A feud between two Hollywood heavyweights almost came to blows in Sylvester Stallone’s back garden in the ‘90s and they're still butting heads to this day.
Steven Seagal and Jean-Claude Van Damme are two of the most well-known martial artists-turned-actors thanks to their roles in countless action movies in the ‘80s and ‘90s.
The pair haven’t been able to see eye-to-eye in over 30 years and it all apparently began when Seagal, a 7th-dan black belt in aikido, shared his doubts about the Street Fighter star, who became known as ‘The Muscles from Brussels’.
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During an interview on The Arsenio Hall Show in 1991, Seagal, now 71, questioned Van Damme’s fighting record.
When asked by the former late night talk show host if he knew Van Damme, now 62, Seagal replied: “No."
When Hall described Van Damme as a martial arts champion who was part of the Belgian Karate Team that won the European Karate Championship in 1979, Seagal quipped: “I just promised all my mentors I was going to be a good boy.
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“I think that’s a matter of opinion he was a 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.”
Van Damme addressed Seagal’s comments three years later in 1994 during an interview with MovieLine which seemingly served as a presude to their showdown in Stallone’s back garden years later.
Van Damme 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?'
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“I said, ‘Come on, look, I’m a nice guy. Am I a bad guy?’ I shook his hand, he relaxed. Hey, it’s okay if he wants to say things. It’s not my problem.”
The infamous back garden incident happened at Stallone’s house in Miami in 1997 during a party. The guestlist included Arnold Schwarzenegger, Bruce Willis and Shaquille O’Neal.
Describing the clash in 2008, Stallone told FHM magazine: "At a party in my home in Miami in 1997, Van Damme was tired of Seagal claiming he could kick his a** so he offered Seagal outside into my backyard."
The Above the Law star didn’t take the bait, according to Stallone, who explained: “Seagal made his excuses and left. But Van Damme, who was berserk, tracked him down at a nightclub and offered him out again.
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“Van Damme was too strong. Seagal wanted none of it."
We can only imagine how many people would’ve paid to see this unfold.
Seagal was questioned about the incident on his reality TV show, Steven Seagal: Lawman, which aired between 2009-2014.
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“No,” he replied when asked if he got into a scrap with Van Damme. “It would be like me squashing an ant. If he sees me he runs.”
But the Timecop actor said on the Howard Stern radio show: “That evening I think Steven was kind of tipsy tipsy happy, like I was sometimes and I don't know maybe.
"It all started on The Jay Leno Show years ago when Jay asked to Steven Seagal, 'You know Van Damme?'
"And he said, 'He is not good in martial arts', but he never met me though. And also it's like... That's when it started I guess."
Now imagine being the person in charge of keeping both men in separate rooms. How frightening…
Topics: Celebrity
Gregory Robinson