History
Don "The Dragon" Wilson
Speaking about Don “The Dragon” Wilson is easy for me because he is probably the martial artist that I have spent the most time with during the past ten years. He became a friend with whom I talked for days on end when we were in Kazan (Russia), Bishkek (Kyrgystan), Alma Ata (Kazakhstan), Kiev and Dniepopetrovsk (Ukraine), Orlando (Florida), Frankfurt, Foxwoods Casino in Connecticut and in Italy, where he was my guest on many occasions. I know everything about him, or almost, and I could talk about him for hours.
He is a fantastic person from every point of view. He is good looking, tall and slim, half Japanese and half American, with thick black hair despite his fifty years of age, the envy of those of us who are losing our hair. Don is one of the most outgoing people I have ever known, a great talker, an excellent athlete and a person who enjoys life.
We have always had fun wherever we have been, but this is certainly not the reason why he occupies an important position in the history of our discipline.
If Bill “Superfoot” Wallace is the icon of American and international “full contact”, and Benny “The Jet” Urquidez is the western hero who launched “kick” among us, Don “The Dragon” Wilson certainly stands out as the one who, after the other two had disappeared from active competition, was best able to interpret all the aspects of our world. He fought in every corner of the globe, sizing himself up in almost all martial arts, from “point”- like everybody coming from American martial arts from 1970 through 1990 - to full contact, low-kick and Thai.
He has fought against all the great ones who have set foot in the ring during the past 20 years, beating all of them.
Born in 1954 from an American father and a Japanese mother, Don started practicing Goju-Ryu karate with his friend, Chuck Merriman, in New London , Connecticut . After moving with his family to Cocoa Beach in Florida , Don, along with his brother, began studying Pai-Lum Kung Fu, which explains his nickname, “The Dragon”, which he invented when he started winning open tournaments in American-style karate.
An impressive athlete – in college he competed in American football, wrestling and judo – he began very early fighting in the ring in 1975. In September 1979 came the turning point: he defeated Jimmy Horseley by K.O. in the seventh round (the PKA event was broadcast by ESPN for the first time) thus becoming the American light-middleweight champion. In 1980 he K.O.ed Andy White in the second round and was crowned WKA low-kick World Champion.
Were I to narrate his entire career, I would have to describe 20 years of activity, which has never officially ended since, if the right amount of money were on the table, Don ”The Dragon” Wilson would enter the ring today (2005) in any ring discipline.
His career, besides being the longest that I know of, was highlighted by excellent victories. He beat the world's biggest names in circulation at the time, from Jean Yves Theriault, Dennis Alexio and Demetrius Edwards to Ferdinand Mack and Thailand 's Panya Sornnoi, plus many, many more. Frankly, it would take too much time to mention them all.
He fought full contact, low-kick and Muay Thai from the USA to Hong Kong , from Europe to Thailand , literally anywhere the “right compensation” beckoned, and against any opponent. He almost always succeeded in winning, no matter what the situation. How could he? Using his mind and great experience combined with his legendary punching technique. His kicks were not as elegant, as quick and powerful as Bill “Superfoot” Wallace's nor did they have Benny “The Jet” Urquidez's plasticity. However, Don's superior right hand punch was the ace up his sleeve, along with his unique ability to take a punch and unmatched precision and timing. All in all, he didn't go for the glamour, but he was a thoroughly complete fighter who could use either a right or left-handed stance according to the situation. He had many arrows in his quiver and they were always very sharp. There will never be many others like him and we will miss him tremendously.
As further proof of his intelligence and versatility, we must remember that he embarked upon the cinematic career at the beginning of the 1990s, alternating it with his competitive kickboxing. He became a Hollywood actor interpreting both bad and good characters in low-budget action movies in which he employed impressive kickboxing techniques and perpetuated his myth. I like Don the actor less than Don the athlete and man I have known, but to him it's “a good job” and a way “to make easy money” and also a way to enjoy himself and entertain us, too. As he told me, after all, isn't Hollywood a huge candy shop. What else could you ask for?