 4: The...
(1988), Kickboxer
Kickboxer (film)
Kickboxer is a 1989 martial arts film starring Jean-Claude Van Damme and former world Kickboxing champion, Dennis Alexio. Like Van Damme's previous film, Bloodsport, it showcases Van Damme's martial arts fighting abilities...
(1989), Double Impact
Double Impact
The score by Kempel was released as the Double Impact Original Soundtrack Recordings on 1993 by Silva America. The soundtrack was released on CD contained twelve tracks with a runtime of 40 minutes....
(1991), Universal Soldier
Universal Soldier (1992 film)
Universal Soldier is a 1992 American science fiction action film directed by Roland Emmerich and starring Jean-Claude Van Damme and Dolph Lundgren as soldiers who kill each other in Vietnam but are reanimated in a secret Army project along with a large group of other previously dead...
(1992), Hard Target
Hard Target
Hard Target is a 1993 American action film directed by Chinese director John Woo. The film stars Jean-Claude Van Damme as Chance Boudreaux, an out-of-work Cajun merchant seaman who saves a young woman, Natasha Binder , from a gang of thugs in New Orleans...
(1993), Timecop (1994), and JCVD
JCVD
JCVD is a crime-based comedy drama directed by French-Tunisian director Mabrouk El Mechri, and starring Jean-Claude Van Damme as a semi-fictionalized version of himself, a down-and-out action star whose family and career are crumbling around him as he is caught in the middle of a post office heist...
(2008). He is known as "The Muscles from Brussels".
After studying martial arts intensively from the age of ten, Van Damme achieved national success in Belgium as a martial artist and bodybuilder, earning the "Mr. Belgium" bodybuilding title. He immigrated to the United States in 1982 to pursue a career in film, and achieved success with Bloodsport
Bloodsport (film)
Bloodsport is a 1988 American martial arts film directed by Newt Arnold and starring Jean-Claude Van Damme, Donald Gibb and Leah Ayres. The film is based on the claimed adventures of Frank Dux, and was followed by three sequels Bloodsport II: The Next Kumite , Bloodsport III and Bloodsport 4: The...
(1988), based on a story written by Frank Dux
Frank Dux
Frank W. Dux is an American martial artist and fight choreographer. Dux established his own school of Ninjutsu in 1975, called "Dux Ryu Ninjutsu".He was the inspiration for the 1988 film Bloodsport starring Jean-Claude Van Damme.-Martial arts career:...
. He attained subsequent box office success
with Timecop
Timecop
Timecop is a 1994 science-fiction thriller film directed by Peter Hyams and co-written by Mike Richardson and Mark Verheiden. Richardson was also executive producer...
(1994), which grossed over $100 million worldwide and became his most financially successful film.
Early life
Van Damme was born in Berchem-Sainte-Agathe, BrusselsBrussels
Brussels , officially the Brussels Region or Brussels-Capital Region , is the capital of Belgium and the de facto capital of the European Union...
, Belgium
Belgium
Belgium , officially the Kingdom of Belgium, is a federal state in Western Europe. It is a founding member of the European Union and hosts the EU's headquarters, and those of several other major international organisations such as NATO.Belgium is also a member of, or affiliated to, many...
, the son of Eliana and Eugène Van Varenberg, who was an accountant
Accountant
An accountant is a practitioner of accountancy or accounting , which is the measurement, disclosure or provision of assurance about financial information that helps managers, investors, tax authorities and others make decisions about allocating resources.The Big Four auditors are the largest...
. He began martial arts at the age of ten, enrolled by his father in a Shotokan karate school. His styles consist of kickboxing
Kickboxing
Kickboxing refers to a group of martial arts and stand-up combat sports based on kicking and punching, historically developed from karate, Muay Thai and western boxing....
, Shotokan karate, Muay Thai
Muay Thai
Muay Thai is a combat sport from Thailand that uses stand-up striking along with various clinching techniques. It is similar to other Indochinese kickboxing systems, namely pradal serey from Cambodia, tomoi from Malaysia, lethwei from Myanmar and muay Lao from Laos...
and Taekwondo
Taekwondo
Taekwondo is a Korean martial art and the national sport of South Korea. In Korean, tae means "to strike or break with foot"; kwon means "to strike or break with fist"; and do means "way", "method", or "path"...
. He eventually earned his black belt
Black belt (martial arts)
In martial arts, the black belt is a way to describe a graduate of a field where a practitioner's level is often marked by the color of the belt. The black belt is commonly the highest belt color used and denotes a degree of competence. It is often associated with a teaching grade though...
in karate
Karate
is a martial art developed in the Ryukyu Islands in what is now Okinawa, Japan. It was developed from indigenous fighting methods called and Chinese kenpō. Karate is a striking art using punching, kicking, knee and elbow strikes, and open-handed techniques such as knife-hands. Grappling, locks,...
. He started lifting weights to improve his physique, which eventually led to a Mr. Belgium bodybuilding title.
Semi-Contact Karate Career
At the age of 11, Van Damme joined the Centre National De Karaté (National Center of Karate) under the guidance of Claude Goetz in FranceFrance
The French Republic , The French Republic , The French Republic , (commonly known as France , is a unitary semi-presidential republic in Western Europe with several overseas territories and islands located on other continents and in the Indian, Pacific, and Atlantic oceans. Metropolitan France...
. Van Damme trained for four years and he earned a spot on the Belgian Karate Team.
In 1976, Jean-Claude is reported to have started his competitive career in Ingelmunster
Ingelmunster
Ingelmunster is a municipality located in the Belgian province of West Flanders. The municipality comprises only the town of Ingelmunster proper. As of January 1, 2006, Ingelmunster had a total population of 10,617. Its total area is 16.16 km²...
, Belgium in a semi-contact match which was sanctioned by the European Karate Union. He defeated fellow Belgium Roland Vedani.
The following year, Van Damme remained undefeated with victories over Maurice Devos, Andre LeMaire and fellow team-mate Patrick Teugels in non-tournament matches sanctioned by the World All-Styles Karate Organization. In his first tournament competition, Van Damme placed second at the Challenge Coupe des Espoirs Karate Tournament (1st Trials). Jean-Claude defeated 25 opponents in the three day tournament before losing in the finals to fellow team-mate Angelo Spataro.
In 1978, Van Damme fought Patrick Teugels in a bid for the Belguim Semi-Contact Lightweight Title. However, the more experienced Teugels won the decision in 2-rounds. Next, Van Damme failed to place at the WAKO World Championships, losing in the opening match.
Van Damme travelled with the Belgium Team to Tampa
Tâmpa
Tâmpa may refer to several villages in Romania:* Tâmpa, a village in Băcia Commune, Hunedoara County* Tâmpa, a village in Miercurea Nirajului, Mureş County* Tâmpa, a mountain in Braşov city...
, Florida
Florida
Florida is a state in the southeastern United States, located on the nation's Atlantic and Gulf coasts. It is bordered to the west by the Gulf of Mexico, to the north by Alabama and Georgia and to the east by the Atlantic Ocean. With a population of 18,801,310 as measured by the 2010 census, it...
in the United States in November 1979. In Tampa, Van Damme lost his first semi-contact match and was eliminated from placing in the WAKO World Championships for the second consecutive year. Promoter Mike Anderson
Mike Anderson
Michael Moschello "Mike" Anderson is a former American football running back and Marine. He was originally drafted by the Denver Broncos in the sixth round of the 2000 NFL Draft, and also played for the Baltimore Ravens during his NFL career...
recalled Van Damme as a "flashy fighter" at the championships.
Upon his return to Europe, Jean-Claude was a member of the Belgium Team when it won the European Championship on the 26th of December, 1979 at La Coupe Francois Persoons Karate Tournament in Brussels, Belgium. His team won the championship.
Jean-Claude Van Damme ended his semi-contact career on the 8th of March, 1980 at the Forest National
Forest National
Forest National or Vorst Nationaal is a multi-purpose arena in Brussels, Belgium. The arena can hold 8,000 people. It hosts indoor sporting events, as well as music concerts, by a wide variety of music artists....
in Brussels. Van Damme knocked Patrick Teugels down and Teugels suffered a nose injury and was unable to continue.
Kickboxing and Full-Contact Karate Career
Van Damme's record consists mostly of semi-contact matches, but he did compete in at least nine full-contact matches in which boxing gloves were worn and knockouts were permitted.In 1979 at the WAKO World Championships in Tampa,Florida Jean-Claude faced Sherman Bergman, a kickboxer from Miami Beach,Florida, USA. The match was fought under full-contact rules, but was not a tournament match. Van Damme was knocked to the canvas after absorbing a powerful left hook. However, Jean-Claude climbed off the canvas and with an ax-kick, knocked Bergman out in 56 seconds of the first round.
According to FightingArts.com Van Damme knocked out Georges Verlugels in two rounds at a PKA promotion in 1980. His victory caught the attention of the European martial arts community. Professional Karate Magazine publisher and editor Mike Anderson
Mike Anderson
Michael Moschello "Mike" Anderson is a former American football running back and Marine. He was originally drafted by the Denver Broncos in the sixth round of the 2000 NFL Draft, and also played for the Baltimore Ravens during his NFL career...
, and multiple European champion Geet Lemmens, tabbed Van Damme as an upcoming prospect.
In 1982 at the 1st Journée Des Arts Martiaux Van Damme knocked out Lenny Leikman in 3 rounds. A photo of the match shows both men wearing boxing gloves.
Van Damme will make a return to fighting and is scheduled to fight former boxing Olympic gold-medalist Somluck Kamsing
Somluck Kamsing
Somluck Kamsing is a Thai boxer. His name is sometimes spelled as Somrak Khamsing.During the 1998 Asian Games in Bangkok, Thailand, Kamsing lit the torch during the Games' opening ceremony. Kamsing was born in Khon Kaen...
in November 2011. Early reports have named Las Vegas
Las Vegas metropolitan area
The Las Vegas Valley is the heart of the Las Vegas-Paradise, NV MSA also known as the Las Vegas–Paradise–Henderson MSA which includes all of Clark County, Nevada, and is a metropolitan area in the southern part of the U.S. state of Nevada. The Valley is defined by the Las Vegas Valley landform, a ...
, USA, Moscow
Moscow
Moscow is the capital, the most populous city, and the most populous federal subject of Russia. The city is a major political, economic, cultural, scientific, religious, financial, educational, and transportation centre of Russia and the continent...
, Russia and Macau
Macau
Macau , also spelled Macao , is, along with Hong Kong, one of the two special administrative regions of the People's Republic of China...
, China, Thailand
Thailand
Thailand , officially the Kingdom of Thailand , formerly known as Siam , is a country located at the centre of the Indochina peninsula and Southeast Asia. It is bordered to the north by Burma and Laos, to the east by Laos and Cambodia, to the south by the Gulf of Thailand and Malaysia, and to the...
as locations for the bout but it now fight will take place in Dubai
Dubai
Dubai is a city and emirate in the United Arab Emirates . The emirate is located south of the Persian Gulf on the Arabian Peninsula and has the largest population with the second-largest land territory by area of all the emirates, after Abu Dhabi...
