Don Wilson (kickboxer)
Don Wilson (kickboxer)
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Don Wilson (kickboxer)

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Don Wilson (kickboxer)

Donald Glen Wilson (born September 10, 1954), nicknamed "the Dragon", is an American former professional kickboxer, boxer, actor, and martial artist. An 11-time world champion who scored 47 knockouts in four decades, he has been called by the STAR System Ratings as "perhaps the greatest kickboxer in American history. He has disposed of more quality competition than anyone we've ever ranked". In 2015, he was inducted into the International Sports Hall of Fame.

Wilson was a fight commentator and interviewer in many of the early Ultimate Fighting Championship (UFC) events, beginning with UFC 7. As an actor, he is best known for starring in several B movie action films in the 1980s and 1990s, such as the Bloodfist series (from Bloodfist to Bloodfist VIII: Trained to Kill), the Ring of Fire series (from Ring of Fire to Ring of Fire III: Lion Strike), Red Sun Rising (1994), and the Cyber Tracker series (CyberTracker and CyberTracker 2).

Wilson was born to a Japanese mother and American father in Alton, Illinois. He utilized his mother's maiden name, Hoshino (Japanese: 星野), as a ring name while competing in Japan. He attended Saint Andrew's School in Boca Raton, where he was an MVP in football and basketball. Wilson also tried his hand at wrestling, in which he excelled enough to score a 4th place in the Florida State Collegiate Wrestling competition.

After high school, Wilson was accepted into the Coast Guard Academy in New London, Connecticut in the fall of 1972. Wilson has stated that his brother challenged him to friendly sparring, which he imagined he would dominate since Wilson was more physically imposing and athletic than his brother. To his surprise, he was easily knocked around by his brother's martial arts ability. He credits this experience for making a believer out of him, after which he would pursue martial arts. He began studying Gōjū-ryū karate with Chuck Merriman for two hours a week for one year.

In 1973, Wilson left the academy and earned an associate degree in electrical engineering at Brevard Community College in Florida. He then enrolled at his father's alma mater, the Florida Institute of Technology, but dropped out to pursue a professional fighting career, to the elder Wilson's disappointment. During this time, he trained in Pai Lum White Dragon Kung Fu, a form derivative of Shaolin Kung Fu, taught by Danny K. Pai. Wilson was trained by Fred Schmitz, Pai's first black belt in America. Wilson himself typically refers to himself as a kung fu practitioner.

Don's nickname, "The Dragon" was used in his first professional kickboxing match in Orlando, and came from his training in White Dragon style. He also had two other nicknames that were used at times during his long career. Don worked at a Florida bar, the Anchor Club, with WWE wrestlers Hulk Hogan and Brutus "The Barber" Beefcake.

Wilson won a total of 11 world titles with several sanctioning bodies, including the IKF, WKA, KICK, ISKA, STAR and the PKO. Wilson's kickboxing record is listed as 72–5–2 (48 knockouts) with 3 no-contests. Wilson's kickboxing career spanned four decades, with his first fight being against Bill Knoblok in 1974 in which Wilson broke his hand. In November 1975 he lost to Steve Shepherd by decision.

In July 1977, Wilson defeated Howard Hayden by decision. A report of the match in Official Karate Magazine said, "Don Wilson's showboat tactics have seen him through a couple of fights, but the Flash won't last long when the going gets tough." Wilson said he was insulted and a few people called him Don "The Flash" Wilson after the article. He said that inspired him to prove something: "I got serious."

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