Jean-Claude Van Damme: Difference between revisions

"Van Damme" and "JCVD" redirect here. For the film, see JCVD (film). For other uses, see Van Damme (disambiguation).

Jean-Claude Van Damme
Van Damme in Paris at the French premiere of The Expendables 2 in 2012
Born	Jean-Claude Camille François Van Varenberg (1960-10-18) 18 October 1960 Sint-Agatha-Berchem, Brussels, Belgium
Other names	"The Muscles from Brussels"
Nationality	Belgian
Height	1.77 m (5 ft 10 in)
Division	Middleweight
Style	Karate, Kickboxing, Muay Thai, Taekwondo
Fighting out of	Brussels, Belgium
Team	Team Goetz
Trainer	Claude Goetz Dominique Valera
Rank	2nd Dan Black Belt in Shotokan
Years active	1976–1982 (martial arts) 1979–present (acting)
Kickboxing record
Total	19
Wins	18
By knockout	18
Losses	1
Amateur record
Total	48
Wins	44
Losses	4
Other information
Occupation	Actor, martial artist, screenwriter, film producer, director
Spouse	Maria Rodriguez ​ ​ (m. 1980⁠–⁠1984)​ Cynthia Derderian ​ ​ (m. 1985⁠–⁠1986)​ Darcy LaPier ​ ​ (m. 1994⁠–⁠1997)​ Gladys Portugues ​ ​ (m. 1987⁠–⁠1992)​ ; (1999–Present)
Children	3

Jean-Claude Camille François Van Varenberg (born 18 October 1960), professionally known as Jean-Claude Van Damme and abbreviated as JCVD, is a Belgian actor, martial artist, screenwriter, film producer, and director best known for his martial arts action films. The most successful of these films include Bloodsport (1988), Kickboxer (1989), Lionheart (1990), Double Impact (1991), Universal Soldier (1992), Hard Target (1993), Street Fighter (1994), Timecop (1994), Sudden Death (1995), JCVD (2008) and The Expendables 2 (2012).

Early life

Van Damme was born Jean-Claude Camille François Van Varenberg, on 18 October 1960, in Berchem-Sainte-Agathe, Brussels, Belgium, the son of Eliana and Eugène Van Varenberg, who was an accountant and florist. His father is Walloon (French-speaking) from Brussels, and his mother is Flemish (Dutch-speaking). Van Damme's paternal grandmother was Jewish.

He began martial arts at the age of ten, enrolled by his father in a Shotokan Karate School. His styles consist of Shotokan Karate and Kickboxing. He eventually earned his black belt in karate at 18. He started lifting weights to improve his physique, which eventually led to a Mr. Belgium bodybuilding title. At the age of 16, he took up ballet, 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." Later he took up both Taekwondo and Muay Thai.

Martial arts career

At the age of 12, Van Damme joined the Centre National De Karaté (National Center of Karate) under the guidance of Claude Goetz in Belgium. Van Damme trained for four years and he earned a spot on the Belgian Karate Team; later training in full-contact karate and kickboxing with Dominique Valera.

Semi-contact karate career

At the age of 15, Van Damme started his competitive karate career in Belgium. From 1976 to 1980, Van Damme compiled a record of 44 victories and 4 defeats in tournament and non-tournament semi-contact matches.

Van Damme was a member of the Belgium Karate Team when it won the European Karate Championship on 26 December 1979 at La Coupe François Persoons Karate Tournament in Brussels.

Van Damme placed second at the Challenge Coupe des Espoirs Karate Tournament (1st Trials). At the 3-day tournament, Van Damme defeated 25 opponents before losing in the finals to teammate Angelo Spataro.

1980 Forest National match

On 8 March 1980, in Brussels, Belgium, Van Damme competed against his former teammate Patrick Teugels at the Forest National Arena on the undercard of the Dan Macaruso-Dominique Valera Professional Karate Association Light-Heavyweight World Championship bout. Prior to this match, Teugels had defeated Van Damme twice by decision, including a match for the Belgium Lightweight Championship. Van Damme had a 1977 victory over Teugels. Teugels was coming off an impressive showing at the World Association of Kickboxing Organizations World Championships four months earlier, and was favored by some to win this match. According to reports, and Patrick Teugels' own interview (with photos), Teugels lost to Van Damme by TKO in the 1st round. Teugels was kicked in the nose and was unable to continue as a result. In a 2013 interview, Van Damme called this fight his most memorable match.

Kickboxing and full-contact karate career

Van Damme began his full-contact career in 1977, when Claude Goetz promoted the first ever full-contact karate tournament in Belgium.