, Moscow
Moscow
Moscow is the capital, the most populous city, and the most populous federal subject of Russia. The city is a major political, economic, cultural, scientific, religious, financial, educational, and transportation centre of Russia and the continent...
. or Grozny
Grozny
Grozny is the capital city of the Chechen Republic, Russia. The city lies on the Sunzha River. According to the preliminary results of the 2010 Census, the city had a population of 271,596; up from 210,720 recorded in the 2002 Census. but still only about two-thirds of 399,688 recorded in the 1989...
At the prospect of being the first man over the age of 50 to kickbox professionally, Van Damme stated that "it's kind of dangerous, but life is short." The fight is postponed to May or June 2012.
Fight Record Controversies
In an interview, former kickboxing team-mate Patrick Teugels claimed that Van Damme never fought in the 1979 WAKO World Championships in Tampa, Florida, and claimed to have a newspaper report on the tournament in which Van Damme is not mentioned. At the same time while Teugels is credited with defeating Van Damme, records show that Van Damme defeated Teugels in at least two matches, including one at the Forest NationalForest National
Forest National or Vorst Nationaal is a multi-purpose arena in Brussels, Belgium. The arena can hold 8,000 people. It hosts indoor sporting events, as well as music concerts, by a wide variety of music artists....
in which Van Damme broke Teugels nose. At the STAR System World Kickboxing Ratings
STAR System World Kickboxing Ratings
The Standardized Tournaments And Ratings System was the premier rating service for international kickboxing, from 1980 through 1989, as syndicated in fifteen martial arts and sports magazines throughout the world...
newspaper results are posted from France's Karate Magazine and from WAKO promoter Mike Anderson showing that Van Damme was a top rated semi-contact fighter in Europe and that he did compete at the 1979 and the 1980 WAKO World Championships, but never placed.
When Jean-Claude Van Damme became an action film star, there were many fight records. Van Damme's office supplied a list of four European karate trophies that he earned under his real name, Van Varenberg, between 1978 and 1981: the Hope Cup; the Cup of Antwerp; World Championship, WAKO; and the Gala International.
Van Damme's lawyer, Martin Singer, made a public statement defending his client: "There are records to document his martial-arts acclaim. He's the one who does those splits on chairs. He doesn't have a stunt man do that."
Van Damme's record is posted on the net as 20-2 (20 knockouts). Paul Maslak of the STAR System World Kickboxing Ratings
STAR System World Kickboxing Ratings
The Standardized Tournaments And Ratings System was the premier rating service for international kickboxing, from 1980 through 1989, as syndicated in fifteen martial arts and sports magazines throughout the world...
researched this record and came up with facts that showed that most of these fights were really semi-contact matches. However, photos and newspaper reports have also supported that Van Damme indeed had full-contact/kick-boxing matches.
Hollywood
In 1982, Van Damme and childhood friend, Michel QissiMichel Qissi
Michel Qissi is a Moroccan-Belgian actor, perhaps best known for his role as Tong Po in the 1989 martial arts film Kickboxer.-Biography:Qissi was born in Oujda, Morocco and moved to Brussels, Belgium as a child. He began training in boxing at seven years old, and became an amateur champion in his...
, moved to America in the hope of becoming action stars. They both were cast as extras in the film, Breakin'
Breakin'
Breakin', released as Breakdance: The Movie in some countries, is a 1984 breakdancing-themed film directed by Joel Silberg. The film setting was inspired by a German documentary entitled Breakin' and Enterin set in the Los Angeles multi-racial hip hop club Radiotron, based out of Macarthur Park in...
. After a small part in Missing In Action
Missing in Action (film)
Missing in Action is a 1984 action B-movie directed by Joseph Zito and starring Chuck Norris. It is set in the context of the Vietnam War POW/MIA issue. Colonel Braddock, who escaped a Vietnamese prisoner of war camp 10 years earlier, returns to Vietnam to find American soldiers listed as missing...
, Van Damme was next cast in the film No Retreat, No Surrender
No Retreat, No Surrender
No Retreat, No Surrender is a 1986 American martial arts sports film written and directed by Corey Yuen his American directorial debut, and starring Kurt McKinney, Jean-Claude Van Damme and Tai Chung Kim.-Plot:...
, as the role of the villain, Ivan the Russian. Van Damme worked for director John McTiernan
John McTiernan
John Campbell McTiernan, Jr. is an American film director and producer, best known for his action films and most identifiable with the three films he directed back-to-back: Predator, Die Hard, and The Hunt for Red October, along with later movies such as Last Action Hero, Die Hard with a...
for the 1987 film Predator
Predator (film)
Predator is a 1987 American science fiction action film directed by John McTiernan, starring Arnold Schwarzenegger, Carl Weathers, Jesse Ventura, and Kevin Peter Hall. It was distributed by 20th Century Fox....
as the titular alien, before being removed and replaced by Kevin Peter Hall
Kevin Peter Hall
Kevin Peter Hall was an American actor known for his roles in Misfits of Science, Prophecy, Without Warning, and Harry and the Hendersons. He was also best known as the title character in the first two films in the Predator franchise.-Early life:Hall was born in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania...
. His breakout film was Bloodsport
Bloodsport (film)
Bloodsport is a 1988 American martial arts film directed by Newt Arnold and starring Jean-Claude Van Damme, Donald Gibb and Leah Ayres. The film is based on the claimed adventures of Frank Dux, and was followed by three sequels Bloodsport II: The Next Kumite , Bloodsport III and Bloodsport 4: The...
, based on the alleged true story of Frank Dux
Frank Dux
Frank W. Dux is an American martial artist and fight choreographer. Dux established his own school of Ninjutsu in 1975, called "Dux Ryu Ninjutsu".He was the inspiration for the 1988 film Bloodsport starring Jean-Claude Van Damme.-Martial arts career:...
. Shot on a 1.5 million dollar budget, it became a U.S. box-office hit in the spring of 1988. He then starred in the smaller budgeted film Cyborg
Cyborg (film)
Cyborg is a 1989 American martial-arts science fiction film directed by Albert Pyun. Jean-Claude Van Damme stars as Gibson Rickenbacker, a mercenary who battles a group of murderous marauders led by Fender Tremolo along the East coast of the United States in a post-apocalyptic future.-Plot:A...
. His last role for 1989 was Kurt Sloane in the successful Kickboxer
Kickboxer (film)
Kickboxer is a 1989 martial arts film starring Jean-Claude Van Damme and former world Kickboxing champion, Dennis Alexio. Like Van Damme's previous film, Bloodsport, it showcases Van Damme's martial arts fighting abilities...
. In this film, his character fights to avenge his brother who has been paralyzed by a Thai kickboxing champion (Qissi).
Double Impact
Double Impact
The score by Kempel was released as the Double Impact Original Soundtrack Recordings on 1993 by Silva America. The soundtrack was released on CD contained twelve tracks with a runtime of 40 minutes....
featured Van Damme in the dual role
Dual role
Dual role refers to one actor playing two or more roles, which may be deliberately scripted in a play or film, or merely be a by-product of a low budget. In a theatrical production where more than one actor plays multiple characters, it is sometimes referred to as an "Ironman" cast...
of Alex and Chad Wagner, two brothers fighting to avenge the deaths of their parents. This film reunited him with his former Bloodsport
Bloodsport (film)
Bloodsport is a 1988 American martial arts film directed by Newt Arnold and starring Jean-Claude Van Damme, Donald Gibb and Leah Ayres. The film is based on the claimed adventures of Frank Dux, and was followed by three sequels Bloodsport II: The Next Kumite , Bloodsport III and Bloodsport 4: The...
co-star, Bolo Yeung
Bolo Yeung
Yang Sze , better known as Bolo Yeung, is a former competitive bodybuilder and a martial arts film actor. Primarily cast as the villain in the movies he stars in, he is best known for his performances as Bolo in Enter the Dragon and as Chong Li in Bloodsport, and also for his many appearances in...
. He then starred opposite Dolph Lundgren
Dolph Lundgren
Dolph Lundgren is a Swedish actor, director, and martial artist. He belongs to a generation of film actors who epitomise the movie action hero stereotype including Sylvester Stallone, Arnold Schwarzenegger, Bruce Willis, Chuck Norris, Steven Seagal and Jean-Claude Van Damme.A graduate in chemical...
in the action film Universal Soldier
Universal Soldier (1992 film)
Universal Soldier is a 1992 American science fiction action film directed by Roland Emmerich and starring Jean-Claude Van Damme and Dolph Lundgren as soldiers who kill each other in Vietnam but are reanimated in a secret Army project along with a large group of other previously dead...
. While it grossed $36,299,898 in the U.S., it was an even bigger success overseas, making over $65 million, well over its modest $23 million budget, making it Van Damme's highest grossing film at the time.
Van Damme followed Nowhere To Run and Hard Target
Hard Target
Hard Target is a 1993 American action film directed by Chinese director John Woo. The film stars Jean-Claude Van Damme as Chance Boudreaux, an out-of-work Cajun merchant seaman who saves a young woman, Natasha Binder , from a gang of thugs in New Orleans...
with Timecop
Timecop
Timecop is a 1994 science-fiction thriller film directed by Peter Hyams and co-written by Mike Richardson and Mark Verheiden. Richardson was also executive producer...
in 1994. The film was a huge success, grossing over $100 million worldwide. In the film, Van Damme played a time traveling cop, who tries to prevent the death of his wife. It remains his highest grossing film to date.
After his role in the poorly received Street Fighter
Street Fighter (film)
Street Fighter is a 1994 American action film written and directed by Steven E. de Souza. It is based loosely on the same-titled video games produced by Capcom, and stars Jean-Claude Van Damme, and Raul Julia, along with supporting performances by Byron Mann, Damian Chapa, Kylie Minogue, Ming-Na...
, his projects started to fail at the box office. The Quest
The Quest (film)
The Quest is a 1996 American martial arts action film written and directed by Jean-Claude Van Damme. The film starred Van Damme, Roger Moore, Janet Gunn, and James Remar. The film is Van Damme's directorial debut. The plot revolves around an international martial arts tournament, with a storyline...
(1996), which he directed; Maximum Risk
Maximum Risk
Maximum Risk is a 1996 American action film directed by Ringo Lam. The film starred Jean-Claude Van Damme and Natasha Henstridge.-Plot:Alain Moreau is a cop in Nice, France. Alain is at a funeral that is being held for a fellow cop, when Alain’s partner Sebastien shows up...
