SI.com: Norris Q&A
By Arash Markazi Sports Illustrated
There are many interesting facts in Chuck Norris ‘ resume. He is a six−time undefeated karate world champion. He is the first man in the Western Hemisphere to be awarded an 8th Degree Black Belt Grand Master recognition in Tae Kwan Do. He is Walker, Texas Ranger . Yet, his most famous facts are nowhere to be found.
“Oh, yes, the Chuck Norris Facts,” says Norris. “Some of those may or may not be true.”
Some of his favorites claim that his hand is the only hand that can beat a Royal Flush, that he is the reason why Waldo is hiding and that when he does a push−up, he isn’t pushing himself up, he’s pushing the Earth down.
Norris recently added another fact to his resume when he founded the World Combat League, a full−contact, team−based Martial Arts competition. Last year, his eight−team league drew higher ratings on Versus than the NHL, and he expects to make a larger dent into the ever−popular Mixed Martial Arts arena this year. I recently chatted with Norris about his newest challenge, the comparisons between WCL and UFC, and if any of those “Chuck Norris Facts” are actually factual.
SI.com: When did you first get the idea to start the World Combat League?
Norris: Well, actually it started over 30 years ago. Back in 1974 when I retired from fighting, I decided to start a team concept of kickboxing. I formed a five−person team in Los Angeles, called the L.A. Stars, fighting two, three−minute rounds. I formed teams or organized teams in various cities throughout the country −− Dallas, Detroit, Chicago, New York, and so forth. And I took the L.A. Stars from city to city and we would fight. We were drawing big crowds and I thought, ‘I’m on to something here.’ But at the same time I was trying to break into the film world. Finally, I got an offer to do Good Guys Wear Black , to star in it. I thought, ‘Well, I’ve got to make a decision here’ (laughs). Of course, the film career won out. But it’s been in the back of my mind all these years.
SI.com: So how did it go from the back of your mind to a full−fledged league some three decades later?
Norris: Well, after I finished Walker, Texas Ranger , I started rethinking it. Of course, at that point, martial arts were even more popular than they were 33 years ago. So I thought, ‘How am I going to make the team concept really exciting, where people won’t even have time to get up and go get popcorn or soda?’ I really started thinking that what I want to do is keep it non−stop action, because when you watch the other MMA leagues, there’s spurts of action; but then there’s pausing, you know, off and on action. I want to keep it full throttle. You know, the thing is that I know eventually they’re going to start regulating the “ground and pound.” They’re not going to allow a lot of things that were going on, elbow strikes, and things that are causing a lot of blood. I thought; well, when they go to the ground, a lot of times that slows the action down, the pace. I noticed that the most exciting fighters in the MMA were the guys who were stand−up fighters. So I thought, let’s keep it strictly stand−up.
SI.com: How surprised were you that the WCL actually had higher ratings than the NHL last season? Versus even showed the NHL Awards on tape delay this summer to show a WCL show instead.
Norris: Yeah, truthfully, I didn’t know how WCL would do for the first year. People had to find it, and then to tune in and keep watching it. I didn’t’ think it would be a top−five ratings show. I thought if we were lucky, we’d be in the top 10. For us to be able to become a top−five show on Versus is really incredible.
