Jean-Claude Van Damme (born October 18, 1960) is a Belgian
martial artist, and actor who is best known for his large catalogue of
action movies, the most successful being
Street Fighter and
Timecop, both from 1994. His Belgian background combined with his physique gave rise to his
nickname The Muscles from Brussels.
Biography
Early life
Van Damme was born
Jean-Claude Camille François Van Varenberg[Not over the Undertaker. (The Fans Speak Out). | Wrestling Digest (, 2003)] (also spelled
Varenburg)
['Sudden Death' star Jean-Claude Van Damme isn't so tough - just ask him. | Knight Ridder/Tribune News Service (, 1995)] in
Berchem-Sainte-Agathe (
Brussels), Belgium, the son of Eliana and Eugène Van Vaerenbergh, who was an accountant and owned a flower shop.
[Jean-Claude Van Damme Biography (1960-)][Jean-Claude van Damme Biography - Yahoo! Movies] He began martial arts at the age of ten, enrolled by his father in a
shotokan karate school.
[Belgian Bruiser Muscles Into B-Movie Scene ', John Stanley, San Francisco Chronicle, April 2, 1989] He eventually earned his
black belt in
karate,
[Karate black belt)] later winning the European Professional Karate Association's middleweight championship in a stunning upset vs. the former champion
Michael J. Heming (although he has claimed that he was "twice world champion"
['Van Damme speaks language of karate', Louis B Parks, Houston Chronicle, April 29, 1988]).
He also started lifting weights to improve his physique, which eventually led to a Mr. Belgium bodybuilding title.
['Playboy interview', Lawrence Grobel, Playboy, January 1, 1995] At the age of 16 he took up
ballet, which he studied for five years. He says of ballet that it "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."
['Van Damme gets his kicks from acting now, not karate', Jae-Ha Kim, Chicago Sun-Times, April 14, 1989]
Fight career
Van Damme's karate teacher and coach was Master
Claude Goetz. According to an article written by Don Warrener for
FIGHTINGARTS, Goetz is one of the pioneers of European karate and studied under
Tsutomu Oshima, a disciple of
Gichin Funakoshi. Jean-Claude studied in Goetz's dojo in Brussels, Belgium. Under Goetz's guidance, Van Damme developed an impressive array of kicks and strikes. Van Damme has also studied
Taekwondo and
Muay Thai, along with
Shotokan Karate.
In 1976, at the age of 16, Jean-Claude made his semi-contact debut under his birth name,
Jean Claude Van Vaerenbergh. Fighting at an event sanctioned by the
European Karate Union (EKU) in Brussels, Jean-Claude overcame a shakey start to stop fellow-countryman, Toon van Oostrum in 46 seconds. Knockouts were prohibited under the rules, however, van Oostrum quit and the result was listed as "stoppage 0:46". Master Goetz realized his young pupil needed more schooling before he was ready to compete again.
In 1978, after two serious years of training, 18 year old Jean-Claude entered his first EKU tournament in Antwerp, Belgium (under "full-Contact" rules) in the
Beginner's Division. Now equipped with more confidence and skill, Jean-Claude had little trouble in winning the tournament. He scored three victories; an 18 second knockout over German-born prospect Eric "Basel" Strauss, a 39 second stoppage over Michel Juvillier (Juvillier quit), and a 12 second stoppage of Orlando Lang.
Two months later at a tournament in Izegem, Belgium, sanctioned by the
World-All Styles Karate Organization (WAKO), Van Damme won his first "Semi-Contact" championship in the Beginners Category. He scored stoppage victories over countrymen Emile Leibman and Cyrille Nollet. The WAKO was formed in Europe in 1975, under the leadership of Germany's George Bruckner and Mike Anderson of the United States. Bruckner was based in Berlin, Germany and was a tae-kwon-do and karate instructor. Officially the WAKO classified its full-contact promotions as amateur, however, competitors were given substantial "training fees". The WAKO held their world tournaments in both Long Beach, California and Tampa, Florida (some sources incorrectly list Orlando, Florida) in the 1970s.