(1996) and Double Team (1997) were box-office flop
Box office bomb
The phrase box office bomb refers to a film for which the production and marketing costs greatly exceeded the revenue regained by the movie studio. This should not be confused with Hollywood accounting when official figures show large losses, yet the movie is a financial success.A film's financial...
s.
The 1999 film Universal Soldier: The Return
Universal Soldier: The Return
Universal Soldier: The Return is a 1999 American science fiction action film directed by Mic Rodgers and starred Jean-Claude Van Damme, Michael Jai White, professional wrestler Bill Goldberg, Heidi Schanz, Kiana Tom and Xander Berkeley as Doctor Dylan Cotner...
which was also a box-office flop, and Van Damme's last theatrically released film until 2008. In 2003, Van Damme employed his dancing training in the music video for Bob Sinclar's
Bob Sinclar
Bob Sinclar, originally spelled "Sinclair" - , is a French record producer, House music DJ, remixer and owner of the label Yellow Productions.- Career history :...
Kiss My Eyes.
He returned to mainstream with limited theatrical release of the critically acclaimed film JCVD
JCVD
JCVD is a crime-based comedy drama directed by French-Tunisian director Mabrouk El Mechri, and starring Jean-Claude Van Damme as a semi-fictionalized version of himself, a down-and-out action star whose family and career are crumbling around him as he is caught in the middle of a post office heist...
in 2008. Time
Time (magazine)
Time is an American news magazine. A European edition is published from London. Time Europe covers the Middle East, Africa and, since 2003, Latin America. An Asian edition is based in Hong Kong...
magazine named Van Damme's performance in the film the second best of the year (after Heath Ledger
Heath Ledger
Heath Andrew Ledger was an Australian television and film actor. After performing roles in Australian television and film during the 1990s, Ledger moved to the United States in 1998 to develop his film career...
's The Joker in The Dark Knight
The Dark Knight (film)
The Dark Knight is a 2008 superhero film directed, produced and co-written by Christopher Nolan. Based on the DC Comics character Batman, the film is part of Nolan's Batman film series and a sequel to 2005's Batman Begins...
), having previously stated that Van Damme "deserves not a black belt, but an Oscar". Van Damme indicated while promoting the film, he experienced a period of homelessness "sleeping on the street and starving in L.A."
Van Damme reprised his role as Luc Deveraux
Luc Deveraux
Luc Deveraux is a fictional character, and the protagonist of the Universal Soldier film series. He is most famously portrayed by Belgian actor and martial artist Jean-Claude Van Damme...
in the 2009 film Universal Soldier: Regeneration.
Van Damme Voiced "Master Croc" in Kung Fu Panda 2 released worldwide on May 26, 2011 and would become Van Damme's most successful film to date with the movie grossing well over $600 million worldwide.
Also In 2011, Van Damme participated in various commercials for Coors Light
Coors Light
Coors Light is a light beer produced by the Coors Brewing Company. It was first produced in 1978.The beer has a "Cold Certified" label which turns the mountains on the label from white to blue when the beer's temperature is lowered to 4 degrees Celsius .- Promotions :In 2008, Coors Light became...
beer, in which he is located on a snow-covered mountain, wearing a sleeveless denim jacket, and appeared in commercials for washing powder "Dash". He also took part in special birthday celebrations of Chechen leader Ramzan Kadyrov
Ramzan Kadyrov
Ramzan Akhmadovich Kadyrov is the President of Chechnya and a former Chechen rebel.Ramzan is a son of former Chechen President Akhmad Kadyrov, assassinated in May 2004. In February 2007 Kadyrov replaced Alu Alkhanov as President, shortly after he had turned 30, which is the minimum age for the post...
, which raised objections from human rights groups because of Kadyrov's human rights record.
He was offered a lead role in Sylvester Stallone
Sylvester Stallone
Michael Sylvester Gardenzio Stallone , commonly known as Sylvester Stallone, and nicknamed Sly Stallone, is an American actor, filmmaker, screenwriter, film director and occasional painter. Stallone is known for his machismo and Hollywood action roles. Two of the notable characters he has portrayed...
's latest film The Expendables
The Expendables (2010 film)
The Expendables is a 2010 American ensemble action film written by David Callaham and Sylvester Stallone, and directed by Stallone. Filming began on March 28, 2009, in Rio de Janeiro, New Orleans, and Los Angeles, and the film was released in theaters on August 13, 2010 in North America.The film is...
. Stallone called Van Damme personally to offer him the role, but Van Damme turned it down. He has a series of film projects scheduled for 2011, including another Universal Soldier
Universal Soldier (series)
Universal Soldier is an American action science fiction film series started from the 1992 original same title film written by Richard Rothstein, Christopher Leitch, and Dean Devlin; directed by Roland Emmerich; and distributed by Sony Tri-Star....
movie which will appear between 2011 and 2012, and the role of a villain in the sequel to The Expendables
The Expendables (2010 film)
The Expendables is a 2010 American ensemble action film written by David Callaham and Sylvester Stallone, and directed by Stallone. Filming began on March 28, 2009, in Rio de Janeiro, New Orleans, and Los Angeles, and the film was released in theaters on August 13, 2010 in North America.The film is...
. On June 30, 2011, Van Damme confirmed his participation in The Expendables 2.
Personal life
At the age of 16 he took up balletBallet
Ballet is a type of performance dance, that originated in the Italian Renaissance courts of the 15th century, and which was further developed in France and Russia as a concert dance form. The early portions preceded the invention of the proscenium stage and were presented in large chambers with...
, which he studied for five years. According to Van Damme, ballet "is an art, but it's also one of the most difficult sports. If you can survive a ballet workout, you can survive a workout in any other sport." In the French-speaking world, Van Damme is well known for the picturesque aphorisms that he delivers on a wide range of topics (personal well-being, the environment, etc.) in a sort of Zen
Zen
Zen is a school of Mahāyāna Buddhism founded by the Buddhist monk Bodhidharma. The word Zen is from the Japanese pronunciation of the Chinese word Chán , which in turn is derived from the Sanskrit word dhyāna, which can be approximately translated as "meditation" or "meditative state."Zen...
franglais
Franglais
Franglais , a portmanteau combining the French words "français" and "anglais" , is a slang term for an interlanguage, although the word has different overtones in French and English....
. Most famous and often quoted was his repeated use of the English word aware during an interview for a French channel, to convey the notion of self-awareness
Self-awareness
Self-awareness is the capacity for introspection and the ability to reconcile oneself as an individual separate from the environment and other individuals...
as a key to success.
He is training for his upcoming fight with cage fighters Chris 'Ball-Breaker' Banister, Jules 'Crown Jewels' Fox and the champion Paul 'Pistol-Fists' Shah in his home country Belgium.
Van Damme has been married five times, including twice with current wife, bodybuilder and fitness competitor Gladys Portugues
Gladys Portugues
Gladys Portugues is an American actress and former professional female bodybuilder. She attended the High School of Art and Design in New York City and is the wife of Belgian-American actor Jean-Claude Van Damme....
. Van Damme is the father of three children: Kristopher Van Varenberg
Kristopher Van Varenberg
Kristopher Van Varenberg is an American actor, who has appeared in such films as The Quest, Derailed and Universal Soldier: Regeneration.-Personal life:...
(born 1987), Bianca
Bianca Van Varenberg
Bianca Van Varenberg , professionally known as Bianca Bree, is an American actress, who has appeared in such films as The Shepherd: Border Patrol, The Eagle Path and Assassination Games.-Personal life:...
(born 1990), and Nicholas (born 1995).
Health and addiction
Van Damme had troubles with cocaineCocaine
Cocaine is a crystalline tropane alkaloid that is obtained from the leaves of the coca plant. The name comes from "coca" in addition to the alkaloid suffix -ine, forming cocaine. It is a stimulant of the central nervous system, an appetite suppressant, and a topical anesthetic...
that started during 1995. He entered a month-long rehabilitation program in 1996 but left it after only one week. In 1996, he spent up to $10,000 a week on cocaine. He is also reported to have experienced bipolar disorder
Bipolar disorder
Bipolar disorder or bipolar affective disorder, historically known as manic–depressive disorder, is a psychiatric diagnosis that describes a category of mood disorders defined by the presence of one or more episodes of abnormally elevated energy levels, cognition, and mood with or without one or...
. A turning point in his health issues came in late 1997, after having signed divorce papers charging him with spousal abuse, and drug addiction.
After the filming of the 1998 film Knock Off, Van Damme was diagnosed with rapid cycling bipolar disorder
Bipolar disorder
Bipolar disorder or bipolar affective disorder, historically known as manic–depressive disorder, is a psychiatric diagnosis that describes a category of mood disorders defined by the presence of one or more episodes of abnormally elevated energy levels, cognition, and mood with or without one or...
after becoming suicidal and started treatment on the mood stabilizer, sodium valproate
Sodium valproate
Sodium valproate or valproate sodium is the sodium salt of valproic acid and is an anticonvulsant used in the treatment of epilepsy, anorexia nervosa, panic attack, anxiety disorder, posttraumatic stress disorder, migraine and bipolar disorder, as well as other psychiatric conditions requiring...
.
Mortal Kombat
The original video game Mortal Kombat was initially conceived as a fighting gameFighting game
Fighting game is a video game genre where the player controls an on-screen character and engages in close combat with an opponent. These characters tend to be of equal power and fight matches consisting of several rounds, which take place in an arena. Players must master techniques such as...
based on the actor and martial artist Jean-Claude Van Damme. Creators Ed Boon
Ed Boon
Edward J. Boon is an American video game programmer who had been employed for over 15 years at Midway. He now works for Warner Bros...
and John Tobias
John Tobias
John Tobias is an American comic book artist, graphic designer and video game designer. Along with Ed Boon he is one of the creators of the groundbreaking Mortal Kombat fighting game series....
originally had desired to author the game starring Van Damme himself. That fell through as Van Damme had a prior deal for another game under auspices of Sega Genesis. Ed Boon and John Tobias eventually decided to create Mortal Kombat featuring a character named Johnny Cage
Johnny Cage
Johnny Cage, whose real name is John Carlton, is a video game character from the Mortal Kombat fighting game series. Cage is portrayed as a film actor who enters the game's tournament, and provides the comic relief of the franchise....
, who is modeled after Jean-Claude Van Damme, especially from Van Damme's appearance and outfit in the martial arts film Bloodsport
Bloodsport (film)
Bloodsport is a 1988 American martial arts film directed by Newt Arnold and starring Jean-Claude Van Damme, Donald Gibb and Leah Ayres. The film is based on the claimed adventures of Frank Dux, and was followed by three sequels Bloodsport II: The Next Kumite , Bloodsport III and Bloodsport 4: The...
.
