Jean-Claude Van Damme
 Jean-Claude Van Damme |
|
| Statistics | |
|---|---|
| Realname | Jean-Claude Camille Francois Van Varenbergh |
| Nickname | The Muscles From Brussels |
| Height | 5 feet 9 inches (1.75 m) |
| Weight | 185 lbs (84 kg) |
| Nationality |  Belgium |
| Birth date | 18 October 1960 |
| Birth place | Sint-Agatha-Berchem, Brussels, Belgium |
| Style | Kickboxing, Shotokan Karate |
| Team | Team Goetz |
| Kickboxing Record | |
| Total fights | 19 |
| Wins | 18 |
| Wins by KO | 18 |
| Losses | 1 |
| Draws | 0 |
| No contests | 0 |
Jean-Claude Van Damme (born Jean-Claude Camille François Van Varenberg 18 October 1960) is a Belgian martial artist and actor who is best known for martial arts and action movies, the most successful being Bloodsport and Kickboxer, His Belgian background and his physique furnish his nickname The Muscles from Brussels.
Contents |
Early life
Van Damme was born Jean-Claude Camille François Van Varenberg[1] (also spelled Varenburg)[2] in Berchem-Sainte-Agathe (Brussels), Belgium, the son of Eliana and Eugène Van Vaerenbergh, who was an accountant and owned a flower shop.[3][4] He began martial arts at the age of ten, enrolled by his father in a shotokan karate school.[5] He eventually earned his black belt in karate,[6] later winning the European Professional Karate Association's middleweight championship in a stunning upset vs. the former champion Michael J. Heming[5] (although he has claimed that he was "twice world champion"[7]). He also started lifting weights to improve his physique, which eventually led to a Mr. Belgium bodybuilding title.[8] 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."[9]
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 a pioneer 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.
In 1976, at the age of 16, Jean-Claude made his semi-contact debut under his birth name, Jean Claude Van Varenbergh. Fighting at an event sanctioned by the European Karate Union (EKU) in Brussels, Jean-Claude overcame a shaky 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 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. 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, 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-style 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 3 November, 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 2 April 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 8 March 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.
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. Van Damme had spent his entire full-contact career under his birth name of Van Varenberg.
Personal life
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. [10] 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.
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.
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
| Year | Title | Role | Director |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1983 | Rue Barbare | Background performer (police arrival sequence) | Gilles Behat |
| 1984 | Breakin' | Guy dancing in the background | Joel Silberg |
| 1984 | Monaco Forever | Gay Karate Man | William A. Levy |
| 1985 | No Retreat, No Surrender | Ivan Krushensky | Corey Yuen |
| 1988 | Black Eagle | Andrei | Eric Carson |
| 1988 | Bloodsport | Frank Dux | Newt Arnold |
| 1989 | Cyborg | Gibson Rickenbacker | Albert Pyun |
| 1989 | Kickboxer | Kurt Sloane | Mark DiSalle, David Worth |
| 1990 | Death Warrant | Louis Burke | Deran Serafian |
| 1990 | Lionheart | Lyon Gaultier | Sheldon Lettich |
| 1991 | Double Impact | Alex Wagner/Chad Wagner | Sheldon Lettich |
| 1992 | Universal Soldier | Luc Deveraux/GR44 | Roland Emmerich |
| 1993 | Hard Target | Chance Boudreaux | John Woo |
| 1993 | Last Action Hero | Cameo Appearance | John McTiernan |
| 1993 | Nowhere to Run | Sam Gillen | Robert Harmon |
| 1994 | Street Fighter | Colonel William F. Guile | Steven E. de Souza |
| 1994 | Timecop | Max Walker | Peter Hyams |
| 1995 | Sudden Death | Darren McCord | Peter Hyams |
| 1995 | Friends | Himself (cameo appearance) | David Crane |
| 1996 | Maximum Risk | Alain Moreau/Mikhail Suverov | Ringo Lam |
| 1996 | The Quest | Christopher Dubois | Jean-Claude Van Damme |
| 1997 | Double Team | Jack Quinn | Tsui Hark |
| 1998 | Legionnaire | Alain Lefevre | Peter MacDonald |
| 1998 | Knock Off | Marcus Ray | Tsui Hark |
| 1999 | Desert Heat | Eddie Lomax | John G. Avildsen |
| 1999 | Universal Soldier: The Return | Luc Devereaux | Mic Rodgers |
| 2001 | The Order | Rudy Cafmeyer/Charles Le Vaillant | Sheldon Lettich |
| 2001 | Replicant | Edward "The Torch" Garrotte/Replicant | Ringo Lam |
| 2002 | Derailed | Jacques Kristoff | Bob Misiorowski |
| 2003 | In Hell | Kyle LeBlanc | Ringo Lam |
| 2004 | Wake of Death | Ben Archer | Phillipe Martinez |
| 2004 | Narco | Jean's Ghost by Lenny | Tristan Aurouet, Gilles Lellouche |
| 2006 | The Hard Corps | Phillip Sauvage | Sheldon Lettich |
| 2006 | Second in Command | Sam Keenan | Simon Fellows |
| 2006 | Sınav | Charles | Omer Faruk Sorak |
| 2007 | Until Death | Anthony Stowe | Simon Fellows |
| 2008 | The Shepherd: Border Patrol | Jack Robideaux | Isaac Florentine |
| 2008 | JCVD | Himself | Mabrouk El Mechri |
| 2009 | Full Love[11] | Frenchy | Jean-Claude Van Damme |
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), 31 December 2007: Jean-Claude Van Damme.
See also
- List of male kickboxers
References
- ↑ Not over the Undertaker. (The Fans Speak Out). | Wrestling Digest (, 2003)
- ↑ 'Sudden Death' star Jean-Claude Van Damme isn't so tough - just ask him. | Knight Ridder/Tribune News Service (, 1995)
- ↑ Jean-Claude Van Damme Biography (1960-)
- ↑ Jean-Claude van Damme Biography - Yahoo! Movies
- ↑ 5.0 5.1 Belgian Bruiser Muscles Into B-Movie Scene ', John Stanley, San Francisco Chronicle, 2 April 1989
- ↑ Karate black belt)
- ↑ 'Van Damme speaks language of karate', Louis B Parks, Houston Chronicle, 29 April 1988
- ↑ 'Playboy interview', Lawrence Grobel, Playboy, January 1, 1995
- ↑ 'Van Damme gets his kicks from acting now, not karate', Jae-Ha Kim, Chicago Sun-Times, 14 April 1989
- ↑ Abstract Thinker
- ↑ |- | 2009 || Universal Soldier 3 A New Beggining|| Luc Deveraux|| Jean-Claude Van Damme Re-Evaluates Career - Movie News Story | MTV Movie News
External links
- Official site (English)
- Jean-Claude Van Damme at the Internet Movie Database