From 1977 to 1982, Van Damme compiled a record of 18 victories (18 knockouts) and 1 defeat. He was even named "Mr. Belgium" in a bodybuilding competition.

In 1980, Van Damme caught the attention of Professional Karate Magazine publisher and editor Mike Anderson, and multiple European champion Geert Lemmens. Both men tabbed Van Damme as an upcoming prospect. Van Damme retired from competition in 1982.

Since 2009, Van Damme has been planning to make a comeback to fight former boxing Olympic gold-medalist Somluck Kamsing. The fight was a focal point in his ITV reality show Jean Claude Van Damme: Behind Closed Doors. The fight has been repeatedly postponed, with many critics doubting it will occur, especially due to the difficulty of booking the venue. December 2012, Van Damme was seen as part of Kam Sing's ring crew when Kam Sing fought against Jomhod Kiatadisak.

Film and television career

Jean-Claude Van Damme at the Cannes Film Festival in 1993

In 1982, Van Damme and childhood friend Michel Qissi moved to the United States in the hope of becoming action stars. They did a variety of jobs to support themselves; their first role in a Hollywood film came when both were cast as extras in the film Breakin' (1984), which was released by Cannon Films. Van Damme also had a small part in Cannon's Missing in Action (1984).

Van Damme's first sizeable role came when he was cast as the Russian villain in the martial arts movie No Retreat, No Surrender (1986), directed by Corey Yuen and released through New World Pictures. Van Damme worked for director John McTiernan for the 1987 film Predator as an early (eventually abandoned) version of the titular alien, before being removed and replaced by Kevin Peter Hall. Van Damme also had a non-speaking part as a Secret Service agent who carries a polio-crippled President Franklin Roosevelt (Ralph Bellamy) out of a pool in the 1988 TV miniseries War and Remembrance.

Breakthrough: Bloodsport

Van Damme's breakout film was Bloodsport (1988), based on the alleged true story of Frank Dux. Shot on a $1.5-million budget for Cannon, it became a U.S. box-office hit in the spring of 1988. Producer Mark Di Salle said he was looking for "a new martial arts star who was a ladies' man, [but Van Damme] appeals to both men and women. He's an American hero who fights for justice the American way and kicks the stuffing out of the bad guys."

Before that film was released, Van Damme played another Russian villain, in Black Eagle (1988), opposite Sho Kosugi. After the success of Bloodsport, Cannon Films offered Van Damme the lead in Delta Force 2, American Ninja 3 or Cyborg, a cyperpunk martial arts movie directed by Albert Pyun. He chose the latter although he later admitted "I didn't like [the film] so much." The film was a box office success and led to two sequels, neither of which Van Damme appeared in.

Consolidation as star: Kickboxer, Lionheart, Double Impact

Cannon used Van Damme again in Kickboxer (1989), playing a man who fights to avenge his brother who has been paralyzed by a Thai kickboxing champion (Qissi). It was highly successful, returning over $50 million on a $3-million budget. Van Damme did not appear in any of the film's four sequels, though he did return as a different character in the reboot series.

Also successful was Death Warrant (1990), the first script credit for David S. Goyer; Van Damme played a cop who goes undercover in a prison. He followed it with Lionheart (1990) aka Wrong Bet, where he played a French Legionnaire who deserts his post to return to Los Angeles after his brother is murdered. Lionheart was directed by Sheldon Lettich who had co-written Bloodsport, and who claimed the film was "the first movie to demonstrate that Van Damme was more than just a flash-in-the-pan "Karate Guy" who would never rise above simplistic low-budget karate movies." It also featured rear nudity from Van Damme which Lettich says "became a very memorable moment for the ladies in the audience, and for the gay guys as well. Showing off his butt (clothed or unclothed) almost became a signature trademark of his after that."

Double Impact, directed by Lettich, featured Van Damme in the dual role of Alex and Chad Wagner, estranged twin brothers fighting to avenge the deaths of their parents. This film reunited him with his former Bloodsport co-star, Bolo Yeung and was very popular.

Career peak: Universal Soldier, Timecop

Van Damme then starred opposite Dolph Lundgren in the action film Universal Soldier, directed by Roland Emmerich for Carolco. 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.

After making a cameo in Last Action Hero, Van Damme starred in Nowhere To Run (1993) alongside Rosanna Arquette, based in part on a script by Joe Eszterhas The film was the first in a three-picture deal between Van Damme and Columbia Pictures and his fee was $3.5 million. Columbia said the film is ”true to his audience and goes beyond his audience." However it was a box office disappointment.

