UFC 2 alum and kickboxing pioneer Orlando Wiet has died.
Wiet, 60, died Thursday, according to coach Milton Felter. News of his death was first reported by Vechtsport. No cause of death was publicly revealed, but according to social media images, Wiet was hospitalized in February.
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While Wiet’s greatest accomplishments took place in the muay Thai ring, fans of the pioneering UFC days may remember his two bouts in the promotion. Both took place on the same card, UFC 2.
UFC 2 took place March 11, 1994, at Mammoth Gardens in Denver, back when the promotion would host one-night tournaments. Wiet made his pro MMA debut with a sub-three-minute win over Robert Lucarelli, but lost in the tournament quarterfinals minutes later thanks to Remco Pardoel’s elbows.
Nicknamed “The Gladiator,” Wiet was born in Suriname but was a long-time resident of the Netherlands. Wiet finished his pro MMA career with a 1-5 record. But in muay Thai, he went 134-21 and picked up several titles over the span of his 14-year muay Thai career. He also went 8-8 as a professional boxer.
This article originally appeared on MMA Junkie: UFC 2 alum Orlando Wiet dead at 60