Fighting under the WAKO sanctioning body, Van Damme scored stoppages over Andre Robaeys, Jacques Piniarski, and Rolf Risberg; under WAKO rules which differed from those in the United States. Judo throws, footsweeps were permitted, although thigh kicks were not. There were no minimum kick requirements, and bouts were sometimes held on an open mat, instead of a roped ring. World Title bouts lasted six rounds, while contender bouts lasted five. Once a year, top competitors were required to participate in two-round, tournament syle eliminations to determine the year's top ten in each division.
In November, 1979,
Jean-Claude Van Damme took his 10-0 record to Tampa, Florida to compete in the 2nd WAKO World Championships at
Hillsborough Community College (promoted by Mike Anderson). Competing in the Men's Fighting Category, Jean-Claude entered the 69 kg. division. On November 3rd,in his first tournament match (scheduled for 2-2 minute rounds)he met
Sherman Bergman from Miami Beach, Florida (USA). After being knocked down early in the match, Van Damme scored a 1st round victory when Bergman was unable to continue. In his next match, Van Damme defeated Portugal's
Gilberto (Gil) Dias in the first round after Diaz quit due to injury. In the quarter-finals, Van Damme lost a 2-round decision to fellow countryman,
Patrick Teugels.
Returning to Europe, Van Damme fought in a two independent events sanctioned by the European Professional Karate Association (EPKA), in which he knocked out Algeria's Mustapha Ahmad Benamou and Bekim Moussa Muhammad. According to a April 2, 1989 article in the
San Francisco Chronicle by John Stanley, Van Damme scored an upset victory over former European Middeweight Full-Contact Champion
Michael J. Heming of England in 1980.
Van Damme's big break came on March 8, 1980 in Brussels, Belgium, on a Professional Karate Association (PKA) event, in which France's
Dominique Valera met the United States,
Dan Macaruso for the PKA World Heavyweight Kickboxing Title. After Macaruso defeated Valera by 6th round knockout, Van Damme knocked out France's
Georges Verlugels in 2 rounds to win the "Professional" European Middleweight Kickboxing Championship
.
According to an article written by
Mike Anders, founder of
Professional Karate Magazine, based on his victory over Verlugels, " Van Damme was definitely an upcoming prospect." Multiple European Full-Contact Champion
Geet Lemmens supported Anders opinion.
However, by now, Van Damme had his sights on a motion-picture career. Before he retired from active competition, he requested a rematch with
Patrick Teugels, the only man to defeat him. Teugels was now rated 2nd in the world in the middleweight division by the WAKO. The rematch in Brussels was scheduled for 5-two minute rounds. At the bell, Van Damme came out punching and kicking. His overwhelming aggression was too much for Teugels and the match was halted in under the 2-minute mark (A video of this fight now appears on
aol.videos). Following the victory, Jean-Claude retired from active competition with a 18-1 (18 knockouts) record.
Once his film stardom took off, controversy arose regarding Van Damme's fight career. Researchers were unable to uncover any of Van Damme's matches. This was due Van Damme's having spent his entire full-contact career under his birth name of Van Varenberg.
It has been rumored that Van Damme will return to full contact fighting for a number of charity events, which will be co-sponsored by fellow martial arts star Steven "Hello" Seagal in late 2009.
["Good Guys Give Back," Hollywood Martial Arts Journal, Fall 2008 ed. pp.23-27. ] The event will be a pro-am style event, with some real action and some staged action, much like the infamous "
Thunderlips" fight in
Rocky III.
[Rocky III. Original Motion Picture, 1982, Columbia Pictures.]
Van Damme had a guest appearance on the hit NBC show
Friends during the show's second season. Van Damme played himself and was the center of conflict between friends Rachel and Monica, for they were arguing over who got to date him. The Emmy-Award winning episode is titled 'The One After the Superbowl'
Health
More recently, according to
People magazine (June 2006), Van Damme has been battling with a lump on his forehead that is the cause of terrible migraine headaches. He says the pain at times is excruciating and is currently taking prescription medicines for relief. Van Damme goes on to tell People the lump is due to the constant blows and big kicks he has taken during his martial arts career.