More successful was Hard Target (1993) for Universal, the first American film from director John Woo. Van Damme did not appear in the sequel. Also for Universal he did Timecop (1994), playing a time-traveling cop, who tries to prevent the death of his wife. Directed by Peter Hyams, the film was a huge success, grossing over $100 million worldwide, and remains his highest-grossing film in a lead role to date.

Van Damme starred in Street Fighter (1994), written and directed by Steven E. de Souza for Universa and based on the video game. It was poorly received critically but still a commercial success; Van Damme's fee was now $8 million. Universal reteamed Van Damme and Hyams on Sudden Death (1995). It was far less successful than Timecop but still made money.

Van Damme turned director for The Quest (1996), which he directed; Roger Moore co-starred. It was mildly popular; more liked was Maximum Risk (1996) for Columbia, the first American film from Ringo Lam.

Decline

Van Damme's first box office bomb since he became star was Double Team (1997), a buddy film with Dennis Rodman directed by Tsui Hark for Columbia. He and Hark reunited on Knock Off (1998), a Hong Kong-US co production which also flopped.

Van Damme tried a costume action movie, Legionnaire (1998) co-written by Lettich. Despite a $35 million budget, it was not even released theatrically in the US.

Van Damme then made his first sequel, Universal Soldier: The Return, (1999) but it too was a box office flop. It would be Van Damme's last theatrically released film until 2008.

Straight to video

Van Damme's films from this point on were only released to DVD/video in the US, although they were seen theatrically in some other markets: Inferno (1999), the last film directed by John G. Avildsen; The Order (2001), a more jokey action film, directed by Lettich; Replicant (2001), directed by Ringo Lam; Derailed (2002), shot in Bulgaria; In Hell (2003), directed by Lam. In 2003, Van Damme employed his dancing training in the music video for Bob Sinclar's "Kiss My Eyes."

Lam was to have directed Wake of Death (2004) but quit during filming and was replaced by Philippe Martinez. He had a cameo in Narco (2005) then reunited with Lettich for The Hard Corps (2006). He followed it with Second in Command (2006) directed by Simon Fellow; The Exam (2007), a Turkish movie; Until Death (2007), also with Fellows; and The Shepherd: Border Patrol (2008) with his real life daughter.

JCVD

Van Damme returned to the mainstream with the limited theatrical release of the 2008 film JCVD, which received positive reviews. 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." While promoting the film Van Damme indicated that he had experienced a period of homelessness "sleeping on the street and starving in L.A."

Van Damme directed himself in the barely released Full Love then reprised his role as Luc Deveraux in the 2009 film Universal Soldier: Regeneration, directed by John Hyams, son of Peter.

The 2010s

Van Damme was offered a lead role in Sylvester Stallone's 2010 film The Expendables. Stallone called Van Damme personally to offer him the role, but Van Damme turned it down. He also starred in Assassination Games (2011) and provided a voice for Kung Fu Panda 2 (2011). He starred in his own reality TV show Jean-Claude Van Damme: Behind Closed Doors (2011).

He worked with Joe Hymans again on Dragon Eyes (2012) then appeared in commercials for Coors Light beer, showing him on a snow-covered mountain wearing a sleeveless denim jacket, and for the washing powder Dash.

On 21 October 2012, Van Damme was honored with a life-size statue of himself in his hometown of Brussels. He told reporters during the unveiling, "Belgium is paying me back something, but really it's to pay back to the dream. So when people come by here, it is not Jean-Claude Van Damme but it's a guy from the street who believed in something. I want the statue to represent that".

Van Damme returned to the Universal Soldier series with Universal Soldier: Day of Reckoning, which again co-stars Dolph Lundgren. He followed it with Six Bullets (2012) andU.F.O. (2012) then starred in the thriller Enemies Closer (2013), which reunited him with Timecop and Sudden Death director Peter Hyams.

Van Damme indicated that Stallone might include him in The Expendables 3, in which Van Damme would play Claude Villain, the brother to his Expendables 2 character Jean Villain. The casting of Mel Gibson as the film's villain, however, made this less than likely. Van Damme ended up not featuring in the film.

In 2015 he features in a new situation comedy television series JC 1er which is set to broadcast on French television channel Canal+.

He appeared in the 2013 comedy Welcome To The Jungle directed by Rob Meltzer, in a role as a workplace team building trainer opposite Adam Brody, Rob Huebel, Kristen Schaal, Megan Boone, and Dennis Haysbert.

He was in Swelter (2014) and Pound of Flesh (2015) and reprised his performance in Kung Fu Panda 3. Later films include Kickboxer: Vengeance (2017), Kill 'Em All (2017), Kickboxer: Retaliation (2017) and Black Water (2018).

