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UFC 2 Pioneer Orlando Wiet Dies at 60

The early UFC fighter helped bring European muay thai to a global stage.

Overview

  • Coach Milton Felter confirmed Thursday that Orlando Wiet died at age 60 after Dutch outlet Vechtsportinfo first reported the news.
  • Reports describe a long illness before his death, with friend Gregory Tony publicly thanking caregiver Chayem Arezki for months of bedside support.
  • Fans recall his UFC 2 appearance in Denver in 1994, where he stopped Robert Lucarelli before falling to Remco Pardoel in the quarterfinals.
  • The Suriname-born, Netherlands-based striker fought across muay thai, kickboxing, and boxing in Europe and Asia, with tallies that vary due to spotty records from that era.
  • Early UFC events allowed now-banned strikes like soccer kicks and straight-down elbows, which shaped the brutal finishes that marked his two UFC 2 bouts.