Jean-Claude Van Damme Wants a Pro Fight: Thanks Geritol

I concur. Only "actor" I know of who did decent in any sort of match was Dolph Lungren against that Oleg Platov (or whatever his name was). Lungren showed he was no Ivan Drago in real life though, pretty limited actually. However, in his prime Dolph was the European kickboxing or karate champion. His biggest claim to fame, I think, was the fact that he almost killed Stallone in ROCKY IV. Hit Stallone so hard he enlarged Rocky's heart and filming had to be postponed almost 3 months.

 

Well according to wikipedia Van Damme had a reasonable kickboxing career

At the age of 12, Van Damme joined the Centre National De Karate (National Center of Karate) under the guidance of Master Claude Goetz in France. Van Damme trained for four years and he earned a spot in the Belgian Karate Team.[3]
Jean-Claude made his debut in 1976, at the age of 16.[15] Competing under his birth name of Jean Claude Van Varenberg, Jean-Claude was staggered by a [ame="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Roundhouse_kick"]round-house kick[/ame] thrown by Toon Van Oostrum in Brussels, Belgium.[16] Van Damme was badly stunned, but came back to knockout Van Oostrum moments later.
In 1977, at the [ame="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/World_Association_of_Kickboxing_Organizations"]WAKO[/ame] Open International in Belgium, Jean-Claude lost a decision to fellow team mate Patrick Teugels.[17] The experience left an impact on Claude Goetz and he felt that Jean-Claude needed more training before competing again.
After six months of intense training and sparring, Master Goetz decided to unleash his prized pupil on the European Full-Contact scene. Jean-Claude won his first tournament by scoring three knockout victories in one evening. However, in a 1978 match for the Belgium lightweight title, he again lost a decision to Patrick Teugels.[17] Once again, the loss left an impact on Claude Goetz and a few months later at Iseghem, Belgium, Van Damme came back and knocked out Emile Leibman in the first round. In 1979, Jean-Claude and the Belgium Team became European Team Champions.[18]
Next, Jean-Claude faced [ame="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sherman_Bergman"]Sherman Bergman[/ame], a kick-boxer from Florida (USA) with a long string of knockout victories.[19] For the only time in his career, Jean-Claude was knocked to the canvas after absorbing a powerful left hook.[16] However, Jean-Claude climbed off the canvas and with a perfectly timed ax-kick, knocked Bergman out cold in 59 seconds of the first round. Van Damme ended 1979 with a stoppage of Gilberto (Gil) Diaz in one round.
In 1980, Jean-Claude Van Damme defeated former Great Britain karate champion Michael J. Heming. Next, Van Damme scored a knockout over France's Georges Verlugels in two rounds. After these victories, Jean-Claude caught the attention of the European martial arts community. Professional Karate Magazine publisher and editor Mike Anders, and multiple European champion Geet Lemmens tabbed Jean-Claude Van Damme as an upcoming prospect. However, Jean-Claude's ambitions now focused in the direction of movie acting.
Van Damme ended his fight career at the Forest Nationals in Brussels. He knocked Patrick Teugels down and scored a first round technical knockout victory. Teugels suffered a nose injury and was unable to continue.
Following the victory, Van Damme retired from martial arts competition. His final fight record was 18–1, with all wins being knockouts and the loss being a decisions after two rounds.[20][21][22]

 

you do realize that k1 is mixing martial arts together (boxing vs karate, muay thai vs tkd, kung fu vs sambo, etc...?)

 

it is, but I think its easier just to think of it as kickboxing instead of stand up MMA.

 

After he was punched, and he was in Ziti's face running his pie hole prior to being knocked down, he got up and did nothing. hardly a sucker punch, and he is definitely a *****.

 

You ****ing ******. Van Damme was a pissed up wasted druggy back then and Zito pulls a **** stunt like that. Pathetic.

 

Boy, one quite good acting performance in 'JCVD' has turned him into a lunatic.

First he's turning down decent roles (The Expendables) because of 'artistic differences', then wants to do a Bloodsport sequel with Frank Dux bumming his son, and now this.

 

Mazallan, you ignorant nut hugging ***ot. doesnt matter what drugs he was doing. he was standing. he was talking **** and got knocked down. most people get knocked down. either by someone or life. if you are able to get up. and he was able to get up, you come back . you dont take it like a silly little ***** *****. but wait. that is what he is and you are. so go **** your self.

 

Yeah, I would categorize it as kickboxing foremost, but technically it is still MMA. Eh, its a pointless distinction, we know what we are talking about.

 

Go bum zito.

 

But at 49, he stands to chance. The only man I can think of who Van Damme would have a shot at beating would be the 'Living Legend' Rick Roufus, who's into his late 40's or early 50's himself. To fight a young Olympian, after not competing for the better part of 30 years is ridiculous.

Also, it MUST be taken into consideration and note, that Frank Dux made alot of claims that were never proven or were shown to be exaggerations. Dux was a good fighter, yes, but in today's world of MMA he would be destroyed. MMA fighters today incorporate wrestling, boxing, judo, jujitsu and other disciplines to make themselves complete packages. No one single discipline will reign supreme over another---this has been proven time and time again in the UFC's early days when it was boxers vs wrestlers, karate vs judo, etc.

 

Zito hit van damme as he was taking his glasses off >>> e.g. he sucker punched him. Fair play to Zito for getting in there first, but make it a fair fight and Van Damme spanks that ass

 

In Dolph's defence he was what 50 years old? going in against a former UFC heavyweight champion that's not too badly done for an actor...

 

And it is essentially Muy Thai without the elbows, so it is kickboxing...