Controversies

Lawsuit and fight record controversy

In 1997, Frank Dux, the martial artist whom Van Damme portrayed in Bloodsport, filed a lawsuit against Van Damme for $50,000 for co-writing and consultation work Dux did on the 1996 film The Quest. According to the lawsuit, Dux also accused Van Damme of lying to the public about his martial arts fight record, stating that when Dux tutored Van Damme while Van Damme was laying carpet for a living, Van Damme exhibited a lack of martial arts skills. Van Damme's lawyer, Martin Singer, responded, "There are records to document his martial arts acclaim. Why, just look at his movies; he didn't get those roles on his acting ability! He's the one who does those splits on chairs. He doesn't have a stuntman to do that."

Kadyrov event

In October 2011, Van Damme, along with other celebrities including Hilary Swank, Vanessa-Mae and Seal attracted criticism from human rights groups for attending an event in Russian federal subject Chechnya's capital Grozny on the 35th birthday of Chechen president Ramzan Kadyrov on 5 October. Human rights groups, who had urged the celebrities to cancel their appearances because of abuses carried out under Kadyrov, criticised the celebrities for attending the event. Human Rights Watch released a statement which said, "Ramzan Kadyrov is linked to a litany of horrific human rights abuses. It's inappropriate for stars to get paid to party with him [...] And getting paid to be part of such a lavish show in Chechnya trivializes the suffering of countless victims of human rights abuses there."

Public image and influence

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.

The original video game Mortal Kombat was conceived as a fighting game based on Van Damme. Creators Ed Boon and John Tobias had originally wanted to star Van Damme himself in the game. That fell through as he had a prior deal for another game under the auspices of the Sega Genesis platform. Ed Boon and John Tobias eventually decided to create a different character for the game named Johnny Cage, who is modelled after Jean-Claude Van Damme, primarily from Van Damme's appearance and outfit in the martial arts film Bloodsport. In the German version of Donkey Kong 64 website, DK greatest hero is Jean-Claude Van Kong.

On 13 November 2013, Volvo Trucks released an advertisement on YouTube that shows Van Damme doing the splits while perched with each of his feet on the outer rearview mirrors of one semi-trailer truck and one box truck moving backwards, which Van Damme describes in the commercial as "the most epic of splits". The video quickly went viral around the web, receiving more than 11 million views in three days, 35 million in the first week.

In January 2017 Van Damme featured in an Ultra Tune television advert which was part of a controversial series of ads. Two women were confronted in a car park by a gang of youths in a threatening manner, Van Damme appears to defend them and then the mood lightens and they take pictures with the star.

Personal life

By the mid-1990s, the stress of the constant filming and promotion of his films, as Van Damme explains, led him to develop a cocaine habit, on which he spent up to $10,000 a week, and consuming up to 10 grams per day by 1996. He was arrested for driving under the influence in 1999. Attempts at drug rehabilitation were unsuccessful, and he resorted to resolve his addiction via quitting cold turkey and exercise. In 1998, he was diagnosed with bipolar disorder. In 2011, he discussed the condition on the British reality show Jean-Claude Van Damme: Behind Closed Doors, saying, "Sometimes you're gonna like me, and sometimes you're gonna hate me. But what can I do? I'm not perfect ... I'm an extreme bipolar, and I'm taking medication for this ... When I was young, I was suffering those swing moods. In the morning, the sky was blue [when I was] going to school, and to me, the sky was black. I was so sad."

Van Damme has been married five times to four different women. He was married to his third wife, bodybuilder Gladys Portugues - with whom he has two children: Kristopher (born 1987) and Bianca (born 1990) - until 1992, when he began an affair with actress Darcy LaPier, whom he married in February 1994. That same year he had an affair with his Street Fighter co-star Kylie Minogue during filming of that movie in Thailand. LaPier, who was pregnant at the time with their son, did not become aware of this until Van Damme publicly admitted it in 2012. After leaving LaPier, Van Damme remarried bodybuilder Portugues in 1999, and they later again separated. In early 2015, Portugues has filed for a second divorce from Van Damme – citing irreconcilable differences. However, in May 2015 they appeared to have reconciled and called off the divorce.

Van Damme is a Roman Catholic.