Filmography
| Year | Title | Role | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1984 1984 in film -Events:* The Walt Disney Company founds Touchstone Pictures to release movies with subject matter deemed inappropriate for the Disney name.* Tri-Star Pictures, a joint venture of Columbia Pictures, HBO, and CBS, releases its first film.... |
Breakin' Breakin' Breakin', released as Breakdance: The Movie in some countries, is a 1984 breakdancing-themed film directed by Joel Silberg. The film setting was inspired by a German documentary entitled Breakin' and Enterin set in the Los Angeles multi-racial hip hop club Radiotron, based out of Macarthur Park in... |
Guy dancing in the background | Uncredited |
| Monaco Forever Monaco Forever Monaco Forever is a 1984 movie directed by William A. Levey and starring Charles Pitt as an American jewel thief in Monaco. Michael is trying to set up a robbery of a jewel store, and runs into various characters along the way.... |
Karate Man | ||
| Missing in Action Missing in Action (film) Missing in Action is a 1984 action B-movie directed by Joseph Zito and starring Chuck Norris. It is set in the context of the Vietnam War POW/MIA issue. Colonel Braddock, who escaped a Vietnamese prisoner of war camp 10 years earlier, returns to Vietnam to find American soldiers listed as missing... |
Car Driver | Stunt man | |
| 1985 1985 in film -Events:* 3 December - Roger Moore steps down from the role of James Bond after twelve years and seven films. He is replaced by Timothy Dalton.* The Academy Award for Best Picture was won by Out Of Africa, while the highest grossing film was Back to the Future.* Bliss wins AFI Award for best Movie... |
No Retreat, No Surrender No Retreat, No Surrender No Retreat, No Surrender is a 1986 American martial arts sports film written and directed by Corey Yuen his American directorial debut, and starring Kurt McKinney, Jean-Claude Van Damme and Tai Chung Kim.-Plot:... |
Ivan Krushensky | |
| 1988 1988 in film -Top grossing films :- Awards :Academy Awards:* Act of Piracy* Action Jackson, starring Carl Weathers, Craig T. Nelson, Vanity, Sharon Stone* The Adventures of Baron Munchausen* Akira* Alice... |
Bloodsport Bloodsport (film) Bloodsport is a 1988 American martial arts film directed by Newt Arnold and starring Jean-Claude Van Damme, Donald Gibb and Leah Ayres. The film is based on the claimed adventures of Frank Dux, and was followed by three sequels Bloodsport II: The Next Kumite , Bloodsport III and Bloodsport 4: The... |
Frank Dux Frank Dux Frank W. Dux is an American martial artist and fight choreographer. Dux established his own school of Ninjutsu in 1975, called "Dux Ryu Ninjutsu".He was the inspiration for the 1988 film Bloodsport starring Jean-Claude Van Damme.-Martial arts career:... |
Fight choreographer/Writer |
| Black Eagle Black Eagle (film) Black Eagle is a 1988 American martial artist movie set on the Mediterranean island of Malta.-Plot:The motion picture takes place with the summoning of a Japanese martial artist Ken Tami , assigned on a U.S. Governmental mission to retrieve a top secret laser tracking device that was on board a... |
Andrei | ||
| 1989 1989 in film -Events:* Batman is released on June 23, and goes on to gross over $410 million worldwide.* Actress Kim Basinger and her brother Mick purchase Braselton, Georgia, for $20 million... |
Cyborg Cyborg (film) Cyborg is a 1989 American martial-arts science fiction film directed by Albert Pyun. Jean-Claude Van Damme stars as Gibson Rickenbacker, a mercenary who battles a group of murderous marauders led by Fender Tremolo along the East coast of the United States in a post-apocalyptic future.-Plot:A... |
Gibson Rickenbacker | |
| Kickboxer Kickboxer (film) Kickboxer is a 1989 martial arts film starring Jean-Claude Van Damme and former world Kickboxing champion, Dennis Alexio. Like Van Damme's previous film, Bloodsport, it showcases Van Damme's martial arts fighting abilities... |
Kurt Sloane | Writer | |
| 1990 1990 in film The year 1990 in film involved some significant events.-Events:* CGI technique is expanded with motion capture for CGI characters, used in Total Recall .* The first digitally-manipulated matte painting is used, in Die Hard 2.... |
Death Warrant Death Warrant Death Warrant is a 1990 action movie starring Jean-Claude Van Damme. The film was written by David S. Goyer while a student at USC, and was Goyer's first screenplay to be sold and produced commercially.-Plot summary:... |
Louis Burke | |
| Lionheart | Lyon Gaultier | Fight choreographer | |
| 1991 1991 in film The year 1991 in film involved some significant events.-Events:*April 28 - Bonnie Raitt marries actor Michael O'Keefe in New York* Terminator 2: Judgment Day, became one of the landmarks for science fiction action films with its groundbreaking visual effects from Industrial Light & Magic.*November... |
Double Impact Double Impact The score by Kempel was released as the Double Impact Original Soundtrack Recordings on 1993 by Silva America. The soundtrack was released on CD contained twelve tracks with a runtime of 40 minutes.... |
Alex Wagner/Chad Wagner | Double role MTV Movie Awards MTV Movie Awards The MTV Movie Awards is a film awards show presented annually on MTV . It also contains movie parodies that used official movie footage with hosts and other celebrities and music performances. The nominees are decided by producers and executives at MTV. Winners are decided online by the general... nomination for Most Desirable Male MTV Movie Award for Most Desirable Male This is a follow list of the MTV Movie Award winners and nominees for Most Desirable Male. This award was last given out in 1996, along with its counterpart, Most Desirable Female.-References:... |
| 1992 1992 in film The year 1992 in film involved many significant films. -Top grossing films:-Awards:Academy AwardsGolden Globe AwardsNational Film Awards... |
Universal Soldier Universal Soldier (1992 film) Universal Soldier is a 1992 American science fiction action film directed by Roland Emmerich and starring Jean-Claude Van Damme and Dolph Lundgren as soldiers who kill each other in Vietnam but are reanimated in a secret Army project along with a large group of other previously dead... |
Luc Deveraux/GR44 Luc Deveraux Luc Deveraux is a fictional character, and the protagonist of the Universal Soldier film series. He is most famously portrayed by Belgian actor and martial artist Jean-Claude Van Damme... |
|
| 1993 1993 in film The year 1993 in film involved many significant films, including the blockbuster hits Jurassic Park, The Fugitive and The Firm. -Events:... |
Hard Target Hard Target Hard Target is a 1993 American action film directed by Chinese director John Woo. The film stars Jean-Claude Van Damme as Chance Boudreaux, an out-of-work Cajun merchant seaman who saves a young woman, Natasha Binder , from a gang of thugs in New Orleans... |
Chance Boudreaux | MTV Movie Awards nomination for Most Desirable Male |
| Nowhere to Run | Sam Gillen | MTV Movie Awards nomination for Most Desirable Male | |
| Last Action Hero Last Action Hero Last Action Hero is a 1993 American action-comedy-fantasy film directed and produced by John McTiernan. It is a satire of the action genre and its clichés, containing several parodies of action films in the form of films within the film.... |
Himself | Cameo | |
| Cyborg 2 Cyborg 2 Cyborg 2, released in some countries as Glass Shadow, is a 1993 science fiction action film directed by Michael Schroeder. It is an unrelated sequel to the 1989 film Cyborg, although footage from the original is used in a dream sequence... |
Gibson Rickenbacker | Archive footage | |
| 1994 1994 in film 1994 was a significant year in film.The top grosser worldwide was The Lion King, which to date stands as the highest-grossing traditionally-animated film of all time... |
Street Fighter Street Fighter (film) Street Fighter is a 1994 American action film written and directed by Steven E. de Souza. It is based loosely on the same-titled video games produced by Capcom, and stars Jean-Claude Van Damme, and Raul Julia, along with supporting performances by Byron Mann, Damian Chapa, Kylie Minogue, Ming-Na... |
Colonel William F. Guile Guile (Street Fighter) is a fictional character in Capcom's Street Fighter series of fighting games.-Street Fighter series:Guile made his first appearance in Street Fighter II as one of the eight selectable characters featured in the first release of the game... |
Based on same-titled video game Street Fighter , commonly abbreviated as SF, is a series of Fighting Games developed in Japan in which the players pit the video games' competitive fighters from around the world, each with his or her own unique fighting style, against one another... |
| Timecop Timecop Timecop is a 1994 science-fiction thriller film directed by Peter Hyams and co-written by Mike Richardson and Mark Verheiden. Richardson was also executive producer... |
Max Walker | Double role | |
| Kickboxer 4 Kickboxer 4 Kickboxer 4: The Aggressor is a 1994 direct-to-video release martial-arts film directed by Albert Pyun. The film is the fourth entry in the Kickboxer series. Sasha Mitchell is the only returning cast member from the series, reprising his role as David Sloan.-Plot:The film opens with a recap of... |
Kurt Sloane | Archive footage, uncredited | |
| 1995 1995 in film -Top grossing films:-Events:* March 22 - The Dogme 95 movement is officially announced in Paris by Danish directors Lars von Trier and Thomas Vinterberg.* March 28 - Actress Julia Roberts and singer Lyle Lovett announce their plans for separation.... |
Sudden Death Sudden Death (film) Sudden Death is a 1995 American action film starring Jean-Claude Van Damme and Powers Boothe. The film's story was written by Karen Elise Baldwin, the wife of then-Penguins owner Howard Baldwin. It also features Dorian Harewood and Raymond J. Barry, and is directed by Peter Hyams. It has been... |
Darren McCord | |
| 1996 1996 in film Major releases this year included Scream, Independence Day, Fargo, Trainspotting, The English Patient, Twister, Mars Attacks!, Jerry Maguire and a version of Evita starring Madonna.-Events:... |
Maximum Risk Maximum Risk Maximum Risk is a 1996 American action film directed by Ringo Lam. The film starred Jean-Claude Van Damme and Natasha Henstridge.-Plot:Alain Moreau is a cop in Nice, France. Alain is at a funeral that is being held for a fellow cop, when Alain’s partner Sebastien shows up... |
Alain Moreau/Mikhail Suverov | Double role |
| The Quest The Quest (film) The Quest is a 1996 American martial arts action film written and directed by Jean-Claude Van Damme. The film starred Van Damme, Roger Moore, Janet Gunn, and James Remar. The film is Van Damme's directorial debut. The plot revolves around an international martial arts tournament, with a storyline... |
Christopher Dubois | Directional debut Writer |
|
| 1997 1997 in film -Events:* The original Star Wars trilogy's Special Editions are released.* Production begins on Star Wars Episode I: The Phantom Menace.* Titanic becomes the first film to gross US$1,000,000,000 at the box office making it the highest grossing film in history until Avatar broke the record in 2010.*... |
Double Team | Jack Quinn | Razzie Award for Worst Screen Couple (with Dennis Rodman Dennis Rodman Dennis Keith Rodman is a retired American Hall of Fame professional basketball player of the National Basketball Association's Detroit Pistons, San Antonio Spurs, Chicago Bulls, Los Angeles Lakers and Dallas Mavericks. Born in Trenton, New Jersey, he was nicknamed "Dennis the Menace" and "The... ) |
| 1998 1998 in film -Events:* February 14 - Sharon Stone marries Phil Bronstein.* Former child star Gary Coleman is charged with assaulting a young female bus driver at a California shopping mall.-Top grossing films:... |
