In the 1990s, Jean-Claude Van Damme (“Sudden Death”) and Steven Seagal (“Deadly Revenge”) repeatedly fought each other in public. This is not unusual for action stars, as evidenced by the cases of Arnold Schwarzenegger and Sylvester Stallone. However, Van Damme and Seagal would have had the chance to follow up their taunts with action – and for big money!
In an interview with Van Damme spoke extensively about his career and also mentioned the feud between him and the “Red Alert” star. As Van Damme explains there, film producer and managing director Peter Guber once wanted to arrange a fight between the two action icons: “They had the idea to have the fight between me and Steven at The Mirage Hotel in Las Vegas. $20 million each. He withdrew.”
Van Damme vs. Seagal: Who Would Have Won?
The reason why Van Damme and Seagal got into a fight is said to be because Seagal once doubted Van Damme’s fighting qualities. Van Damme also opens up in the conversation with Telegraaf a claim by Sylvester Stallone. He once said that Seagal also turned down a fight offer from Van Damme at a party in the 1990s. For Van Damme it’s just ‘childhood stuff’. Still, the ‘Bloodsport’ icon was surprised that Seagal apparently repeatedly spoke very poorly of him.
The big question we’re all asking ourselves now is: who would have won the fight between Van Damme and Seagal? Van Damme himself revealed in the conversation which technique he would have used to bring his opponent to his knees: “When he and I fight, I run faster than him – a lot faster. I would run away. He’ll try to catch me and get out of breath. Then I come back and fight.”