Chuck Norris Presents World Combat League

Chuck Norris is a Star Defined By Action
and His World Combat League is Here To Prove it!

By Jeff Duclos

By the 1970s Chuck Norris, through his teaching and as six-time undefeated World Professional Middle Weight Karate Champion, had already revolutionized martial arts in the United States. He was also in the process of taking this exciting individual sport to a whole new level by transitioning it into a team event when he was faced with a career choice: continue to build upon the team combat martial arts format he had pioneered, or commit himself to a film acting career.

After starring in more than 20 major motion pictures, beginning with “Good Guys Wear Black” in 1977, and a television series “Walker, Texas Ranger,” which is the most successful Saturday night series on CBS since “Gunsmoke,” it is clear acting and producing was the right choice. Fortunately for Texas martial arts fans, he did not forsake his vision of elevating his sport to a regional competitive team event not unlike the NBA or NFL. Chuck Norris is bringing the crowd pleasing, full throttle action of his recently launched World Combat League to the Frank Erwin Center on Friday, September 22 as the first ever WCL West Coast Playoffs get underway. The League’s signature brand of fast paced striking action will be center ring at the Erwin Center as the Houston Enforcers square off against the Los Angeles Stars and the Texas Dragons take on the Oklahoma Destroyers.

“I have always believed that the combat martial arts, if presented correctly, could be a major, top five, professional sport,” says Norris. “Our goal with the World Combat League is to bring together the world’s most skilled martial arts experts by region and to provide sports fans with an unmatched level of fighting action in every second of each round of every team contest. When you combine this unprecedented level of action with the thrill of cheering for your favorite team and following their progress throughout an entire league season, along with the family friendly environment we have created, it’s pretty hard to resist.”

Unlike forms of professional mixed martial arts, there is no wrestling or grappling allowed in the WCL to slow things down. Since each team member only fights a three minute match in each half of the contest (rather than five to 12 consecutive rounds) they must really “let it fly” in order to earn as many points for their team as possible. To ensure the action, WCL rules penalize clinching, stalling, or anything that slows the pace and is considered by the referee as “passivity.”

Another groundbreaking aspect of the WCL is that each six-member team features one woman competitor. “I have to admit that, when I started taking applications for fighters, I saw this as an all male league,” Norris adds. “I was overwhelmed by emails from women martial artists who were saying ‘Hey, what about us?’ So I rethought it. So far, some of our most exciting matches have been between our female competitors.”

Norris also points out that proceeds from World Combat League go to support his life-skills nonprofit foundation, KickStart, which is the League’s official charity.

“While I wanted to create a vehicle for championship caliber martial artists to make a living pursuing their sport, I also wanted to create a mechanism to support the expansion of my foundation, both nationally and internationally,” says Norris. Created in 1992, teaching 150 public middle school children in Houston martial arts as part of their PE curriculum, “KickStart” now serves more than 5,000 youngsters year-round at 35 schools in Dallas and Houston. To date, KickStart has worked with more than 40,000 at risk kids, with many going on to college and careers and becoming successful members of their community.

With his event at the Erwin Center, Norris sees the League taking a significant step toward meeting both of the above goals. “The Erwin Center is one of the premiere sporting venues in the country,” Norris notes. “We are thrilled to be here.”

Seven-time World Karate Champion Raymond “Real Deal” Daniels of the Los Angeles Stars (left) is sure to electrify fans with knockout skills.