Jean Claude Van Damme recalls in the interview that the original fight had him attempting to flee in a helicopter until Sylvester Stallone's character throws a chain into the propeller and brings it down. The "Bloodsport" actor says that he complained to everyone except for Stallone that fans would rather see them fight mano a mano, eventually writing a letter to lay out his concerns. When he approached Stallone's trailer, however, he lost the letter and decided to talk to him.
"'Oh f**k it, I'm gonna tell him how I feel.' I say," the action star recalls. "'Stallone, I think people want to see Muhammad Ali against Frasier. It's a metaphor. Look at your arms; you're strong. We need to do a fight. I need to give you myself to punch and kick the s**t out of me, and hopefully, I will do some damage to you.'"
Anytime someone approaches their boss, a fair amount of fear and nervousness accompanies that, especially if that boss is one of the most iconic people in the action industry. Stallone, however, responded well to Van Damme's recommendation.
"He said, 'I tell you what. Go and design the fight!'" Vanne Damme said. "Later, I look all over the place for the letter. It was stuck to my pocket!"
