Dominique Vandenberg
Dominique Vandenberg is Belgian-born actor and stunt choreographer. Vandenberg lives in California, where he has appeared in such movies as Pit Fighter and Mortal Kombat.
Background
As a teenager, Vandenberg competed in many martial arts competitions, winning the majority of them, and left school at age sixteen to enroll in a Kunto training course in Okinawa, Japan. After graduating the course in a tie for first rank, Vandenberg returned to Belgium, where he was drafted into the military. Vandenberg volunteered for a post in Germany as it offered a shorter service of eight months (as opposed to a year). Immediately upon his release, Vandenberg began training for an invitational freestyle martial arts competition he had been invited to upon completion of the Kunto course. Vandenberg won the competition with only two months of training but was hit by a car and broke his leg.[1]
Unable to fight in sanctioned events, Vandenberg left Belgium to join the French Foreign Legion.[1] Graduating from basic training in the top five, he was allowed to pick his post. Vandenberg chose the elite paratrooper regiment, the 2REP, and after more training, was sent to Africa. He spent five years in countries such as Chad, Nigeria, and the Central African Republic, fighting to control rebellions. During this time, he met his fiancée, Waruny, a freedom fighter. After their meeting, he returned to fulfill his last eight months of service to the Legion, but when he returned, she had been killed.
Vandenberg then left the Legion for good and traveled to Thailand to fight in their famed freestyle fighting rings, or "iron circles". After winning several bouts, he returned to Europe.
Bibliography
- The Iron Circle: The True Life Story of Dominique Vandenberg, Dominique Vandenberg and Rick Rever, Volt Press, 2004.
References
External links
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