The Truth About Jean-Claude Van Damme's Crotch Punch

Jean-Claude Van Damme isn't joking. Groin kicks, and punches too, are a classic, common self-defense move, capable of temporarily stunning male assailants, according to Healthline. The move, first performed in the 1988 film Bloodsport, became so popular that it was a signature move for Johnny Cage in just about every Mortal Kombat game, and even made it into the Mortal Kombat film, though the creators of the franchise never asked permission from Van Damme, who served as inspiration for the character.

"I will never sue anybody," he said to HuffPo. "It's against my rules... Bloodsport -– all that stuff in Mortal Kombat came from there."

So while the move is rather ridiculous, it is grounded in legitimate martial arts practices, and also serves as a demonstration of Van Damme's truly impressive flexibility and physicality. In certain ways, Van Damme is a visionary  -– truly the Tchaikovsky of our time.

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