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 three 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."
In September 1979 he defeated Jimmy Horsley by TKO. In March 1980 Wilson was knocked out by Glenn McMorris, which was the only time he was knocked out in his 79 fight career. In July 1980 he defeated Rodney Batiste by decision. In October 1980 Wilson beat Andy White by KO in the 2nd round.
Wilson was noted for being an American-style kickboxer who challenged the fabled fighters from Thailand. He prevailed in most instances, only suffering one loss. However, the matches were often problematic, due to the differences in traditions, style and judging. In September 1981 he won against Panya Sornnoi by split decision. For his fight against Samart Prasarnmit in December 1983, the officials who arranged the fight broke the previous arrangement, placing Wilson against a lighter opponent and forcing Wilson to lose 8 pounds on the day of the bout by sitting in a sauna from early morning until two hours before the bout, leaving him dangerously dehydrated. Wilson had also negotiated for a 7-round fight, which the officials also neglected to honor. Furthermore, the Thai judges only recognized Muay Thai techniques such as Thai kick or those performed within the clinch, which meant that Wilson's only hope to win was to knockout Samart, which he was unable to do because of his dehydration. Wilson, a fighter used to 12 round fights, was exhausted in the second round, a clear indication of the seriousness of his condition. In September 1984 Wilson fought Thai fighter Fanta Petchmuangtrat and won by decision.
Between 1982 and 1987 he defeated, among others, world champion James Warring, champion Demetrius "Oaktree" Edwards, world champions Curtis Crandall, and Maurice Smith. He beat Steve Valencia, world champion Dennis Alexio and fought to a draw with another champion, Jean-Yves Thériault. He also defeated Art Jimmerson in a kickboxing vs. boxing mixed match and defeated world champion Branko Cikatic.
In July 1988 he defeated previously unbeaten Carl Englund by KO in the 5th round. In March 1989 he fought Ferdinand Mack. Mack was winning on the cards by the 8th round, but Wilson won by TKO in the 9th. In April 1989 Wilson defeated Ken Stranburg by decision and defeated Keith Wilson by TKO. In November 1989 Wilson lost by split decision to the unbeaten Marek Piotrowski. In December 1991 he defeated Ghalib Carmichael by decision.
Wilson won his IKF (www.IKFKickboxing.com) FCR Cruiserweight World Title on May 15, 1999, in Lowell, Massachusetts, when he defeated Dick Kimber. (Lynn, Massachusetts, USA PRO: 23-3/21, AM: 25-0/25 5'9" 197 lbs) At the end of the third round Wilson came alive and eventually knocked Kimber to the floor motionless. Referee Dan Stell counted Kimber out on the floor, a count that went into the round break. Kimber never stood during the count.
Having never been challenged for his title, Wilson voluntarily retired it to move down to the Light Heavyweight Division, where he eventually retired from fighting a few years later. In 2000 he defeated Dewey Cooper in a 10-round decision. His last fight was a 10th-round knockout victory over Eddie Butcher on July 19, 2002, in Atlantic City, New Jersey.
Wilson was scheduled to make a comeback at 58 years old, against an unnamed opponent in a ten-rounder in Istanbul, Turkey in 2013. However, at the last minute the fight in Istanbul was cancelled due to "breach of contract and non-performance of financial agreements".
Wilson also fought several exhibition fights such as those against Bill "Superfoot" Wallace in 1979 and 1984, Gary Daniels in 1991, Jim "Jimbo" Mullen in 1998, and Ian Jacklin. In June 2017 Wilson, at 63 years old, had a rematch against Ferdinand Mack in an exhibition bout 28 years after they originally fought.
Kickboxing losses turned into no contests
Early in Wilson's career, he lost three fights by decision; these losses were changed into no contests by the Professional Karate Association.