Legionnaire Legionnaire (film) Legionnaire is a 1998 film starring Jean-Claude Van Damme as a 1920s boxer who wins a fight after having been hired by gangsters to lose it, then flees to join the French Foreign Legion. The cast includes Adewale Akinnuoye-Agbaje, Steven Berkoff, Nicholas Farrell and Jim Carter... |
Alain Lefevre | Producer |
| Knock Off | Marcus Ray | ||
| 1999 1999 in film The year 1999 in film involved several noteworthy events and has been called "The Year That Changed Movies". Several significant feature films, including Stanley Kubrick's final film Eyes Wide Shut, Pedro Almodóvar's first Oscar-winning film All About My Mother, science fiction The Matrix, Deep... |
Universal Soldier: The Return Universal Soldier: The Return Universal Soldier: The Return is a 1999 American science fiction action film directed by Mic Rodgers and starred Jean-Claude Van Damme, Michael Jai White, professional wrestler Bill Goldberg, Heidi Schanz, Kiana Tom and Xander Berkeley as Doctor Dylan Cotner... |
Luc Devereaux | Producer, last theatrical release until JCVD JCVD JCVD is a crime-based comedy drama directed by French-Tunisian director Mabrouk El Mechri, and starring Jean-Claude Van Damme as a semi-fictionalized version of himself, a down-and-out action star whose family and career are crumbling around him as he is caught in the middle of a post office heist... |
| Inferno Inferno (1999 film) Inferno is a 1999 American action film directed by John G. Avildsen, starring Jean-Claude Van Damme, Danny Trejo and Noriyuki "Pat" Morita. Depending on the territory the film is released and the length of the film's cut, Avildsen is credited as Danny Mulroon... |
Eddie Lomax | Film is also known as "Desert Heat" | |
| 2001 2001 in film The year 2001 in film involved some significant events, including the first of the Harry Potter series and also the first of The Lord of the Rings trilogy... |
The Order The Order (2001 film) The Order is a 2001 20M action thriller film about a religious order, written by Jean-Claude Van Damme and Les Weldon and directed by Sheldon Lettich and starring Jean-Claude Van Damme. The cast also includes Sofia Milos, Brian Thompson, Ben Cross, Vernon Dobtcheff and Charlton Heston... |
Rudy Cafmeyer/Charles Le Vaillant | Double role |
| Replicant Replicant (film) Replicant is a 2001 action- science fiction film starring Michael Rooker and Jean-Claude Van Damme and directed by Ringo Lam. It is set in Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada, and Seattle, Washington, United States... |
Edward "The Torch" Garrotte/Replicant | Double role | |
| 2002 2002 in film The year 2002 in film involved some significant events. The first significant releases of sequels took place between The Lord of the Rings: The Two Towers, Harry Potter and the Chamber of Secrets, Star Wars Episode II: Attack of the Clones, Men in Black II, Analyze That, Spy Kids 2: The Island of... |
Derailed Derailed (2002 film) Derailed is a 2002 action movie directed by Bob Misiorowski and starring Jean-Claude Van Damme and Tomas Arana.- Plot:NATO operative Jacques Kristoff is summoned into action—on his birthday, no less—to track down Galina Konstantin , who has stolen an extremely valuable and dangerous top-secret... |
Jacques Kristoff | |
| 2003 2003 in film The year 2003 in film involved some significant events. Releases of sequels took place with movies like The Lord of the Rings: The Return of the King, 2 Fast 2 Furious, Charlie's Angels: Full Throttle, The Matrix Reloaded, The Matrix Revolutions, Pokémon Heroes, Terminator 3: Rise of the Machines,... |
In Hell In Hell In Hell is a 2003 action thriller film directed by Ringo Lam and starring Jean-Claude Van Damme.- Plot :Kyle LeBlanc is an American working overseas in Russia. When he hears his wife being attacked over the phone, Kyle rushes home to find that he's too late. The man who killed his wife is found... |
Kyle LeBlanc | |
| 2004 2004 in film The year 2004 in film involved some significant events. Major releases of sequels took place. It included blockbuster films like Shrek 2, Harry Potter and the Prisoner of Azkaban, The Passion of the Christ, Meet the Fockers, Blade: Trinity, Spider-Man 2, Alien vs. Predator, Kill Bill Vol... |
Wake of Death Wake of Death Wake of Death is a 2004 American action film directed by French director, Philippe Martinez. Ringo Lam was the original director, but he left the project after a few weeks of filming in Canada... |
Ben Archer | |
| Narco | Jean's ghost by Lenny | ||
| 2006 2006 in film - Highest-grossing films :Please note that following the tradition of the English-language film industry, these are the top-grossing films that were first released in the United States in 2006... |
The Hard Corps The Hard Corps The Hard Corps is a 2006 action movie starring Jean-Claude Van Damme and Vivica A. Fox. It is directed by Sheldon Lettich.-Synopsis:Phillip Sauvage is an American soldier suffering from Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder caused by his time in Iraq and Afghanistan.Sauvage snaps out of his stupor just... |
Phillip Sauvage | |
| Second in Command Second in Command Second in Command is a 2006 action film directed by Simon Fellows, starring Jean-Claude Van Damme. It was released direct-to-video in the United States, Belgium, and Germany on May 2, 2006. It has been rated R by the MPAA for violence and some language. The film was made in Bucharest, Romania.-Plot... |
Sam Keenan | ||
| The Exam | Charles | ||
| 2007 2007 in film This is a list of major films released in 2007.-Top grossing films:Please note that following the tradition of the English-language film industry, these are the top grossing films that were first released in the USA in 2007... |
Until Death | Anthony Stowe | |
| 2008 2008 in film This is a list of all major films made in 2008.-Highest-grossing films:Please note that following the tradition of the English-language film industry, these are the top grossing films that were first released in the USA in 2008... |
The Shepherd: Border Patrol The Shepherd: Border Patrol The Shepherd: Border Patrol is a 2008 action film starring Jean Claude Van Damme and Scott Adkins and directed by Isaac Florentine, the director of Undisputed 2... |
Jack Robideaux | First work with Scott Adkins Scott Adkins Scott Adkins is an English actor and martial artist who is perhaps best known for playing Yuri Boyka in Undisputed II: Last Man Standing and Undisputed III: Redemption and Bradley Hume in Holby City and Ed Russell in Mile High... |
| JCVD JCVD JCVD is a crime-based comedy drama directed by French-Tunisian director Mabrouk El Mechri, and starring Jean-Claude Van Damme as a semi-fictionalized version of himself, a down-and-out action star whose family and career are crumbling around him as he is caught in the middle of a post office heist... |
JCVD | Return to mainstream with limited theatrical release 2008: Toronto Film Critics Association Awards nomination for Best Actor Toronto Film Critics Association Award for Best Actor The Toronto Film Critics Association Award for Best Actor is one of the annual awards given by the Toronto Film Critics Association.-1990s:-2000s:-2010s:... 2009: Chlotrudis Awards nomination for Best Actor Chlotrudis Award for Best Actor The Chlotrudis Award for Best Actor is an award given by the Chlotrudis Society for Independent Film to the actor or actors whose winning performance is voted by participating members. The Chlotrudis Awards is an annual ceremony where the best of the previous year's independent and international... |
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| 2009 2009 in film The year 2009 saw the release of many films. Seven made the top 50 list of highest-grossing films, and the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences announced that as of this year, their Best Picture category would consist of ten nominees, rather than five .- Highest-grossing films :Please note... |
Universal Soldier: Regeneration | Luc Deveraux Luc Deveraux Luc Deveraux is a fictional character, and the protagonist of the Universal Soldier film series. He is most famously portrayed by Belgian actor and martial artist Jean-Claude Van Damme... |
Limited theatrical release in Israel, Singapore, Philippines, Malaysia, United Arab Emirates, India, Jordan, Lebanon, Italy, Japan, Pakistan |
| 2011 2011 in film The year 2011 is notable for containing the release of the most film sequels in a single year, at 27 sequels. The following tables list films that are in production or have completed production and will be released in the United States and Canada at some point in 2011.- Highest-grossing films :... |
Kung Fu Panda 2 | Master Croc | First voice over in a theatrical release |
| Assassination Games | Vincent Brazil | Limited theatrical release in US, Wide theatrical release in Russia, Second work with Scott Adkins Scott Adkins Scott Adkins is an English actor and martial artist who is perhaps best known for playing Yuri Boyka in Undisputed II: Last Man Standing and Undisputed III: Redemption and Bradley Hume in Holby City and Ed Russell in Mile High... |
|
| Beur sur la ville | Colonel Merot | Wide theatrical release in France | |
| 2012 2012 in film The following tables list films that are in production or have completed production and will be released in the United States and Canada at some point in 2012... |
Dragon Eyes Dragon Eyes Dragon Eyes is an upcoming martial arts film featuring Cung Le and Jean-Claude Van Damme. In New Orleans, a mysterious man looks to unite two warring gangs against the lawmen who have been using them to advance their corrupt agenda.-Cast:... |
Jean-Luis Tiano | Post-production |
| Rzhevskiy vs. Napoleon | Himself | Wide theatrical release in Russia and Ukraine | |
| Universal Soldier: A New Dimension | Luc Deveraux Luc Deveraux Luc Deveraux is a fictional character, and the protagonist of the Universal Soldier film series. He is most famously portrayed by Belgian actor and martial artist Jean-Claude Van Damme... |
Post-production, Third work with Scott Adkins Scott Adkins Scott Adkins is an English actor and martial artist who is perhaps best known for playing Yuri Boyka in Undisputed II: Last Man Standing and Undisputed III: Redemption and Bradley Hume in Holby City and Ed Russell in Mile High... |
|
| The Eagle Path The Eagle Path The Eagle Path is an action drama written, produced, edited, and directed by Jean-Claude Van Damme. The film also features two of his children, Kristopher Van Varenberg and Bianca Bree. It has been screened at the 2010 Cannes Film Market... |
Frenchy | Producer, Director, Writer and Editor | |
| The Butcher | Samson Gaul | Post-production, Theatrical release | |
| The Expendables 2 The Expendables 2 The Expendables 2 is an upcoming ensemble action film directed by Simon West and written by David Agosto and Ken Kaufman based on a story by Sylvester Stallone... |
Jean Vilain (leader of an opposing team of mercenaries) | Filming, Wide theatrical release, Fourth work with Scott Adkins Scott Adkins Scott Adkins is an English actor and martial artist who is perhaps best known for playing Yuri Boyka in Undisputed II: Last Man Standing and Undisputed III: Redemption and Bradley Hume in Holby City and Ed Russell in Mile High... |
|
| Dragon Eyes 2: Fist of the Dragon | Jean-Luis Tiano | Announced | |
| Welcome to the Jungle | Storm Rotchild (ex-marine team building coach) | Pre-production | |
| 2013 | U.F.O. | George (retired military advisor) | Post-production |
- Van Damme has been cast in "dual roles" in a single film many times during his career. Most cases involve two distinct characters, but others (such as Timecop) involve the same character from different periods of time-travel. These scenes often necessitate special editing or blue-screen cinematography to have two versions of the actor interacting in the same scene.
