Steven Seagal allegedly turned down a lucrative offer to fight Jean-Claude Van Damme, according to the martial artist and actor himself.
In an interview with The Telegraph, Van Damme, 63, discussed his career and long-standing feud with Seagal, 71.
He revealed that film producer Peter Guber once proposed a fight between the two, who have been publicly feuding since the 1990s.
“They were planning to organize a fight between me and Steven at The Mirage in Las Vegas,” Van Damme shared with the outlet.
“Twenty million each.
He didn't accept the fight.”
A representative for Seagal has not yet responded to PEOPLE's request for comment on the matter.
During the interview, Van Damme repeatedly touched upon his ongoing feud with Seagal.
The disagreement began in the early 1990s when Seagal reportedly cast doubt on Van Damme's fighting abilities.
When asked about Sylvester Stallone's claim that Seagal turned down an opportunity to fight at a party hosted by Stallone in 1997, Van Damme brushed it off as “kids' stuff.”
He added, “People told me [Seagal] doesn't speak highly of me.
I don't know why.”
Van Damme, renowned for his breakthrough role in 1988's Bloodsport and his recent voice acting in 2022's Minions: Rise of Gru, also acknowledged Seagal's talent.
Despite Seagal's lack of recent film projects, Van Damme commended his charisma and distinctive speaking style.
“The first movie I saw of his, I said, ‘This guy's going to make it, he's very charismatic,'” Van Damme shared.
“Even now, with his overweight years, he's got this Steven Seagal way of talking.”
However, during an interview with The Independent, Van Damme did hint at his strategy if a fight with Seagal were to occur.
He jokingly mentioned that he would run faster than Seagal, leading him to become out of shape.
Van Damme would then return and engage in combat.
“Do you like the technique?”
he asked.
While the potential fight between Jean-Claude Van Damme and Steven Seagal never materialized, their feud remains an intriguing topic in the world of martial arts and Hollywood.
Fans of both actors eagerly await any developments in the future.