Filmography

Films

Year	Film	Functioned as					Notes
		Director	Producer	Writer	Actor	Role
1979	Woman Between Wolf and Dog				Yes	Movie Goer/Man in Garden	Uncredited
1984	Monaco Forever				Yes	Gay Karate Man	Minor role
1984	Breakin'				Yes	Spectator in First Dance Sequence	Uncredited Extra
1986	No Retreat, No Surrender				Yes	Ivan Krushensky
1988	Bloodsport				Yes	Frank Dux	also editor (uncredited)
1988	Black Eagle				Yes	Andrei
1989	Cyborg				Yes	Gibson Rickenbacker	also editor (uncredited)
1989	Kickboxer			Yes	Yes	Kurt Sloane	Also fight scene choreographer and fight scene director
1990	Death Warrant				Yes	Louis Burke
1990	Lionheart			Yes	Yes	Lyon Gaultier	also fight choreographer
1991	Double Impact		Yes	Yes	Yes	Alex Wagner/Chad Wagner	Dual role, also fight choreographer
1992	Universal Soldier				Yes	Luc Deveraux
1993	Last Action Hero				Yes	Himself	Cameo
1993	Nowhere to Run				Yes	Sam Gillen
1993	Hard Target				Yes	Chance Boudreaux
1994	Timecop				Yes	Max Walker
1994	Street Fighter				Yes	Colonel William F. Guile
1995	Sudden Death				Yes	Darren McCord
1996	The Quest	Yes		Yes	Yes	Christopher Dubois
1996	Maximum Risk				Yes	Alain/Mikhail Moreau	Dual role
1997	Double Team				Yes	Jack Quinn
1998	Knock Off				Yes	Marcus Ray
1998	Legionnaire		Yes	Yes	Yes	Alain Lefevre
1999	Universal Soldier: The Return		Yes		Yes	Luc Deveraux
1999	Inferno		Yes		Yes	Eddie Lomax	Limited release
2001	The Order			Yes	Yes	Rudy Cafmeyer/Charles Le Vaillant	Dual role Direct-to-video
2001	Replicant				Yes	Edward "The Torch" Garrotte/Replicant	Dual role Direct-to-video
2002	Derailed				Yes	Jacques Kristoff	Direct-to-video
2003	In Hell				Yes	Kyle LeBlanc	Direct-to-video
2004	Wake of Death				Yes	Ben Archer	Direct-to-video
2004	Narco				Yes	Jean's ghost by Lenny	Minor role
2006	The Hard Corps				Yes	Phillip Sauvage	Direct-to-video
2006	Second in Command				Yes	Sam Keenan	Direct-to-video
2006	The Exam				Yes	Charles	Minor role
2007	Until Death				Yes	Anthony Stowe	Direct-to-video
2008	The Shepherd: Border Patrol				Yes	Jack Robideaux	Direct-to-video
2008	JCVD		Yes		Yes	Himself (fictionalized autobiography)	Limited release Also the executive producer
2010	Universal Soldier: Regeneration				Yes	Luc Deveraux	Limited release
2011	Kung Fu Panda 2				Yes	Master Croc	Voice only
2011	Assassination Games				Yes	Vincent Brazil	Limited release Also the executive producer
2011	Beur sur la ville				Yes	Colonel Merot	Cameo
2012	Rzhevskiy vs. Napoleon				Yes	Himself	Cameo
2012	Dragon Eyes				Yes	Jean-Luis Tiano	Limited release
2012	The Expendables 2				Yes	Jean Vilain	Van Damme's first widely released film since 1999
2012	Universal Soldier: Day of Reckoning				Yes	Luc Deveraux	Limited release
2012	Six Bullets				Yes	Samson Gaul	Limited release Also the executive producer
2012	U.F.O.				Yes	George	Limited release
2013	Enemies Closer				Yes	Xander	Limited release
2014	Welcome to the Jungle				Yes	Storm Rotchild	Limited release
2014	Swelter				Yes	Stillman	Direct-to-video
2014	Full Love	Yes	Yes	Yes	Yes	Frenchy	Also editor
2015	Pound of Flesh				Yes	Deacon	Limited release Also the executive producer
2015	Jian Bing Man				Yes		Cameo
2016	Kung Fu Panda 3				Yes	Master Croc	voice
2016	Kickboxer: Vengeance				Yes	Master Durand
2017	Kill 'Em All				Yes
2017	Kickboxer: Retaliation				Yes
2018	Black Water				Yes	Wheeler	Co-starring with Dolph Lundgren.

