The UFC fighter rivalries is a common phenomenon for people who enjoy the sport. But what of a feud between two Hollywood stars? Michael Jai White and Steven Seagal rocked the silver screen for a long time. But both superstars have had a long history of going against each other for many years. And it still hasn’t improved much to this day.

Remember White’s infamous DJ Vlad interview from 2023? The action movie star burst out in anger at Seagal, claiming the Aikido martial arts icon tried to hire him three times for the film On Deadly Ground. Michael Jai White stated in that interview, “I felt like Steven embarrassed himself because, I mean, Steven hired me three different times himself,” and ultimately rejected the movie for being “silly.” So, it’s been quite some time since the beef started brewing between them.

Following up, Michael Jai White also shared in another DJ Vlad interview that Steven Seagal once apologized to him in Thailand while they were filming the movie Triple Threat. However, adding a fresh chapter to their long-running feud, the Never Back Down star has once again taken shots at Seagal, still firmly holding the belief that he’s not the real fighter many people perceive him to be.

White stated in the JAXXON podcast, “It’s not like Steven Segal ever had to block a punch from anybody trying to hit him in the face in his whole career. That’s not his skill set. He wants to legitimize himself by being around fighters. But you know, of course, my man is not a fighter, or you would have known about it. He’s trained in Aikido, which, come on now—it’s choreography. And I’m not trying to disparage him.”

But that’s not all. Michael Jai White further stated that most Hollywood martial arts stars aren’t real fighters. He made it clear—guys like him perform choreographed moves on set, which looks great on camera but is worlds apart from what real fighters do. He added, “It’s a slap in the face of people who put their lives on the line and their hearts to really fight. So, you know I’m on the side of people who really do it. Even though you know, I’ll get in the ring with anybody. I’m not a fighter. It’s not how I feed my family.”

That’s definitely a solid point raised by Michael Jai White. But he’s not the only one who’s not exactly a fan of Steven Seagal. UFC color commentator Joe Rogan once straight-up called Seagal’s movies “outright horrible.” So, let’s take a closer look at what he had to say.

Joe Rogan’s thoughts on Steven Seagal 

Before making his name in the UFC commentary booth, Joe Rogan was a competitive amateur kickboxer—and he’s still an active Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu practitioner. That’s why many see the podcast king as a true martial arts purist. And if there’s one thing he hates more than flawed techniques, it’s poorly done martial arts movies. Unsurprisingly, he’s had nothing positive to say about Steven Seagal’s films.

During an old interview on the Conan show in 1998, “I hate those movies. They’re all horrible. They give a really bad—it’s a really bad portrayal of martial artists. Like, guys get kicked and they just get a little cut on their eyebrow and look kind of sexy. They’re horrible, bad movies where dudes like fight at the drop of a hat.”

However, over time, Joe Rogan seems to have softened his stance on Steven Seagal. In a podcast episode with Aljamain Sterling, Rogan even called the action star, “outstanding.” He praised Seagal’s Aikido skills, saying, “His Aikido is outstanding. There’s black and white footage of him teaching at a dojo in Japan. He is 100% legit.” Though Rogan admitted that Aikido doesn’t exactly mesh well with practical martial arts, he still gave Seagal credit where it’s due.

With that being said, what do you think about Steven Seagal and his martial arts credentials? Are they legit? Also, are you a fan of his movies? Comment down below!