WATCH: Area Coast Sports activities Corridor of Fame’s Don ‘The Dragon’ Wilson is Kickboxing Icon

gained 11 world titles, total file of 72-5-2

ABOVE VIDEO: Don “The Dragon” Wilson is among the most extremely revered members ever of the kickboxing neighborhood. Wilson gained 11 world titles with quite a lot of kickboxing sanctioning teams with an total file of 72-5-2.

DON ‘THE DRAGON’ WILSON – 2015 INDUCTEE

• Full-Contact World Champion
• Kickboxing Corridor of Fame
• Received 11 World Titles

DAD TOOK JOB AT SPACE CENTER

BREVARD COUNTY, FLORIDA – Should you spent any time at Cocoa Seashore’s Brassy’s Nightclub within the Nineteen Eighties, you absolutely keep in mind the nights the dance ground was transformed to a kickboxing ring and the bouncers didn’t cease the preventing.

And absolutely, you keep in mind Don “The Dragon” Wilson.  He fought there 11 instances in a seven-year span.

Although he was born in Illinois, like many different Brevardians, Wilson turned an area when his dad took an engineering job at Kennedy Area Middle.

After highschool in Boca Raton, he attended the Coast Guard Academy, the place he started learning karate.  He returned to Brevard in 1973 and earned an A.A. in electrical engineering at Brevard Neighborhood School.

He initially deliberate to proceed his training on the Florida Institute of Expertise, however as usually occurs, the plans modified.

Wilson determined to observe a dream and – whereas being skilled by his brother in kung fu – started pursuit of a preventing profession.

All of his first 39 fights within the Nineteen Seventies and Nineteen Eighties came about in Florida – most within the central a part of the state.  In that span, he amassed a file of 32-3-1.

He gained state, U.S. and world titles within the full-contact middleweight division.  He additionally gained the full-contact light-heavyweight world title.

All in all, in line with his biography, Wilson gained 11 world titles with quite a lot of kickboxing sanctioning teams with an total file of 72-5-2.

In considered one of his extra publicized bouts, Wilson fought skilled Dick Kimber for the cruiserweight world title in Might of 1999.

Based on stories on the time, “On the finish of the third spherical, Wilson got here alive and exploded with a flurry that ultimately knocked Kimber to the ground immobile.”

He was named to the Phrase Kickboxing League Corridor of Fame in 2010.

Since retiring from the ring, Wilson has labored as a commentator in Final Combating Championship matches.  Wilson was rumored to be contemplating a return to the ring within the UFC, however that by no means materialized.

ACCOMPLISHED ACTOR

Wilson made headlines after his preventing profession as properly.  Experiences stated that whereas attending a martial arts match in Reno, NV, he witnessed a purse-snatching.

Wilson reportedly chased down a thief who had taken an aged lady’s bag.  He held the perpetrator in submission till the police arrived.

The Dragon has additionally had roles – each appearing and producing – in over 50 movies, documentaries, movies, and tv exhibits because the Nineteen Eighties – together with the cult traditional – Bloodfist.

In that movie, Wilson performed a dojo sensei in California who travels to the Philippines to avenge his skilled kickboxer brother, who was murdered after a combat.

Don “The Dragon” Wilson was actually the “actual deal” and one of the vital extremely revered members of the kickboxing neighborhood in his heyday.

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FOR INFORMATION ABOUT the SPACE COAST SPORTS HALL OF FAME, name 321-615-8111 or e-mail [email protected]

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