US Weekly of June 2008 reports that Van Damme received a minor contusion to his burgaw of the forehead whilst dancing in a night club. Van Damme reportedly took center stage in a New York night club, pushing men and women aside stating, "Oh yeah, I'm good" when asked if he could dance. It was reported that Van Damme then performed his famous leg split and when rising to his feet, an alleged attacker punched him in his forehead, leaving him unconscious.
US Weekly reports that Paramedics arrived on scene to find the once high-flying actor on the ground lying in vomit and blood. Van Damme was reported in stable condition. (pictures to follow via
US Weekly 721 issue, June 2008).
An "abstract thinker"
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.
[Abstract Thinker] Most iconic 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.
Personal life
Van Damme has been married five times, including two marriages with his current wife, bodybuilder and fitness competitor
Gladys Portuguese. Van Damme has 3 children: Kristopher born 1987, Nicholas born 1995, and Bianca born 1990. Van Damme also has a
yellow lab, Boloyo, and a
siamese cat, Poppins
[The Family Man: An Interview with Martial Arts Star Jean Claude Van Damme, Karate Today, Vol. 52, 10 January 1990].
Spouses:
- Darcy LaPier: 3 February 1994 - November 1997 (divorced, 1 child)
- Gladys Portuguese: 3 January 1987 - 1992 (divorced); 25 June 1999 - present (2 children)
- Cynthia Derderian: 24 August 1985 - 1986 (divorced)
- Maria Rodriguez: 25 August 1980 - 1984 (divorced)
Kickboxing/Full-Contact/Semi-Contact Record: 18-1 (18 Knockouts)
| Year | Opponent | Event | Result | Method | Location
|
| 1977 | Toon Van Oostrum | European Karate Union(EKU) Event (semi-contact) | won | stoppage 1 round | Brussels, Belgium
|
| 1977 | Maurice Devos | Netherlands Kickboxing Federation (NKBB) | won | knockout 1 round | Antwerp, Belgium
|
| 1978 | Eric Bruno Strauss | European Karate Union (EKU)Tournament | won | stoppage 1 round | Antwerp, Belgium
|
| 1978 | Michel Juvillier | European Karate Union(EKU) Tournament | won | stoppage 1 round | Antwerp, Belgium
|
| 1978 | Orlando Lang | European Karate Union(EKU) Open Tournament | won | technical knockout 1 round | Antwerp, Belgium
|
| 1978 | Emile Leibman | World All-Style Karate Organization (WAKO)Tournament(semi-contact) | won | stoppage 1 round | Iseghem, Belgium
|
| 1978 | Cyrille Nollet | World All-Style Karate Organization(WAKO) Tournament(semi-contact) | won | stoppage 1 round | Iseghem, Belgium
|
| 1979 | Andre Robaeys | World All-Style Karate Organization((WAKO) promotion (semi-contact) | won | stoppage 1 round | Brussels, Belgium
|
| 1979 | Jacques Piniarski | World All-Style Karate Organization (WAKO)promotion (semi-contact) | won | stoppage 1 round | Brussels, Belgium
|
| 1979 | Rolf Risberg | World-All Style Karate Organization (WAKO) promotion (semi-contact) | won | stoppage 1 round | Brussels, Belgium
|
| 1979 | Sherman Bergman | 2nd WAKO World Championships(Men's Semi-Contact 69kg) | won | stoppage 1 round | Tampa, Florida
|
| 1979 | Gilberto (Gil) Diaz | 2nd WAKO World Championships(Men's Semi-Contact 69kg) | won | stoppage 1 round | Tampa, Florida
|