Television

Year	Title	Role	Notes
1996	Friends	Himself	"The One After the Superbowl" (Season 2, Episode 12–13)
2004	Las Vegas	Himself	"Die Fast, Die Furious" (Season 1, Episode 15)
2009	Robot Chicken	Himself Count Dracula Rhett Butler	Voice only "Maurice Was Caught" (Season 4, Episode 12)
2011	Jean Claude Van Damme: Behind Closed Doors	Himself	1 season (8 episodes)
2011	Les Anges Gardiens	Himself	1 season (20 episodes)
2016	Jean-Claude Van Johnson	Johnson / Jean-Claude Van Damme	Pilot

Music videos

Year	Song	Artist
1992	"Body Count's in the House"	Body Count
1994	"Time Won't Let Me"	The Smithereens
1994	"Straight to My Feet"	MC Hammer featuring Deion Sanders
1995	"Something There"	Chage and Aska
1999	"Crush 'Em"	Megadeth
2003	"Kiss My Eyes"	Bob Sinclar
2008	"Ya Lyublyu Ego"	Iryna Bilyk and Olga Gorbacheva
2015	"The Hum"	Dimitri Vegas & Like Mike vs. Ummet Ozcan

Video games

Year	Title	Role
1995	Street Fighter: The Movie	Colonel Guile

Awards and nominations

Year	Nominated work	Award	Category	Results
1988	Bloodsport	Golden Raspberry Award	Worst New Star	Nominated
1992	Double Impact	MTV Movie Award	Most Desirable Male	Nominated
1993	Nowhere to Run	MTV Movie Award	Most Desirable Male	Nominated
1994	Hard Target	MTV Movie Award	Most Desirable Male	Nominated
1998	Double Team	Golden Raspberry Award	Worst Screen Couple (with Dennis Rodman)	Won
2001	Replicant	Video Premiere Award	Best Actor	Nominated
2004	Bollywood Movie Award	Bollywood Movie Award	International Action Super Star	Won
2008	JCVD	Silver Leopard	Best Actor	Nominated
2009	JCVD	TFCA Award	Best Performance, Male	Nominated
2014	Macau International Film Festival	Golden Lotus Award	Outstanding Achievement of Action Movies Show	Won

