Anybody recognize one of these guys?

[laagi]

Maybe a bit random. Stumbled across an old K-1 news segment where they tried to establish the sport in the US. Early predecessor to the UFC?

It was mainly focused on one of our best fighters ever Andy Hug (RIP). In a very short segment they mention that he was approached to do movies. Which in return he respectfully declined.

I may be mistaken here but isn't that Don "The Dragon" Wilson? Or are my eyes deceiving me. Also the other guy seems strangely familiar.

Edited October 28, 2022 by laagi

[Yihetuan]

I'm pretty sure the second guy is Stephen Quadros, he used to also do commentary for PRIDE & bunch of other fight orgs. He was nicknamed the "fight professor" & yeah, the first guy is Dragon Wilson.

https://www.instagram.com/StephenQuadros/

[laagi]

4 hours ago, Yihetuan said:

I'm pretty sure the second guy is Stephen Quadros, he used to also do commentary for PRIDE & bunch of other fight orgs. He was nicknamed the "fight professor" & yeah, the first guy is Dragon Wilson.

https://www.instagram.com/StephenQuadros/

Yes that's him alright! Thank you very much

Interesting... This was in 1998. Do you know or any other member if Don Wilson was actively scouting for new talent during these events? Or was he involved in the sport otherwise.

Man, I can only imagine what could've been. Andy was such a charismatic and humble guy! As a side note his son actually picked up acting from what I've read. Not sure how successful he is though.

[Gaijin84]

I don't think he was scouting for talent per se, I think he was genuinely a fan as a former kickboxer. He used to show up to a lot of the early events held in Russia and Brazil and get interviewed on camera. He always talked about potentially making a comeback and having a fight, but obviously nothing ever came of that. Honestly, I think he was mostly capitalizing on his fame to get the VIP treatment. God knows what these promotions were offering celebs to show up, I can only imagine. The commentators (usually guys that had no idea what they were talking about) spent most of their in-between bout time talking about the women there. 

[laagi]

1 hour ago, Gaijin84 said:

The commentators (usually guys that had no idea what they were talking about) spent most of their in-between bout time talking about the women there. 

Talk or TALK lol. But yeah I get your point...