In this powerful episode of Built for This, Carly Pepin sits down with Don “The Dragon” Wilson, one of the most accomplished kickboxers in history and a prolific action film star whose career spans more than four decades.

Don shares how the same principles that made him an eleven-time world champion also allowed him to build a successful second career in Hollywood. From setting clear goals and ignoring naysayers, to mastering fundamentals and refusing to let ego sabotage preparation, Don breaks down the repeatable formula behind sustained excellence.

The conversation moves seamlessly between elite athletics, filmmaking, leadership, and personal growth. Don explains why ego can be useful in controlled doses but destructive when left unchecked. He reveals why humility, preparation, and respect for every role on the team were non-negotiable in both the ring and on set, and why longevity depends on never believing your own hype. This episode is a masterclass in discipline, mastery, and staying grounded while performing at the highest levels.

Key Themes:

• Success Follows a Formula, Not Luck: Why preparation, research, and learning from experts determine whether opportunity becomes achievement.

• Ego as a Tool, Not an Identity: How confidence fuels performance, but unchecked ego leads to complacency and decline.

• Longevity Through Mastery and Humility: Why fundamentals, continuous improvement, and respect for the team create careers that last decades.

Memorable Quotes:

“Don’t believe your own press.”
“Ego becomes a problem when it makes you work less hard.”
“The same principles that made me a champion worked in every other part of my life.”

About Don “The Dragon” Wilson:
Don “The Dragon” Wilson is an eleven-time world kickboxing champion with a four-decade career that includes seventy-two wins and forty-seven knockouts. He was named “the greatest kickboxer in American history” by STAR System Ratings and inducted into the International Sports Hall of Fame in 2015.
After dominating the ring, Don built a second career in film, starring in Bloodfist, Ring of Fire, and dozens of action movies worldwide. He also served as a commentator during the early UFC era, helping introduce martial arts to mainstream audiences. Today, Don is known not only for his titles, but for the discipline, mastery, and humility that defined both of his legendary careers.

Image Credit:
Leo Medvedev (CC BY-SA 4.0)