Jean-Claude Van Damme is one of only a handful of action stars who can lay claim to the title of “living legend.” He’s an icon of action and martial arts cinema, with dozens of ass-kicking roles under his belt.

Born and raised in Brussels, Belgium, Van Damme began his martial arts training at the tender age of 10, and never looked back. In 1982, the “Muscles from Brussels” moved to the United States to become an actor, and the rest is history. For a while in the late 1980s and early 1990s, the man was a household name, but he’s since disappeared from the spotlight. Here’s what happened to this once most preeminent of kickboxing action heroes.

The Rise of the Muscles from Brussels

The Cannon Group

After moving to the United States in 1982, Van Damme worked odd jobs and acted as an extra in films like 1984’s Breakin’. He was soon offered the role of the titular alien hunter in Predator and accepted it, hoping it would be his breakout role.

Upon realizing he’d be completely obscured and encumbered by the Predator costume, however, he stepped away from the opportunity. His big break came with the 1988 film Bloodsport — a martial arts masterpiece based on the alleged true experiences of Frank Dux.

Bloodsport kicked off his superstar heyday which ran from the late ‘80s to the early ‘90s, and he made most of his best films during this period. Cyborg, Kickboxer, Lionheart, and Double Impact are just a few of the classics that he starred in during this time.

In 1992, Van Damme acted in the blockbuster action spectacle Universal Solider, which remains one of his most celebrated movies.