Steven Seagal and Jean-Claude Van Damme are without a doubt two of the best action heroes of the golden age of martial arts cinema in Hollywood back in the 90s. Both have highly competitive personalities and they had to eventually collide.
It all began at the Arsenio Hall show when the host asked Steven Seagal what he thought about the Belgian rising star, to which he replied that he had promised his masters he’d play nice.
However, he eventually said “I think that’s a matter of opinion he was champion anywhere. I’m not being catty or anything, I wish the guy all the best. But there are an awful lot of people who say that’s not true.”
Steven Segal’s comments obviously fueled a long-standing feud between both martial artists
Jean-Claude Van Damme heard about his response and that stirred a lot of things inside and things got heated at a Sylvester Stallone party in his house in Miami back in 91.
As the party was going on, Van Damme and Seagal locked eyes and the action star from Brussels told Seagal to meet him outside so Seagal could put his money where his mouth was, however, he did not engage and left Van Damme wanting the fight.
Jean-Claude Van Damme told what happened years later
Years later, Van Damme was asked about the beef and he spoke about his last encounter with the Nico star, he said: “Well, he’s a good guy, but he’s too tense. I saw him in Planet Hollywood and I said, ‘Hey, Steven, you speak bad about me on TV. Why?’
“And he goes–” he breaks off, spewing Cro-Magnonesque mutterings, then continues in his own voice. “I said, ‘Come on, look, I’m a nice guy. Am I a bad guy?’ I shook his hand, and he relaxed.
“Hey, it’s okay if he wants to say things. It’s not my problem.”
Meanwhile, Stallone described the events of his Miami mansion to FHM magazine, claiming: “At a party in my home in Miami in 1997, Van Damme was tired of Seagal claiming he could kick his ass so he offered Seagal outside into my back yard.“
Stallone elaborated “Seagal made his excuses and left. But Van Damme, who was berserk, tracked him down at a nightclub and offered him out again.”Adding “Van Damme was too strong. Seagal wanted none of it.”
in 2010, Van Damme spoke about what happened with more detail “No fight was made, just a little pushing. Because it was a beautiful house. Had beautiful furniture. I was p***ed a little and said to Steven come outside.
“I waited two hours but he never came. Steven was very disrespectful that night.“