The long-standing tension between action movie veterans Michael Jai White and Steven Seagal has flared up once again, with White delivering his most pointed criticism yet of his fellow Hollywood martial artist.
In a recent appearance on the JAXXON podcast, White made it crystal clear where he stands on Seagal’s martial arts credentials.
“It’s not like Steven Seagal 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,”
White stated bluntly.
The Never Back Down star didn’t stop there, questioning Seagal’s attempts to position himself among legitimate martial artists.
“He wants to legitimize himself by being around men. But you know, of course, my man is not a man, or you would have known about it.”
White’s critique extended to Seagal’s primary martial art discipline, Aikido.
“He’s trained in Aikido, which, come on now—it’s choreography. And I’m not trying to disparage him,”
White explained, though his words carried a sharp edge.
This latest salvo adds another chapter to a feud that has been simmering for years. The history between these two action stars dates back to White’s infamous 2023 DJ Vlad interview, where he revealed that Seagal had hired him three times for the film “On Deadly Ground,” only for White to ultimately reject what he called a “silly” project.
“I felt like Steven embarrassed himself because, I mean, Steven hired me three different times himself,”
White had stated in that earlier interview.
Interestingly, the relationship between the two actors has had moments of apparent reconciliation. White previously shared that Seagal apologized to him while they were both filming “Triple Threat” in Thailand, suggesting there might have been hope for burying the hatchet.
However, White’s recent comments indicate that any peace between them was temporary. He emphasized that his criticism stems from a deeper principle about authenticity in martial arts representation.
“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.”
In a moment of self-reflection, White also acknowledged his own position in the debate.
“Even though you know, I’ll get in the ring with anybody. I’m not a man. It’s not how I feed my family,”
he admitted, drawing a clear distinction between Hollywood choreography and legitimate combat sports.
White’s stance has found support from other prominent figures in the martial arts community. UFC commentator Joe Rogan, himself a Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu practitioner and former competitive kickboxer, has been critical of Seagal’s films in the past, once calling them “outright horrible” and criticizing their portrayal of martial artists.
However, Rogan has shown some evolution in his views over time. In a more recent podcast episode with Aljamain Sterling, he praised Seagal’s technical Aikido skills, calling them “outstanding” and noting that
“there’s black and white footage of him teaching at a dojo in Japan. He is 100% legit.”
Despite this acknowledgment of Seagal’s traditional martial arts background, the debate continues over whether such skills translate to real combat effectiveness.
On social media, White has elaborated on his position, emphasizing that his criticism isn’t rooted in personal animosity. In a recent Instagram post, he wrote:
“I swear I don’t hate the man. I honestly wish he has a glorious comeback, but I think that would require an inspirational and public self humbling that would coincide with the core beliefs of what it means to be a true martial artist.”
White went on to describe what he sees as a broader issue in Hollywood:
“We actors taking credit for being real men is an act of Stolen Valor. It’s just wrong, no matter how much our fans or students praise us!”