TV
| Year | Title | Episode | Role |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1996 | Friends Friends Friends is an American sitcom created by David Crane and Marta Kauffman, which aired on NBC from September 22, 1994 to May 6, 2004. The series revolves around a group of friends in Manhattan. The series was produced by Bright/Kauffman/Crane Productions, in association with Warner Bros. Television... |
"The One After the Superbowl" | Himself |
| 2004 | Las Vegas Las Vegas (TV series) Las Vegas was an American television series broadcast by NBC from September 22, 2003 to February 15, 2008. The show focuses on a team of people working at the ficticional Montecito Resort & Casino dealing with issues that arise within the working environment, ranging from valet parking and... |
"Die Fast, Die Furious" | Himself |
| 2009 | Robot Chicken Robot Chicken Robot Chicken is an American stop motion animated television series created and executive produced by Seth Green and Matthew Senreich along with co-head writers Douglas Goldstein and Tom Root. Green provides many voices for the show... |
"Maurice Was Caught" | Himself, Rhett Butler Rhett Butler Rhett Butler is a fictional character and one of the main protagonists of Gone with the Wind by Margaret Mitchell.-Role:In the beginning of the novel, we first meet Rhett at the Twelve Oaks Plantation barbecue, the home of John Wilkes and his son Ashley and daughters Honey and India Wilkes... , Dracula Dracula (Castlevania) , whose real name is Mathias Cronqvist , is a fictional character from the multi-platform Castlevania video game series... |
| 2011 | Jean-Claude Van Damme: Behind Closed Doors Jean-Claude Van Damme: Behind Closed Doors Jean-Claude Van Damme: Behind Closed Doors is a 2011 British reality show featuring action star Jean-Claude Van Damme and was being shown on ITV4 in the United Kingdom..-Plot:... |
1 season (8 episodes) | Himself |
| Les Anges Gardiens | 1 season (20 episodes) | Himself |
Semi Contact/Light-Contact Record
|- style="margin:0.5em auto; font-size:100%;"| Result | Record | Opponent | Method | Date | Round | Time | Event | Location | Notes | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Win | 37-4-0 |  Patrick Teugels |
l'abandon | March 8, 1980 | 1 | Forest Nationals | Brussels Brussels Brussels , officially the Brussels Region or Brussels-Capital Region , is the capital of Belgium and the de facto capital of the European Union... , Belgium Belgium Belgium , officially the Kingdom of Belgium, is a federal state in Western Europe. It is a founding member of the European Union and hosts the EU's headquarters, and those of several other major international organisations such as NATO.Belgium is also a member of, or affiliated to, many... |
Light-Contact (Match was billed for the EPKA Amateur Middleweight Title.Teugels suffers a broken nose and is unable to continue. Van Damme wins title) | ||
| Win | 36-4-0 |  Andres Kovac |
1980 | 3 | Brussels Brussels Brussels , officially the Brussels Region or Brussels-Capital Region , is the capital of Belgium and the de facto capital of the European Union... , Belgium Belgium Belgium , officially the Kingdom of Belgium, is a federal state in Western Europe. It is a founding member of the European Union and hosts the EU's headquarters, and those of several other major international organisations such as NATO.Belgium is also a member of, or affiliated to, many... |
Semi-Contact | ||||
| Win | 35-4-0 |  Bekim-Moussa Muhammad |
1980 | 3 | Brussels Brussels Brussels , officially the Brussels Region or Brussels-Capital Region , is the capital of Belgium and the de facto capital of the European Union... , Belgium Belgium Belgium , officially the Kingdom of Belgium, is a federal state in Western Europe. It is a founding member of the European Union and hosts the EU's headquarters, and those of several other major international organisations such as NATO.Belgium is also a member of, or affiliated to, many... |
Semi-Contact | ||||
| Win | 34-4-0 | Mustapha-Ahmad Benamou |
1980 | 3 | Brussels Brussels Brussels , officially the Brussels Region or Brussels-Capital Region , is the capital of Belgium and the de facto capital of the European Union... , Belgium Belgium Belgium , officially the Kingdom of Belgium, is a federal state in Western Europe. It is a founding member of the European Union and hosts the EU's headquarters, and those of several other major international organisations such as NATO.Belgium is also a member of, or affiliated to, many... |
Semi-Contact | ||||
| Win | 33-4-0 |  Reinhard Krass |
December 26, 1979 | 2 | Karate Tournament: Belgium Team vs. German Team | Woluwe Woluwe The Woluwe is a stream that goes through several municipalities in the southeast and east of Brussels and is a right tributary of the Senne/Zenne . The Kleine Maalbeek is a tributary of the Woluwe . Many ponds formed along the stream over time, among which the Mellaerts Ponds still exist... , Brussels Brussels Brussels , officially the Brussels Region or Brussels-Capital Region , is the capital of Belgium and the de facto capital of the European Union... , Belgium Belgium Belgium , officially the Kingdom of Belgium, is a federal state in Western Europe. It is a founding member of the European Union and hosts the EU's headquarters, and those of several other major international organisations such as NATO.Belgium is also a member of, or affiliated to, many... |
Semi Contact | |||
| Win | 32-4-0 |  Gilberto Dias |
l'abandon | November 1979 | 1 | World-All Styles Karate Organization | Brussels Brussels Brussels , officially the Brussels Region or Brussels-Capital Region , is the capital of Belgium and the de facto capital of the European Union... , Belgium Belgium Belgium , officially the Kingdom of Belgium, is a federal state in Western Europe. It is a founding member of the European Union and hosts the EU's headquarters, and those of several other major international organisations such as NATO.Belgium is also a member of, or affiliated to, many... |
Semi-Contact (Dias suffers ankle injury and is unable to continue.) | ||
| Loss | 31-4-0 | Jimmie Barletta |
1979 | 3 | World-All Styles Karate Organization | Ingelmunster Ingelmunster Ingelmunster is a municipality located in the Belgian province of West Flanders. The municipality comprises only the town of Ingelmunster proper. As of January 1, 2006, Ingelmunster had a total population of 10,617. Its total area is 16.16 km²... , Belgium Belgium Belgium , officially the Kingdom of Belgium, is a federal state in Western Europe. It is a founding member of the European Union and hosts the EU's headquarters, and those of several other major international organisations such as NATO.Belgium is also a member of, or affiliated to, many... |
Semi-Contact | |||
| Win | 31-3-0 | Hans Kohler |
1979 | 3 | World-All Styles Karate Organization | Ingelmunster Ingelmunster Ingelmunster is a municipality located in the Belgian province of West Flanders. The municipality comprises only the town of Ingelmunster proper. As of January 1, 2006, Ingelmunster had a total population of 10,617. Its total area is 16.16 km²... , Belgium Belgium Belgium , officially the Kingdom of Belgium, is a federal state in Western Europe. It is a founding member of the European Union and hosts the EU's headquarters, and those of several other major international organisations such as NATO.Belgium is also a member of, or affiliated to, many... |
Semi-Contact | |||
| Win | 30-3-0 | Paul Sperati |
1979 | 3 | World-All Styles Karate Organization | Opprebais, Belgium Belgium Belgium , officially the Kingdom of Belgium, is a federal state in Western Europe. It is a founding member of the European Union and hosts the EU's headquarters, and those of several other major international organisations such as NATO.Belgium is also a member of, or affiliated to, many... |
Semi-Contact | |||
| Win | 29-3-0 | Lucus Reinfeld |
1979 | 3 | World-All Styles Karate Organization, Europe Interland Cup | Mulhouse Mulhouse Mulhouse |mill]] hamlet) is a city and commune in eastern France, close to the Swiss and German borders. With a population of 110,514 and 278,206 inhabitants in the metropolitan area in 2006, it is the largest city in the Haut-Rhin département, and the second largest in the Alsace region after... , Belgium Belgium Belgium , officially the Kingdom of Belgium, is a federal state in Western Europe. It is a founding member of the European Union and hosts the EU's headquarters, and those of several other major international organisations such as NATO.Belgium is also a member of, or affiliated to, many... |
Semi-Contact | |||
| Win | 28-3-0 | Leonard Baptiste |
1978 | 3 | World-All Styles Karate Organization | Izegem Izegem Izegem is a municipality located in the Belgian province of West Flanders. The municipality comprises the city of Izegem proper and the towns of Emelgem and Kachtem. Emelgem was added to Izegem in 1965, Kachtem in 1977. Izegem itself lies on the southern banks of the Mandel, Emelgem and Kachtem on... , Belgium Belgium Belgium , officially the Kingdom of Belgium, is a federal state in Western Europe. It is a founding member of the European Union and hosts the EU's headquarters, and those of several other major international organisations such as NATO.Belgium is also a member of, or affiliated to, many... |
Semi-Contact | |||
| Win | 27-3-0 | Fernando Cabanela |
1978 | 3 | World-All Styles Karate Organization | Izegem Izegem Izegem is a municipality located in the Belgian province of West Flanders. The municipality comprises the city of Izegem proper and the towns of Emelgem and Kachtem. Emelgem was added to Izegem in 1965, Kachtem in 1977. Izegem itself lies on the southern banks of the Mandel, Emelgem and Kachtem on... , Belgium Belgium Belgium , officially the Kingdom of Belgium, is a federal state in Western Europe. It is a founding member of the European Union and hosts the EU's headquarters, and those of several other major international organisations such as NATO.Belgium is also a member of, or affiliated to, many... |
Semi-Contact | |||
| Loss | 26-3-0 | Angelo Spataro |
1978 | 3 | Challenge Coupe des Espoirs Karate Tournament (1st Trials) | Antwerp, Belgium Belgium Belgium , officially the Kingdom of Belgium, is a federal state in Western Europe. It is a founding member of the European Union and hosts the EU's headquarters, and those of several other major international organisations such as NATO.Belgium is also a member of, or affiliated to, many... |
Semi-Contact | |||
| Win | 26-2-0 | Gabriel Van Der Driessche |
1978 | 3 | Challenge Coupe des Espoirs Karate Tournament (1st Trials) | Antwerp, Belgium Belgium Belgium , officially the Kingdom of Belgium, is a federal state in Western Europe. It is a founding member of the European Union and hosts the EU's headquarters, and those of several other major international organisations such as NATO.Belgium is also a member of, or affiliated to, many... |
Semi-Contact | |||
| Win | 25-2-0 | Farid Muhammad Mousseau |
