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Traditional Martial Arts >> van damme was for real
| 2/14/09 10:12 AM | |
mwchamp
Member Since: 4/4/06 Posts: 225 |
middleweight karate champion in belgium. Anybody know if he bodybuilds or lifts a specific routine geared toward speed and power? |
| 2/16/09 5:01 AM | |
KyokushinCatch
25 
Member Since: 8/2/02 Posts: 307 |
No he isn't, and no he wasn't. He was a ballet dancer and body-builder who got into Shotokan Karate. His "title" was in no-contact point sparring...and Belgium (no disrespect intended to our Belgian friends) was never known for its high-level of Karate competitors. |
| 2/17/09 2:26 AM | |
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Skpotamus
12
Member Since: 1/1/01 Posts: 962 |
That same article mentions Frank Dux as a "martial arts legend" while making no mention of the fact that the guy was a total fraud who lied about his military career and martial arts career. So take it with some salt. A quick google search under his real name revealed only the IMDB and wikipeia sites, as well as a few youtube videos, all have the exact same information with no reference material to back it up. All done by random contributors, so who knows how accurate they are? This video (showing a single punch and kick sequence between two people in gi's in what looks like a high school gym), is supposedly of him fighting. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BdaYNk9Lwa8 The PKA world title at that time belonged to Bill "superfoot" Wallace, who trained Don "The Dragon" Wilson. Wilson challenged Van Damme on the validity of his kickboxing background and Van Damme retreated quickly. Wilson also challenged him to a KB match, but Van Damme backed down. http://www.ikfkickboxing.com/DonWilson.htm has a lot more info about van damme from a kickboxing org (IKF) who found that van damme was a karate competitor for Team Belgium and did win the European Professional Karate Association's middleweight championship, this was point fighting. Don Wilson: "He was a member of the Belgian national team. That's like being part of the Bahamian football league" |
| 2/17/09 4:27 AM | |
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KyokushinCatch
25
Edited: 02/17/09 5:05 AM Member Since: 8/2/02 Posts: 312 |
Thanks to Skpotamus for saving me some writing. Others: Keep in mind that most of the info on the IMDB (Internet Movie Data Base) is received from publicists to hype a movie or personality, and anyone can post "information" on Wikipedia. I've fought during the times that Van Damme allegedly competed, and I have video of all of my fights (got to show my Grandkids someday that Grandpa used to kick ass). If VD was legit, don't you think that SOMEONE would have and release videos of his fights (especially VD in order to "sell" himself to Hollywood producers prior to his hitting the big time). VD was called out by Don Wilson (as mentioned), and supposedly KTFO'd by Chuck Zito in a New York night club...actually reported on front page of New York Post with headline "JEAN-CLAUDE VAN SLAMMED." Lastly, and in hindsight, I do remember hearing that VD had 1 kickboxing match, and that he lost. I Emailed Joe Corley, the president of the PKA. The following is his actual reply: * Re: Van Damme dispute From: Joe Corley (joecorley@joecorley.com) Sent: Mon 2/16/09 3:48 PM To: Hi. I know he fought on the PKA under card in Brussels when Macaruso fought Valera for NBC. I do not know further about his record. Sorry I could not be of more help. * Don't you think that if VD was legit, the PRESIDENT of the PKA would know more about his record? I'm still waiting for a reply from the WAKO (I did mention to both re: his AKA Van Varenberg). I don't want to sound like I'm hating on VD, but I do find it offensive when frauds go about spewing bs about their abilities and/or achievements. Unfortunately, there are a lot of people who should know better that will still believe them. |
| 2/21/09 1:03 AM | |
IronMonkey
Member Since: 3/14/02 Posts: 970 |
I've always wanted to do Shaolin kungfu since I watched the classic Shaolin kungfu movies when I was seven. Then at age 13 I found out about Muay Thai and always loved it even though I didn't get a chance to train in it till I was 26. |
| 2/21/09 4:02 AM | |
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Skpotamus
12
Member Since: 1/1/01 Posts: 965 |
AIU, noboyd has an issue with you, it's the lack of credibility in VD's claims and the complete lack of ANY verifiable references for it. The most anybody can ever find on his background is that he fought in a single kickboxing match. The results of that match aren't even proven. Wilson challenged VD because VD claimed to be a world champion when Wilson's teacher was the world champ. VD got called out on his claims and he backed down. |
| 5/25/09 5:14 AM | |
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laqueus
Member Since: 11/29/08 Posts: 681 |
Is VD really an issue anymore? Shouldn't it more be Jason Statham or Jet Li being questioned? |
| 5/25/09 4:46 PM | |
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FlashGordon2002
Member Since: 5/23/02 Posts: 18084 |
JCVD only competed in point Karate tournaments. The whole "kick-boxing champion" thing was either: 1) The movie publicity machine gone crazy. 2) Someone explained once that any type of punch-kicking tournament is called "kick boxing" in Europe and that's where the confusion arose. I've lived in Europe and I've never encountered this although, admittedly, I lived in Europe AFTER the whole "kick-boxing champion" thing came out so maybe things changed by the time I got there. |
| 6/6/09 9:33 AM | |
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JamS
Member Since: 6/6/09 Posts: 7 |
LOL |
| 7/22/09 9:36 AM | |
Ghengiseanie
16
Member Since: 4/19/09 Posts: 231 |
I met him when I was 16, (some 18 years ago,) I was going down to MAI offices for a Photo thing and interview, (i was doing Thai at the time. It was quite rare forkids ot be doing it int he UK>) He was Cover Shooting. he was at the time, a little taller me. Extremely athletic with good charisma. BS or not, He is athletic, If hes not toughened up or conditioned, fair enough, but He has hte skill set required ot be a solid fighter. ANyhoo, He, Dolph, Wesley, Jason Statham and all the other NOn fighter, Film Fighters, have still played an honourable part int he spread of Martial arts through out the world. |
| 7/23/09 6:45 AM | |
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WidespreadPanic
285
Member Since: 12/29/06 Posts: 2525 |
^^ good point. Thing is, I think guys like VD, Dolph, Wes and Statham are cool with what they're doing. It's the public/fans who want them to be 'fighters'. I mean did we require Douglas Fairbanks or John Wayne to really be able to swordfight and pistol duel? No. It's stage fighting and art form of its own, requiring separate skills, camera angles, selling the move to the camera. It's the public who fail to realize the difference between stage fighting and real fighting. One is pretty the other is not and details get lost in the moves. In fact real fighters often make really crappy 'movie fighters'. |
| 7/23/09 2:04 PM | |
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Willybone
64
Member Since: 1/1/01 Posts: 36362 |
Watch JCVD. Not for anything relevant to this thread. It's just awesome, and an interesting insight into what JCVD thinks about himself. It's brutal (on JCVD himself). |
| 7/23/09 3:14 PM | |
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WidespreadPanic
285
Member Since: 12/29/06 Posts: 2537 |
Willybone - Watch JCVD.I think JCVD realized in his whole life he was a 'consumer', albeit conspicuously. He took, he lived, he experienced, but now he knows he didn't really give anything. Maybe this is why so many 'Stars' have a charity. Not to give back but to ease the feelings that they are consuming and not really producing (for instance like an architect). Good clip on youtube (JCVD confesses). Good for him. In a way we are all guilty of being too much of a 'consumer'. In my case I worked a very hard job in the healthcare industry, so I know I gave (till it bled). It was very stressful and life and death. But we all have our demons to one degree or another. Maybe he'll become a better actor and be able to do dramatic roles and maybe less 'action-oriented'. Hope he gets clean, he really seems to want it. |
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