Latest news with #TheOctagon
American Military News
12-05-2025
- Entertainment
- American Military News
Richard Norton, stunt veteran who sparred with Chuck Norris and Jackie Chan, dies at 75
Richard Norton, a veteran stunt performer, actor and martial artist who traded blows with action icons including Chuck Norris and Jackie Chan, has died. He was 75. Norton's wife Judy Norton announced her husband's death in an emotional Instagram post shared over the weekend. 'I am numb and devastated, I have no words I have lost my everything,' Judy Norton said. The post did not disclose additional information, including a cause of death. Norton was 75. 'I know there is, and will be lots of love and shock that we lost this incredible human being. The love of my life,' she added. 'I'm using this time to come to terms with my great loss.' Norton, born in Croydon, Australia, in January 1950, enjoyed a varied career that spanned from the 1980s to 2024 and resulted in on-screen battles against Norris in 'The Octagon' and Chan in 'City Hunter.' He also sparred against Hong Kong action star Sammo Hung in several films including 'Mr. Nice Guy' and fought alongside martial arts queen Cynthia Rothrock in 'China O'Brien,' 'Lady Dragon' and more. Norris mourned the loss of his 'dear friend and brother' on Sunday, sharing behind-the-scenes photos and pictures of their on-screen battles on Instagram. He said Norton 'made me not only a better martial artist but a better person' and that the performer's legacy will live on. To Norris, Norton was 'one of the finest men I've ever known.' 'I long for more time together, but I take comfort in the fact that we will meet again,' Norris wrote, before sending his love to Norton's family. 'Guardians of the Galaxy' filmmaker and DC Studios boss James Gunn also paid tribute to Norton over the weekend, remembering his work on 'The Suicide Squad' as a fight choreographer. Gunn said in a Sunday Instagram post that he and Norton bonded over their love for '90s Hong Kong films, and that he was 'particularly surprised' to learn about Norton's death because he said the martial arts expert came off much younger than he actually was. Gunn sent his condolences to Norton's family and collaborators. 'The film world will be a less vibrant place without him,' Gunn said. 'Rest in Peace, friend.' Norton's acting credits also include 'Force: Five,' 'Gymkata,' 'Furiosa: A Mad Max Saga,' 'Magic Crystal,' 'Twinkle, Twinkle, Lucky Stars,' 'The Amazing Spider-Man' and the CBS series 'Walker, Texas Ranger.' In addition to showcasing his action chops, Norton also helped several A-listers improve theirs. Liam Neeson, Margot Robbie, Charlize Theron, Anya Taylor-Joy, Will Smith and Ben Affleck are among the actors who trained under Norton throughout his career. Norton, whose dynamic fighting style earned praise from Chan, began his martial arts career at age 11 after joining a neighbor to his judo class, according to an interview on his website. 'I ended up going along with him one night and was absolutely intrigued by it. The only downside was that I was pretty small and skinny as an 11-year-old so I ended up being cannon fodder for some of the older, bigger students,' he said. Before his Hollywood career, Norton channeled his physical abilities as a club security guard and eventually a bodyguard for musical acts including David Bowie, the Rolling Stones, Linda Ronstadt, ABBA and Fleetwood Mac back in the '70s. Later in life Norton maintained his physicality with consistent training and by devoting himself to Brazilian jiujitsu. A sixth-degree black belt, Norton also created the Richard Norton Brazilian Jiujitsu Association, which helped bring the martial art to various clubs and organizations across South Wales, Australia and to Norris' United Fighting Arts Federation. ___ © 2025 Los Angeles Times. Distributed by Tribune Content Agency, LLC.