1978 | 3 | Challenge Coupe des Espoirs Karate Tournament (1st Trials) | Antwerp, Belgium Belgium Belgium , officially the Kingdom of Belgium, is a federal state in Western Europe. It is a founding member of the European Union and hosts the EU's headquarters, and those of several other major international organisations such as NATO.Belgium is also a member of, or affiliated to, many... |
Semi-Contact | |||
| Win | 24-2-0 | Jacques van Laere |
1978 | 3 | Challenge Coupe des Espoirs Karate Tournament (1st Trials) | Antwerp, Belgium Belgium Belgium , officially the Kingdom of Belgium, is a federal state in Western Europe. It is a founding member of the European Union and hosts the EU's headquarters, and those of several other major international organisations such as NATO.Belgium is also a member of, or affiliated to, many... |
Semi-Contact | |||
| Win | 23-2-0 | Christian Hedin |
1978 | 3 | Challenge Coupe des Espoirs Karate Tournament (1st Trials) | Antwerp, Belgium Belgium Belgium , officially the Kingdom of Belgium, is a federal state in Western Europe. It is a founding member of the European Union and hosts the EU's headquarters, and those of several other major international organisations such as NATO.Belgium is also a member of, or affiliated to, many... |
Semi-Contact | |||
| Win | 22-2-0 | Gerard Charon |
1978 | 3 | Challenge Coupe des Espoirs Karate Tournament (1st Trials) | Antwerp, Belgium Belgium Belgium , officially the Kingdom of Belgium, is a federal state in Western Europe. It is a founding member of the European Union and hosts the EU's headquarters, and those of several other major international organisations such as NATO.Belgium is also a member of, or affiliated to, many... |
Semi-Contact | |||
| Win | 21-2-0 | David Arranz |
1978 | 3 | Challenge Coupe des Espoirs Karate Tournament (1st Trials) | Antwerp, Belgium Belgium Belgium , officially the Kingdom of Belgium, is a federal state in Western Europe. It is a founding member of the European Union and hosts the EU's headquarters, and those of several other major international organisations such as NATO.Belgium is also a member of, or affiliated to, many... |
Semi-Contact | |||
| Win | 20-2-0 | Bernard Redden |
1978 | 3 | Challenge Coupe des Espoirs Karate Tournament (1st Trials) | Antwerp, Belgium Belgium Belgium , officially the Kingdom of Belgium, is a federal state in Western Europe. It is a founding member of the European Union and hosts the EU's headquarters, and those of several other major international organisations such as NATO.Belgium is also a member of, or affiliated to, many... |
Semi-Contact | |||
| Win | 19-2-0 | Antoine Redi |
1978 | 3 | Challenge Coupe des Espoirs Karate Tournament (1st Trials) | Antwerp, Belgium Belgium Belgium , officially the Kingdom of Belgium, is a federal state in Western Europe. It is a founding member of the European Union and hosts the EU's headquarters, and those of several other major international organisations such as NATO.Belgium is also a member of, or affiliated to, many... |
Semi-Contact | |||
| Win | 18-2-0 | Ben Salah Ellah |
1978 | 3 | Challenge Coupe des Espoirs Karate Tournament (1st Trials) | Antwerp, Belgium Belgium Belgium , officially the Kingdom of Belgium, is a federal state in Western Europe. It is a founding member of the European Union and hosts the EU's headquarters, and those of several other major international organisations such as NATO.Belgium is also a member of, or affiliated to, many... |
Semi-Contact | |||
| Win | 17-2-0 | Gaston Airey |
Foul | 1978 | 1 | Challenge Coupe des Espoirs Karate Tournament (1st Trials) | Antwerp, Belgium Belgium Belgium , officially the Kingdom of Belgium, is a federal state in Western Europe. It is a founding member of the European Union and hosts the EU's headquarters, and those of several other major international organisations such as NATO.Belgium is also a member of, or affiliated to, many... |
Semi-Contact | ||
| Win | 16-2-0 | Abdembi Hassan Ali |
1978 | 3 | Challenge Coupe des Espoirs Karate Tournament (1st Trials) | Antwerp, Belgium Belgium Belgium , officially the Kingdom of Belgium, is a federal state in Western Europe. It is a founding member of the European Union and hosts the EU's headquarters, and those of several other major international organisations such as NATO.Belgium is also a member of, or affiliated to, many... |
Semi-Contact | |||
| Win | 15-2-0 | Marcel Cohen Marcel Cohen Marcel Samuel Raphaël Cohen was a French linguist. He was an important scholar of Semitic languages and especially of Ethiopian languages. He studied the French language and contributed much to general linguistics.- Life :... |
1978 | 3 | Challenge Coupe des Espoirs Karate Tournament (1st Trials) | Antwerp, Belgium Belgium Belgium , officially the Kingdom of Belgium, is a federal state in Western Europe. It is a founding member of the European Union and hosts the EU's headquarters, and those of several other major international organisations such as NATO.Belgium is also a member of, or affiliated to, many... |
Semi-Contact | |||
| Win | 14-2-0 | Christian Van Tieghem |
1978 | 3 | Challenge Coupe des Espoirs Karate Tournament (1st Trials) | Antwerp, Belgium Belgium Belgium , officially the Kingdom of Belgium, is a federal state in Western Europe. It is a founding member of the European Union and hosts the EU's headquarters, and those of several other major international organisations such as NATO.Belgium is also a member of, or affiliated to, many... |
Semi-Contact | |||
| Win | 13-2-0 | Max Roelandt |
1978 | 3 | Challenge Coupe des Espoirs Karate Tournament (1st Trials) | Antwerp, Belgium Belgium Belgium , officially the Kingdom of Belgium, is a federal state in Western Europe. It is a founding member of the European Union and hosts the EU's headquarters, and those of several other major international organisations such as NATO.Belgium is also a member of, or affiliated to, many... |
Semi-Contact | |||
| Win | 12-2-0 | Andre Verbon |
1978 | 3 | Challenge Coupe des Espoirs Karate Tournament (1st Trials) | Antwerp, Belgium Belgium Belgium , officially the Kingdom of Belgium, is a federal state in Western Europe. It is a founding member of the European Union and hosts the EU's headquarters, and those of several other major international organisations such as NATO.Belgium is also a member of, or affiliated to, many... |
Semi-Contact | |||
| Win | 11-2-0 | Michel Juvillier |
1978 | 3 | Challenge Coupe des Espoirs Karate Tournament (1st Trials) | Antwerp, Belgium Belgium Belgium , officially the Kingdom of Belgium, is a federal state in Western Europe. It is a founding member of the European Union and hosts the EU's headquarters, and those of several other major international organisations such as NATO.Belgium is also a member of, or affiliated to, many... |
Semi-Contact | |||
| Win | 10-2-0 | Joel Maoreau |
1978 | 3 | Challenge Coupe des Espoirs Karate Tournament (1st Trials) | Antwerp, Belgium Belgium Belgium , officially the Kingdom of Belgium, is a federal state in Western Europe. It is a founding member of the European Union and hosts the EU's headquarters, and those of several other major international organisations such as NATO.Belgium is also a member of, or affiliated to, many... |
Semi-Contact | |||
| Win | 9-2-0 | Ronald Duivenbode |
1978 | 3 | Challenge Coupe des Espoirs Karate Tournament (1st Trials) | Antwerp, Belgium Belgium Belgium , officially the Kingdom of Belgium, is a federal state in Western Europe. It is a founding member of the European Union and hosts the EU's headquarters, and those of several other major international organisations such as NATO.Belgium is also a member of, or affiliated to, many... |
Semi-Contact | |||
| Loss | 8-2-0 | Patrick Teugels |
1978 | 3 | Belgium Lightweight Championship | Antwerp, Belgium Belgium Belgium , officially the Kingdom of Belgium, is a federal state in Western Europe. It is a founding member of the European Union and hosts the EU's headquarters, and those of several other major international organisations such as NATO.Belgium is also a member of, or affiliated to, many... |
Semi-Contact | |||
| Win | 8-1-0 | Gris Lubbers |
1976 | 3 | European Karate Union | Ingelmunster Ingelmunster Ingelmunster is a municipality located in the Belgian province of West Flanders. The municipality comprises only the town of Ingelmunster proper. As of January 1, 2006, Ingelmunster had a total population of 10,617. Its total area is 16.16 km²... , Belgium Belgium Belgium , officially the Kingdom of Belgium, is a federal state in Western Europe. It is a founding member of the European Union and hosts the EU's headquarters, and those of several other major international organisations such as NATO.Belgium is also a member of, or affiliated to, many... |
Semi-Contact | |||
| Win | 7-1-0 | Andre Lemaire |
1977 | 3 | World Association of Kickboxing Organizations Open International | Izegem Izegem Izegem is a municipality located in the Belgian province of West Flanders. The municipality comprises the city of Izegem proper and the towns of Emelgem and Kachtem. Emelgem was added to Izegem in 1965, Kachtem in 1977. Izegem itself lies on the southern banks of the Mandel, Emelgem and Kachtem on... , Belgium Belgium Belgium , officially the Kingdom of Belgium, is a federal state in Western Europe. It is a founding member of the European Union and hosts the EU's headquarters, and those of several other major international organisations such as NATO.Belgium is also a member of, or affiliated to, many... |
Semi-Contact | |||
| Loss | 6-1-0 | Patrick Teugels |
1977 | 3 | 1977 International Open | Izegem Izegem Izegem is a municipality located in the Belgian province of West Flanders. The municipality comprises the city of Izegem proper and the towns of Emelgem and Kachtem. Emelgem was added to Izegem in 1965, Kachtem in 1977. Izegem itself lies on the southern banks of the Mandel, Emelgem and Kachtem on... , Belgium Belgium Belgium , officially the Kingdom of Belgium, is a federal state in Western Europe. It is a founding member of the European Union and hosts the EU's headquarters, and those of several other major international organisations such as NATO.Belgium is also a member of, or affiliated to, many... |
Semi-Contact | |||
| Win | 6-0-0 | Maurice Devos | 1977 | 3 | World Allstyles Kickboxing Organization | Antwerp, Belgium Belgium Belgium , officially the Kingdom of Belgium, is a federal state in Western Europe. It is a founding member of the European Union and hosts the EU's headquarters, and those of several other major international organisations such as NATO.Belgium is also a member of, or affiliated to, many... |
Semi-Contact | |||
| Win | 5-0-0 |  Jacques Berri |
1976 | 3 | Antwerp Open WAKO | Antwerp, Belgium Belgium Belgium , officially the Kingdom of Belgium, is a federal state in Western Europe. It is a founding member of the European Union and hosts the EU's headquarters, and those of several other major international organisations such as NATO.Belgium is also a member of, or affiliated to, many... |
Semi-Contact | |||
| Win | 4-0-0 | Johannes Binding |
1976 | 3 | Antwerp Open WAKO | Antwerp, Belgium Belgium Belgium , officially the Kingdom of Belgium, is a federal state in Western Europe. It is a founding member of the European Union and hosts the EU's headquarters, and those of several other major international organisations such as NATO.Belgium is also a member of, or affiliated to, many... |
