Do you think that Jean-Claude Van Damme would last in The UFC?

[princeofpersiafan17]

ok before anybody starts talking crap about Van Damme just know that: Jean-Claude Van Damme was a successful international kick-boxer, who competed in Europe and the United States during the 1970s and early 1980s and had a record of 18 knockouts and 1 lose and had a very intense workout working and strecthing 6 days a week with weight training and martial arts and cardio and running 7 days a week. Van Damme began his martial arts training at the age of twelve under the guidance of Master Claude Goetz in Brussels, Belgium. Van Damme trained for 4 years before Master Goetz would allow him to fight in tournament competition. Jean-Claude's debut in 1976, at the age of 16, almost ended in failure. Competing under his birth name of Jean Claude Van Varenberg, Jean-Claude was staggered by a round-house kick thrown by fellow countryman, Toon Van Oostrum in Brussels, Belgium. Van Damme was badly stunned, but came back to knockout Van Oostrum moments later. The experience left an impact on Claude Goetz and he felt that Jean-Claude needed more training before competing again.

After two more years 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 3 knockout victories in one evening. However, in a 1978 match for the Belgium Title, he lost a decision to his former team-mate Patrick Teugels. A few months later at Iseghem, Belgium, Van Damme comeback and knocked out fellow prospect Emile Leibman in the first round. After compiling a full-contact record of 10-1 (10 knockouts), Master Goetz decided to take Jean-Claude to the United States to compete in the WAKO(World All-Styles Kickboxing Organization)World Full-Contact Championships in Tampa, Florida.

In order to win the world championship, the winning fighter would have to defeat 5 opponents at the tournament. In his opening match, Jean-Claude faced knockout artist, 'Sherman 'Big Train' Bergman' (from Miami Beach, Florida. Bergman's southpaw stance caught Van Damme by surprise, and for the first and only time in his career, Jean-Claude was knocked to the canvas after absorbing a powerful left hook. Van Damme however, showed the martial arts world that he was for real; he climbed off the canvas and with a perfectly timed ax-kick, knocked Bergman out cold in 59 seconds of the first round.

In the quarter-finals; according to sources, Van Damme became over-confident and strayed from his spartan training lifestyle. This may be true, or it may not, regardless, Jean-Claude Van Damme lost yet another decision to fellow countryman Patrick Teugels; failing in his first and only attempt at winning a world title. Following his defeat, Van Damme knocked out Spain's Gilberto Diaz in one round.
In 1980,a dejected Van Damme was determined to reestablish his fight career. After two tune-up victories, Van Damme fought a rematch with Sherman 'Big Train' Bergman, knocking Bergman down two times to score a first round knockout. Next, Jean-Claude scored an upset over former European Karate Champion Micheal Heming. In March, Van Damme scored another upset with a knockout over France's Georges Verlugels in 2 rounds to win the European Professional Middleweight Kickboxing Championship. After this victory, Van Damme 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. Before he retired from active competition, Jean-Claude beat the only man to defeat him, Patrick Teugels, by technical knockout in under two minutes at the Nationals in Brussels. Following the victory,Jean-Claude retired from fighting. His record fought under full-contact rules, was 19-2 (19 knockouts). Some sources have listed his record as 18-1 (18 Knockouts).
If you want to know more look up his biography on wikipedia and www.imdb.com and yes he did do ballet from age 16 for five years and nobody in the world kicks harder than Van Damme compared to what I seen in Kickboxer and The Shepherd: Border Control and don't tell me that he can't kick down a palm tree or kick through chair and still hit you at the same time so you compare and look up Chuck Norris before any sh*t talk is done? Oh and if Van Damme could do kickboxing, fight in The Kumite in Bloodsport and win easily in street fights till this day then I think he would own like 5 UFC fighters at a time and then annihilate them and embarrass them if he were young again like in the movies Bloodsport,Kickboxer,Double Impact,Hard Target,The Quest,besides UFC fighters are overgrown musclebound ugly ogres that only knows brute strength that barely ever kicks or boxes any good,they don't know their elbow from their a** when it comes to fighting Van Dame is the f-en best

 

[Stormy]

I'm afraid he's too old nowadays.

As a kickboxer, I don't think he'd do too well in the UFC. Too one dimensional.

I'm afraid you're not a very good champion of Jean Claude Van Damme either with your fantasising about him. JCVD himself would be the first to admit he's primarily an actor.

 

[Prince]

If you saw his early films you know the guy had some skills. He kicked lighting fast, and seemed to solid boxing skills. So I was not surprised when I saw an interview and he talked about being a real kick boxer and how he loved to talk about his bump on his forehead because it came from a fight.

But anyways I think he would be a solid fighter. He seemed to poses a similar athletic ability to a GSP. Although I think his weight was around 190 lbs. At his height I think he would have been a good welterweight. It would be pretty cool to see him fight against guys like Hughes, GSP and Diego. He could have given a guy like Anderson Silva some problems with his speed because I do think he was faster. But the only problem would be could he handle the height difference? Some guys can neutralize it... like a Penn. others can't.

I do think he could adapt. Learn to grapple and whatnot.

 

[TrenchcoatMafia]

if he was younger then probably yeah
but he is old already

 

[gspsilva]

hed have a couple of wins against new guys in the ufc but he would definitely not compare to gsp, Anderson silva, mir and them guys, not a chance for one thing, he iks only a kick boxer, so the ufc fighter would punch him silly and take him down and submit him or ground and pound him till hes purple, JCVD isn't as good as you think, i never even heard of him that much, only in movies, ive heard of chuck norris and bruce lee and no not because of movies etiehr, because of there martial arts skill

 

[Livin'Life]

I fell asleep trying to read all of your details. Van Damme sucks, he wouldnt last 1 minute in the round with the likes of Anderson Silva or Rashaad Evans. They would kill him.

 

[SiFufrank]

I am not a UFC fan As any long time poster on here can attest to. Van Dame would last about 30 seconds in the ring with some of the fighters I have seen. Of course you have already made up your mind that Van Dame is a legend so why do you ask?
Just a rhetorical question. Do not bother to answer.

 

[jizdepski]

he would last like a blast from the past. then he'd get knocked the crap out.