Semi-contact/light-contact record

Result	Record	Opponent	Method	Date	Round	Time	Event	Location	Notes
Win	44-4-0	Jonny Wellum	Decision	7 May 1980	3		W.A.K.O.	Brussels, Belgium	Light-Contact (Van Damme avenges early career defeat)
Win	43-4-0	Jordy Claes	Decision	1980	3		Gala International W.A.K.O.	Brussels, Belgium	Light-Contact
Win	42-4-0	Patrick Teugels	l'abandon (TKO)	8 March 1980	1		Forest Nationals	Brussels, Belgium	Light-Contact:Teugels suffers a broken nose and is unable to continue.)
Win	41-4-0	Andres Kovac	Decision	1980	3		W.A.K.O.	Brussels, Belgium	Semi-Contact
Win	40-4-0	Bekim-Moussa Muhammad	Decision	1980	3		W.A.K.O.	Brussels, Belgium	Semi-Contact
Win	39-4-0	Mustapha-Ahmad Benamou	Decision	1980	3		W.A.K.O.	Brussels, Belgium	Semi-Contact
Win	38-4-0	Reinhard Krass	Disq.	26 December 1979	2		Karate Tournament: Belgium Team vs. German Team	Woluwe, Brussels, Belgium	Light-Contact
Win	37-4-0	Gilberto Dias	l'abandon	November 1979	1		World-All Styles Karate Organization	Brussels, Belgium	Light-Contact (Dias suffers ankle injury and is unable to continue.)
Win	36-4-0	Hans Kohler	Decision	1979	3		World-All Styles Karate Organization	Ingelmunster, Belgium	Semi-Contact
Loss	35-4-0	Patrick Teugels	Decision	1979	3		W.A.K.O.	Tampa, Florida, U.S.A.	Light-Contact (Both men fight in karate gi uniforms, no pads or gloves)
Win	35-3-0	Matthias Evrard	Decision	1979	3		Cup of Antwerp World-All Styles Karate Organization	Antwerp, Belgium	Semi-Contact
Win	34-3-0	Paul Sperati	Decision	1979	3		World-All Styles Karate Organization	Opprebais, Belgium	Semi-Contact
Win	33-3-0	Lucus Reinfeld	Decision	1979	3		World-All Styles Karate Organization, Europe Interland Cup	Mulhouse, Belgium	Semi-Contact
Win	32-3-0	Robbe Bogaerts	Decision	1978	3		Hope Cup World-All Styles Karate Organization	Brussels, Belgium	Semi-Contact
Win	31-3-0	Leonard Baptiste	Decision	1978	3		World-All Styles Karate Organization	Izegem, Belgium	Semi-Contact
Win	30-3-0	Fernando Cabanela	Decision	1978	3		World-All Styles Karate Organization	Izegem, Belgium	Semi-Contact
Loss	29-3-0	Angelo Spataro	Decision	1978	3		Challenge Coupe des Espoirs Karate Tournament (1st Trials)	Antwerp, Belgium	Light-Contact
Win	29-2-0	Gabriel Van Der Driessche	Decision	1978	3		Challenge Coupe des Espoirs Karate Tournament (1st Trials)	Antwerp, Belgium	Light-Contact
Win	28-2-0	Farid Muhammad Mousseau	Decision	1978	3		Challenge Coupe des Espoirs Karate Tournament (1st Trials)	Antwerp, Belgium	Light-Contact
Win	27-2-0	Jacques van Laere	Decision	1978	3		Challenge Coupe des Espoirs Karate Tournament (1st Trials)	Antwerp, Belgium	Light-Contact
Win	26-2-0	Christian Hedin	Decision	1978	3		Challenge Coupe des Espoirs Karate Tournament (1st Trials)	Antwerp, Belgium	Light-Contact
Win	25-2-0	Gerard Charon	Decision	1978	3		Challenge Coupe des Espoirs Karate Tournament (1st Trials)	Antwerp, Belgium	Light-Contact
Win	24-2-0	David Arranz	Decision	1978	3		Challenge Coupe des Espoirs Karate Tournament (1st Trials)	Antwerp, Belgium	Light-Contact
Win	23-2-0	Bernard Redden	Decision	1978	3		Challenge Coupe des Espoirs Karate Tournament (1st Trials)	Antwerp, Belgium	Light-Contact
Win	22-2-0	Antoine Redi	Decision	1978	3		Challenge Coupe des Espoirs Karate Tournament (1st Trials)	Antwerp, Belgium	Light-Contact
Win	21-2-0	Ben Salah Ellah	Decision	1978	3		Challenge Coupe des Espoirs Karate Tournament (1st Trials)	Antwerp, Belgium	Light-Contact
Win	20-2-0	Gaston Airey	Foul	1978	1		Challenge Coupe des Espoirs Karate Tournament (1st Trials)	Antwerp, Belgium	Light-Contact
Win	19-2-0	Abdembi Hassan Ali	Decision	1978	3		Challenge Coupe des Espoirs Karate Tournament (1st Trials)	Antwerp, Belgium	Light-Contact
Win	18-2-0	Jonas "Marcel" Cohen	Decision	1978	3		Challenge Coupe des Espoirs Karate Tournament (1st Trials)	Antwerp, Belgium	Light-Contact
Win	17-2-0	Christian Van Tieghem	Decision	1978	3		Challenge Coupe des Espoirs Karate Tournament (1st Trials)	Antwerp, Belgium	Light-Contact
Win	16-2-0	Max Roelandt	Decision	1978	3		Challenge Coupe des Espoirs Karate Tournament (1st Trials)	Antwerp, Belgium	Light-Contact
Win	15-2-0	Andre Verbon	Decision	1978	3		Challenge Coupe des Espoirs Karate Tournament (1st Trials)	Antwerp, Belgium	Light-Contact
Win	14-2-0	Michel Juvillier	Decision	1978	3		Challenge Coupe des Espoirs Karate Tournament (1st Trials)	Antwerp, Belgium	Light-Contact
Win	13-2-0	Joel Maoreau	Decision	1978	3		Challenge Coupe des Espoirs Karate Tournament (1st Trials)	Antwerp, Belgium	Light-Contact
Win	12-2-0	Ronald Duivenbode	Decision	1978	3		Challenge Coupe des Espoirs Karate Tournament (1st Trials)	Antwerp, Belgium	Semi-Contact
Loss	11-2-0	Patrick Teugels	Decision	1978	3		Belgium Lightweight Championship	Antwerp, Belgium	Light-Contact
Win	11-1-0	Gris Lubbers	Decision	1976	3		European Karate Union	Ingelmunster, Belgium	Semi-Contact
Win	10-1-0	Andre Lemaire	Decision	1977	3		World Association of Kickboxing Organizations Open International	Izegem, Belgium	Semi-Contact
Win	9-1-0	Patrick Teugels	Decision	1977	3		Antwerp Open International Competition W.A.K.O.	Antwerp, Belgium	Light-Contact
Win	8-1-0	Maurice Devos	Decision	1977	3		World Allstyles Kickboxing Organization	Antwerp, Belgium	Semi-Contact
Win	7-1-0	, Jacques Berri	Decision	1976	3		Antwerp Open WAKO	Antwerp, Belgium	Semi-Contact
Win	6-1-0	Johannes Binding	Decision	1976	3		Antwerp Open WAKO	Antwerp, Belgium	Semi-Contact
Win	5-1-0	Jean-Morin Devigne	Decision	1976	3		Antwerp Open WAKO	Antwerp, Belgium	Semi-Contact
Win	4-1-0	Roland Vedani	Decision	1976	3		European Karate Union	Ingelmunster, Belgium	Semi-Contact
Win	3-1-0	Jean-Paul Gaston	Decision	1976	3		European Karate Union	Brussels, Belgium	Semi-Contact
Loss	2-1-0	Jonny Wellum	Decision	22 January 1976	3		La Federation Europeene de Karate (European Karate Federation)	Brussels, Belgium	Semi-Contact (J.Vandenberg credit with Defaite (loss)
Win	2-0-0	Bernard Briers	Decision	22 January 1976	3		La Federation Europeene de Karate (European Karate Federation)	Brussels, Belgium	Semi-Contact (J.Vandenberg credit with victoire (win)
Win	1-0-0	Robin Lomard	Decision	22 January 1976	3		La Federation Europeene de Karate (European Karate Federation)	Brussels, Belgium	Semi-Contact (J.Vandenberg credit with victoire (win))-Magazine "boxe francise" (Karate)