Semi-Contact | |||
| Win | 3-0-0 | Jean-Morin Devigne |
1976 | 3 | Antwerp Open WAKO | Antwerp, Belgium Belgium Belgium , officially the Kingdom of Belgium, is a federal state in Western Europe. It is a founding member of the European Union and hosts the EU's headquarters, and those of several other major international organisations such as NATO.Belgium is also a member of, or affiliated to, many... |
Semi-Contact | |||
| Win | 2-0-0 | Roland Vedani |
1976 | 3 | European Karate Union | Ingelmunster Ingelmunster Ingelmunster is a municipality located in the Belgian province of West Flanders. The municipality comprises only the town of Ingelmunster proper. As of January 1, 2006, Ingelmunster had a total population of 10,617. Its total area is 16.16 km²... , Belgium Belgium Belgium , officially the Kingdom of Belgium, is a federal state in Western Europe. It is a founding member of the European Union and hosts the EU's headquarters, and those of several other major international organisations such as NATO.Belgium is also a member of, or affiliated to, many... |
Semi-Contact | |||
| Win | 1-0-0 | Jean-Paul Gaston |
1976 | 3 | European Karate Union | Brussels Brussels Brussels , officially the Brussels Region or Brussels-Capital Region , is the capital of Belgium and the de facto capital of the European Union... , Belgium Belgium Belgium , officially the Kingdom of Belgium, is a federal state in Western Europe. It is a founding member of the European Union and hosts the EU's headquarters, and those of several other major international organisations such as NATO.Belgium is also a member of, or affiliated to, many... |
Semi-Contact |
Professional Kickboxing Record
|- style="margin:0.5em auto; font-size:100%;"| Result | Record | Opponent | Method | Date | Round | Time | Event | Location | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
 Somluck KamsingSomluck Kamsing Somluck Kamsing is a Thai boxer. His name is sometimes spelled as Somrak Khamsing.During the 1998 Asian Games in Bangkok, Thailand, Kamsing lit the torch during the Games' opening ceremony. Kamsing was born in Khon Kaen... |
May or June 2012 | Dubai Dubai Dubai is a city and emirate in the United Arab Emirates . The emirate is located south of the Persian Gulf on the Arabian Peninsula and has the largest population with the second-largest land territory by area of all the emirates, after Abu Dhabi... , Moscow Moscow Moscow is the capital, the most populous city, and the most populous federal subject of Russia. The city is a major political, economic, cultural, scientific, religious, financial, educational, and transportation centre of Russia and the continent... or Grozny Grozny Grozny is the capital city of the Chechen Republic, Russia. The city lies on the Sunzha River. According to the preliminary results of the 2010 Census, the city had a population of 271,596; up from 210,720 recorded in the 2002 Census. but still only about two-thirds of 399,688 recorded in the 1989... |
Kickboxing |
Kickboxing Record
|- style="margin:0.5em auto; font-size:100%;"| Result | Record | Opponent | Method | Date | Round | Time | Event | Location | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Win | 14-0-0 | Lenny Leikman |
KO | 1982 | 3 | 1st Journée Des Arts Martiaux | Brussels Brussels Brussels , officially the Brussels Region or Brussels-Capital Region , is the capital of Belgium and the de facto capital of the European Union... , Belgium Belgium Belgium , officially the Kingdom of Belgium, is a federal state in Western Europe. It is a founding member of the European Union and hosts the EU's headquarters, and those of several other major international organisations such as NATO.Belgium is also a member of, or affiliated to, many... |
Kickboxing | |
| Win | 13-0-0 |  Henk Besselman |
Knockout | 1981 | 1 | Brussels Brussels Brussels , officially the Brussels Region or Brussels-Capital Region , is the capital of Belgium and the de facto capital of the European Union... , Belgium Belgium Belgium , officially the Kingdom of Belgium, is a federal state in Western Europe. It is a founding member of the European Union and hosts the EU's headquarters, and those of several other major international organisations such as NATO.Belgium is also a member of, or affiliated to, many... |
Kickboxing | ||
| Win | Michael J. Heming Michael J. Heming Michael John Heming was an English karateka and kickboxer. He was European Middleweight Kickboxing Champion and British Semi-Contact Middleweight Champion in the 1970s, who complied an impressive winning streak before losing to Jean-Claude Van Damme in 1980.-Early life:Michael John Heming was born... |
KO | 1980 | 1 | 0:46 | European Middleweight Championship | Brussels Brussels Brussels , officially the Brussels Region or Brussels-Capital Region , is the capital of Belgium and the de facto capital of the European Union... , Belgium Belgium Belgium , officially the Kingdom of Belgium, is a federal state in Western Europe. It is a founding member of the European Union and hosts the EU's headquarters, and those of several other major international organisations such as NATO.Belgium is also a member of, or affiliated to, many... |
Kickboxing | |
| Win | Georges Verlugels |
KO | 1980 | 2 | Brussels Brussels Brussels , officially the Brussels Region or Brussels-Capital Region , is the capital of Belgium and the de facto capital of the European Union... , Belgium Belgium Belgium , officially the Kingdom of Belgium, is a federal state in Western Europe. It is a founding member of the European Union and hosts the EU's headquarters, and those of several other major international organisations such as NATO.Belgium is also a member of, or affiliated to, many... |
Kickboxing | |||
| Win | 10-0-0 |  Sherman Bergman |
KO (axe kick) | November 1979 | 1 | 0:56 | W.A.K.O. World Championships 1979 W.A.K.O. World Championships 1979 W.A.K.O. World Championships 1979 were the second ever world kickboxing championships hosted by W.A.K.O., organized by American Mike Anderson. They were open to amateur men only from across the world, with two styles of kickboxing - Full-Contact and Semi-Contact - on offer... |
Tampa, Florida Tampa, Florida Tampa is a city in the U.S. state of Florida. It serves as the county seat for Hillsborough County. Tampa is located on the west coast of Florida. The population of Tampa in 2010 was 335,709.... , USA United States The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district... |
Kickboxing (Match takes places at the WAKO World Championships, but is a non-tournament match.Van Damme climbs off floor to win.) |
| Win | Rolf Risberg |
KO | 1979 | 1 | Ingelmunster Ingelmunster Ingelmunster is a municipality located in the Belgian province of West Flanders. The municipality comprises only the town of Ingelmunster proper. As of January 1, 2006, Ingelmunster had a total population of 10,617. Its total area is 16.16 km²... , Belgium Belgium Belgium , officially the Kingdom of Belgium, is a federal state in Western Europe. It is a founding member of the European Union and hosts the EU's headquarters, and those of several other major international organisations such as NATO.Belgium is also a member of, or affiliated to, many... |
Kickboxing | |||
| Win | 8-0-0 | Emile Leibman |
KO | 1979 | 1 | Iseghem, Belgium Belgium Belgium , officially the Kingdom of Belgium, is a federal state in Western Europe. It is a founding member of the European Union and hosts the EU's headquarters, and those of several other major international organisations such as NATO.Belgium is also a member of, or affiliated to, many... |
Kickboxing | ||
| Win | 7-0-0 | Cyrille Nollet |
KO | 1978 | 1 | Iseghem, Belgium Belgium Belgium , officially the Kingdom of Belgium, is a federal state in Western Europe. It is a founding member of the European Union and hosts the EU's headquarters, and those of several other major international organisations such as NATO.Belgium is also a member of, or affiliated to, many... |
Kickboxing | ||
| Win | 6-0-0 | Orlando Lang |
KO | 1978 | 1 | 0:26 | Antwerp, Belgium Belgium Belgium , officially the Kingdom of Belgium, is a federal state in Western Europe. It is a founding member of the European Union and hosts the EU's headquarters, and those of several other major international organisations such as NATO.Belgium is also a member of, or affiliated to, many... |
Kickboxing | |
| Win | 5-0-0 | Jacques Piniarski |
KO | 1978 | 1 | Belgium Belgium Belgium , officially the Kingdom of Belgium, is a federal state in Western Europe. It is a founding member of the European Union and hosts the EU's headquarters, and those of several other major international organisations such as NATO.Belgium is also a member of, or affiliated to, many... |
Kickboxing | ||
| Win | 4-0-0 | Eric "Basel" Strauss |
KO | 1978 | 1 | 0:18 | Antwerp,Belgium Belgium Belgium , officially the Kingdom of Belgium, is a federal state in Western Europe. It is a founding member of the European Union and hosts the EU's headquarters, and those of several other major international organisations such as NATO.Belgium is also a member of, or affiliated to, many... |
Kickboxing | |
| Win | 3-0-0 | Andre "Robar" Robaeys |
KO | 1978 | 1 | European Karate Union | Mulhouse Mulhouse Mulhouse |mill]] hamlet) is a city and commune in eastern France, close to the Swiss and German borders. With a population of 110,514 and 278,206 inhabitants in the metropolitan area in 2006, it is the largest city in the Haut-Rhin département, and the second largest in the Alsace region after... ,Belgium Belgium Belgium , officially the Kingdom of Belgium, is a federal state in Western Europe. It is a founding member of the European Union and hosts the EU's headquarters, and those of several other major international organisations such as NATO.Belgium is also a member of, or affiliated to, many... |
Kickboxing | |
| Win | 2-0-0 | Michel Juvillier |
1978 | 1 | 0:39 | WAKO Wako Wako, Wakō, Wakou, WAKO or W.A.K.O. can refer to:* Wako , a Japanese retailer whose best known store is in Ginza, Tokyo* Wakō, Saitama, a city in Japan* World Association of Kickboxing Organizations... |
Antwerp, Belgium Belgium Belgium , officially the Kingdom of Belgium, is a federal state in Western Europe. It is a founding member of the European Union and hosts the EU's headquarters, and those of several other major international organisations such as NATO.Belgium is also a member of, or affiliated to, many... |
Kickboxing | |
| Win | 1-0-0 | Toon Van Oostrum |
KO | 1976 | 1 | 0:46 | European Karate Union | Brussels Brussels Brussels , officially the Brussels Region or Brussels-Capital Region , is the capital of Belgium and the de facto capital of the European Union... ,Belgium Belgium Belgium , officially the Kingdom of Belgium, is a federal state in Western Europe. It is a founding member of the European Union and hosts the EU's headquarters, and those of several other major international organisations such as NATO.Belgium is also a member of, or affiliated to, many... |
Kickboxing |