| 1979 | Patrick Teugels | 2nd WAKO World Championships(Men's Semi-Contact 69kg) | lost | decision 2 rounds | Tampa, Florida
|
| 1980 | Mustapha-Ahmad Benamou | European Professional Karate Association (EPKA) promotion | won | knockout 1 round | Brussels, Belgium
|
| 1980 | Bekim-Moussa Muhammad | European Professional Karate Association (EPKA) promotion | won | technical knockout 1 round | Brussels, Belgium
|
| 1980 | Micheal J. Heming | European Professional Karate Association (EPKA) promotion | won | technical knockout 2 rounds | Brussels, Belgium
|
| 1980(03/08) | Georges Verlugels | Professional Karate Association (PKA) promotion | won | knockout 2 rounds | Brussels, Belgium
|
| 1980 | Andres Kovac | European Professional Karate Association (EPKA) | won | knockout 2 rounds | Brussels, Belgium
|
| 1980 | Patrick Teugels | WAKO Tournament | won | stoppage 1 round | Brussels, Belgium
|
Filmography
| 1984 | Monaco Forever | Gay Karate Man |
|
| 1985 | No Retreat, No Surrender | Ivan Krushensky |
|
| 1988 | Black Eagle | Andrei |
|
| 1988 | Bloodsport | Frank Dux |
|
| 1989 | Cyborg | Gibson Rickenbacker |
|
| 1989 | Kickboxer | Kurt Sloane | , David Worth
|
| 1990 | Death Warrant | Louis Burke |
|
| 1990 | Lionheart | Lyon Gaultier |
|
| 1991 | Double Impact | Alex Wagner/Chad Wagner |
|
| 1992 | Universal Soldier | Luc Deveraux/GR44 |
|
| 1993 | Hard Target | Chance Boudreaux |
|
| 1993 | Last Action Hero | Cameo Appearance |
|
| 1993 | Nowhere to Run | Sam Gillen |
|
| 1994 | Street Fighter | Colonel William F. Guile |
|
| 1994 | Timecop | Max Walker |
|
| 1995 | Sudden Death | Darren McCord |
|
| 1996 | Maximum Risk | Alain Moreau/Mikhail Suverov |
|
| 1996 | The Quest | Christopher Dubois |
|
| 1997 | Double Team | Jack Quinn |
|
| 1998 | Legionnaire | Alain Lefevre |
|
| 1998 | Knock Off | Marcus Ray |
|
| 1999 | Desert Heat | Eddie Lomax |
|
| 1999 | Universal Soldier: The Return | Luc Devereaux |
|
| 2001 | The Order | Rudy Cafmeyer/Charles Le Vaillant |
|
| 2001 | Replicant | Edward "The Torch" Garrotte/Replicant |
|
| 2002 | Derailed | Jacques Kristoff |
|
| 2003 | In Hell | Kyle LeBlanc |
|
| 2004 | Wake of Death | Ben Archer |
|
| 2004 | Narco | Jean's Ghost by Lenny | , Gilles Lellouche
|
| 2006 | The Hard Corps | Phillip Sauvage |
|
| 2006 | Second in Command | Sam Keenan |
|
| 2006 | Sınav | Charles |
|
| 2007 | Until Death | Anthony Stowe |
|
| 2008 | The Shepherd: Border Patrol | Jack Robideaux |
|
| 2008 | JCVD | Himself |
|
| 2009 | Full Love[
] |
| 2009 | Universal Soldier 3 A New Beggining | Luc Deveraux |
Jean-Claude Van Damme Re-Evaluates Career - Movie News Story | MTV Movie News || Frenchy ||
|
Further reading
- WAKO: MARTIAL ARTS (Traditions, History, People, by John Corcoran & Emil Farkas. Gallery Books, W.H. Smith Publishers, Inc. 112 Madison, New York City 10016. 1988. Pages: 60, 265.
- PKA World Heavyweight Title: MARTIAL ARTS, by John Corcoran & Emil Farkas. 1988. Pages: 285-286.
- EKU: MARTIAL ARTS, by John Corcoran & Emil Farkas. 1988. Pages: 210, 393.
- Inside Kung-Fu Presents: Martial Artists One on One, March 1990: Jean-Claude Van Damme, pages 16-25, by John Steven Soet.
- KarateKung-Fu Illustrated:April, 1991, Gunning for Van Damme, by Tim Vandehey.
- Xuat Tinh Som (Tre Today News), December 31, 2007: Jean-Claude Van Damme.
See also
