Also known as
Jean-Claude Van Varenberg · JCVD · The Muscles from Brussels · Le muscle de Bruxelles
Description
Belgian martial artist and actor best known as an action film star. He took up karate in Brussels at age 11 under Claude Goetz at the school that became the Centre National de Karate, earned his Shotokan black belt from Goetz in 1978, and briefly trained in full-contact kickboxing with Dominique Valera. He then built a competitive record in semi-contact karate (44 wins, 4 losses, 1976-1980) and kickboxing (18 wins, 1 loss, 1977-1982) before moving to the United States to pursue acting.
Teachers (2)
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Claude Goetzsports_martial_artsShotokan ConfirmedConfirmedVan Damme has consistently named Goetz as his original and principal instructor in multiple interviews across three decadesThe evidence establishes the claim: it is sufficient and consistent, and any conflicting evidence is resolved.location_onCentre National de Karate badge (1971–1978)
fact_checkassessed by FSMverified
4 sources expand_moreFrederico MuñozResearcher, Martialisfact_checkVan Damme has consistently named Goetz as his original and principal instructor in multiple interviews across three decades -
Dominique Valera(1977–1980)
fact_checkassessed by FSMverified
2 sources expand_moreFrederico MuñozResearcher, Martialisfact_checkVan Damme confirms training with Valera in the 1988 Fighter interview, and later sources corroborate brief full-contact work with Valera in the late 1970s“At the age of 12, Van Damme joined the Centre National de Karaté (National Center of Karate) under the guidance of Claude Goetz in Belgium. Van Damme trained for four years and he earned a spot on the Belgian Karate Team; he later trained in full-contact karate and kickboxing with Dominique Valera.”
Lineage
- Shotokan Claude GoetzTsutomu OhshimaFunakoshi Gichin · 3 generations
Ranks (1)
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military_tech2 dan ProbableProbableBlack belt received from Goetz in 1978 is well attested; the 2nd dan grade is reported by the English Wikipedia but its date and granting authority are not documentedThe evidence favours the claim and nothing credible contradicts it, but it falls short of establishing it.Dan-Kyu System
fact_checkassessed by FSMverified
2 sources expand_moreFrederico MuñozResearcher, Martialisfact_checkBlack belt received from Goetz in 1978 is well attested; the 2nd dan grade is reported by the English Wikipedia but its date and granting authority are not documented
Honours (1)
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receipt_longEuropean Professional Karate Association (EPKA) middleweight champion PossiblebalancePossible – conflicting evidence recordedContested claim. The English Wikipedia states Van Damme won the middleweight championship of the European Professional Karate Association in 1979, but the French Wikipedia asserts he won no karate title.Some evidence points to the claim, but it is thin, indirect, or in unresolved conflict with other evidence.Title (1979)
fact_checkassessed by FSMverified
2 sources expand_moreFrederico MuñozResearcher, Martialisfact_checkContested claim. The English Wikipedia states Van Damme won the middleweight championship of the European Professional Karate Association in 1979, but the French Wikipedia asserts he won no karate title.
Sources
Identifiers
https://martial.is/entity/01M040GCQ9S0TAVK3AWRSZT2H4
Cite and reuse
CC BY-SA 4.0expand_more
Plain text
Muñoz, Frederico (YEAR_PLACEHOLDER). Jean-Claude Van Damme. In Martialis:
Martial Arts Lineage Database.
https://martial.is/entity/01M040GCQ9S0TAVK3AWRSZT2H4 - CC BY-SA 4.0. Accessed
ACCESSED_DATE_PLACEHOLDER.
BibTeX
@incollection{martialis_01M040GCQ9S0TAVK3AWRSZT2H4, author = {Muñoz, Frederico},
title = {Jean-Claude Van Damme}, booktitle = {Martialis: Martial Arts Lineage
Database}, year = {YEAR_PLACEHOLDER}, url =
{https://martial.is/entity/01M040GCQ9S0TAVK3AWRSZT2H4}, urldate =
{ACCESSED_DATE_PLACEHOLDER}, note = {CC BY-SA 4.0} }
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