A list of interesting facts about Steven Seagal
When it comes to Hollywood superstardom, one of the most popular martial artists around is Steven Seagal. Originally making a name for himself in films such as Hard To Kill and Exit Wounds, Seagal’s reputation sadly started to decline. This was because as time moved on, his image of an Aikido-master didn’t move with it. Once a serious actor, he is now viewed more as a meme rather than as a serious martial artist.
At the same time, he is still adored by some of his fans, and even now, he continues to rub shoulders with various MMA fighters and the likes of Andrew Tate who still appreciate him for his previous work and iconic movies.
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Who trained Steven Seagal martial arts?
Steven Seagal was trained in Aikido by Harry Ishisaka. Although Seagal has dabbled in other martial arts like Karate, for the most part he is known primarily as an Aikido specialist. This was during Seagal’s teenage years whilst living in Orange County. Sadly, Ishisaka died of a heart attack aged 50, whilst he was teaching Aikido. He had the rank of godan when he passed.
Steven Seagal used to teach Aikido
These days, Seagal doesn’t teach Aikido, at least on a regular basis. As Seagal is now getting older, his body has naturally slowed down and his priorities have shifted. However, on some occasions he does take part in Aikido demonstrations. These are more of a one-off thing rather than a regular gig though. As you can imagine, he probably doesn’t have the time to teach Aikido as a regular gig.
Steven Seagal is an AIkido black belt
Yes, Steven Seagal is certainly a black belt. He is ranked 7th dan in Aikido and has trained the martial art since a teenager. His use of Aikido has been witnessed in various movies and there are also several videos online that show Seagal showing Aikido in demonstrations. Although some people are critical of Aikido, it’s an undeniable fact that Seagal is a black belt.
The beef between Gene LeBell and Steven Seagal
‘Judo’ Gene LeBell was a known Judoka and catch wrestler. According to legend, whilst on a film set, LeBell and Seagal got into an argument about their credibility within martial arts. Of course, this is all hearsay and there’s no evidence for either argument. However, some claim that LeBell choked Seagal unconscious and made him poo himself as a result. This claim has been denied by Seagal who claimed it did not happen. As LeBell is long dead and this happened in an era without smartphones, social media or technology, there’s no way of ever proving what truly happened.
It’s not just LeBell who Seagal had beef with either. He also famously got involved with Jean Claude Van Damme at the height of his fame.
Where is Steven Seagal now?
These days, Steven Seagal often resides in Moscow, Russia after being granted Russian citizenship. He is a friend of Russian President Vladimir Putin and has often expressed his love for the country. However, he still has properties and family based in North America. With regards to his career, these days he can be found doing direct-to-video movie releases as it’s safe to say his best days are now behind him.
No, Steven Seagal is NOT a Navy SEAL
Steven Seagal is not a Navy SEAL, nor has he ever been. This is a common myth that is based on his role in Under Siege. Here, Seagal played a Navy SEAL. Of course, this was in an era before the internet, so rumors naturally circulated as a result. It would be the equivalent of saying Jason Statham was a marines, just because he has played them in films. Interestingly, Seagal has been seen wearing a Luminox watch which is often associated with the military due to its tough exterior and luminous features.
What is Steven Seagal’s net worth?
This is something that only Seagal will truly know himself. However, after years of having a successful acting career and other ventures, it’s safe to say he’s a millionaire, with some estimate sites placing his wealth at $16 million. Obviously, these things can fluctuate from year to year. Nonetheless, this number wouldn’t be too outrageous as he really was an A-lister during his prime.