Kickboxing record

Result	Record	Opponent	Method	Date	Round	Time	Event	Location	Notes
Win	18-1-0	Nedjad Gharbi	KKO	1982	1			Brussels, Belgium	Kickboxing
Win	17-1-0	Daniel Le Jaouen	KKO	1982	1	1:05		Brussels, Belgium	Kickboxing
Win	16-1-0	Lenny Leikman	KKO	1982	3		1st Journée Des Arts Martiaux	Brussels, Belgium	Kickboxing
Win	15-1-0	Ajom Mahmud Uddin	KO	1981	1	0:19		Brussels, Belgium	Kickboxing
Win	14-1-0	Mustapha-Ahmad Benamou	KKO	1981	1			Brussels, Belgium	Kickboxing
Win	13-1-0	Henk Besselman	KO	1981	1			Brussels, Belgium	Kickboxing
Win	12-1-0	Michael J. Heming	KKO	1980	1	0:46	European Karate Federation Middleweight Championship	Brussels, Belgium	Kickboxing
Win	11-1-0	Georges Verlugels	KO	1980	2		P.K.A. Middleweight Championship	Brussels, Belgium	Kickboxing
Win	10-1-0	Sherman Bergman	KKO	1979 Nov 4	1	0:56		Tampa, Florida, USA	Full-Contact
Win	9-1-0	Rolf Risberg	KKO	1979	1			Ingelmunster, Belgium	Kickboxing
Win	8-1-0	Emile Leibman	KKO	1979	1			Iseghem, Belgium	Kickboxing
Win	7-1-0	Cyrille Nollet	KKO	1978	1			Iseghem, Belgium	Kickboxing
Win	6-1-0	Orlando Lang	KO	1978	1	0:26		Antwerp, Belgium	Kickboxing
Win	5-1-0	Jacques Piniarski	KKO	1978	1			Belgium	Kickboxing
Win	4-1-0	Eric "Basel" Strauss	KKO	1978	1	0:18		Antwerp, Belgium	Kickboxing
Win	3-1-0	Andre "Robar" Robaeys	KKO	1978	1			Mulhouse, Belgium	Kickboxing
Win	2-1-0	Michel Juvillier	KO	1978	1	0:39		Antwerp, Belgium	Full-Contact
Loss	1-1-0	Etienne "Tuf" Aubry	Disq	7 March 1977	1	1:02		Marseilles, France	Full-Contact (Magazine "boxe francise" (Karate))
Win	1-0-0	Toon Van Oostrum	KKO	1977	1	0:46		Brussels, Belgium	Full-Contact

Books cited

• Corcoran, John; Farkas, Emil (1988). Martial Arts: Traditions, History, People. New York City: Gallery Books. pp. 60, 265. ISBN 978-0-8317-5805-9. (Wako)
• Corcoran, John; Farkas, Emil (1988). Martial Arts: Traditions, History, People. New York City: Gallery Books. pp. 285–286. ISBN 978-0-8317-5805-9. (PKA World Heavyweight Title)
• Corcoran, John; Farkas, Emil (1988). Martial Arts: Traditions, History, People. New York City: Gallery Books. pp. 210, 393. ISBN 978-0-8317-5805-9. (Eku)
• Soet, John Steven (March 1990). "Jean-Claude Van Damme". Inside Kung-Fu Presents: Martial Artists One on One. pp. 16–25.

Further reading

• Vandehey, Tim (April 1991). "Gunning for Van Damme". Karate Kung-Fu Illustrated.
• Xuat Tinh Som (31 December 2007). "Jean-Claude Van Damme". Tre Today News.

External links

• Official website
• Jean-Claude Van Damme at IMDb
• Rodin Entertainment
• "Volvo Trucks - The Epic Split feat. Van Damme (Live Test 6)". Volvo Trucks. YouTube. 13 November 2013.