CNN
13-04-2025
- Entertainment
- CNN
Trump trades the Oval Office for The Octagon with UFC appearance
President Donald Trump traded the Oval Office for The Octagon on Saturday night. The president arrived to raucous applause at the Kaseya Center in Miami, participating in the 'walkout' traditionally reserved for athletes as he became the first sitting president to attend a UFC event. Trump, who walked out ahead of the featherweight title bout between Australian Alexander Volkanovski and Diego Lopes of Brazil, was joined by close ally Elon Musk, along with top administration officials, including Secretary of State Marco Rubio, Health and Human Services Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr., Director of National Intelligence Tulsi Gabbard and FBI Director Kash Patel. Trump was spotted embracing UFC CEO Dana White, as well as podcast host Joe Rogan and basketball legend Shaquille O'Neal, on the arena floor. His attendance at the late-night fight underscores his reemergence in the American pop cultural mainstream as he deploys the trappings of office to attend some of the nation's premier sporting events. It also highlights his long and loyal ties to the UFC organization and its CEO, Dana White, and the alignment between the mixed martial arts brand and the young men who propelled Trump back to the White House. With the exception of nearly weekly trips to his Mar-a-Lago property in South Florida, the president's domestic travel has been rare during his second term. But since taking office, he has flown aboard Air Force One to attend the Super Bowl in New Orleans, the Daytona 500 in Daytona Beach, and the NCAA men's wrestling championships in Philadelphia. His warm reception at those events has emphasized his transformation from a pariah and punchline of American popular culture back to the status he enjoyed during his 'Apprentice' days. 'President Trump and the UFC are cultural icons. He is a fan of the sport and the elite competitive spirit of all the athletes who step into the Octagon,' White House communications director Steven Cheung told CNN. Cheung added, 'He'll be sitting cage side, like he always does, and the crowd will erupt in applause as he makes his signature walkout.' Trump, who has long styled himself a 'fighter,' successfully tapped into the male-oriented podcast sphere during his 2024 campaign, boosting his turnout among low-propensity voters as he and top surrogates leaned into interviews with Rogan, Barstool Sports' 'Bussin' With The Boys,' and Andrew Schulz's 'Flagrant,' among others – offering listeners long-form, unfiltered and un-fact-checked conversations. Many male-oriented podcasters discuss physical fitness, promote traditional traits of masculinity and often share a deep appreciation for mixed martial arts, specifically UFC. Founded in 1993, UFC has emerged as a mainstream, major sporting organization in recent years — in parallel, in some ways, to Trump's political ascendance. In 2019, the sport announced a deal with the Walt Disney Company to broadcast its 'Fight Night' events on ESPN+, and UFC broadcasts now reach an estimated 975 million households across 170 countries, according to a recent press release. Trump has supported the brand for decades, most recently attending a UFC event shortly after his November election victory at New York City's Madison Square Garden, where he was cheered upon his arrival to a ringside seat, feted with a special video celebrating his win, and flanked by White, Kid Rock, House Speaker Mike Johnson, Tucker Carlson and Donald Trump Jr. Like with many of the president's closest allies, Trump's longtime friendship with the UFC CEO is one forged in loyalty. In White's early days with the organization, he was struggling to secure venues for his fights. Trump agreed to host the event at the Trump Taj Mahal in Atlantic City in 2001. 'Nobody wanted to give him a ring because they said it's a rough sport, a little rough. And I helped him out a little bit and I went and they said, 'This is the roughest sport I've ever seen.' But I began to like it and he loved it, and nobody's done a better job in sports,' Trump said during his 2024 victory speech in West Palm Beach as White joined the new president-elect's nearest and dearest onstage. White emerged as a key surrogate for Trump in 2024 as his campaign sought to bolster its appeal to young men. UFC has a plugged-in fan base on and offline — boasting tens of millions of followers on social media. One of its biggest stars, Conor McGregor, has 46.7 million Instagram followers. So when the time came for the then-former president to select someone to introduce him at the Republican National Convention in July 2024, Trump, who was introduced by daughter Ivanka in 2020 and wife Melania in 2016, went with White. 'I'm in the tough guy business, and this man is the toughest, most resilient human being that I've ever met in my life,' White said in his remarks, calling Trump a 'real American bada**.' This story has been updated with additional information.
Yahoo
12-04-2025
- Entertainment
- Yahoo
Trump to trade the Oval Office for The Octagon with UFC appearance
President Donald Trump is trading the Oval Office for The Octagon on Saturday night. The president is set to attend UFC 314 in Miami, where Australian Alexander Volkanovski is set to take on Diego Lopes of Brazil in the featherweight title bout. His attendance at the late-night fight underscores his reemergence in the American pop cultural mainstream as he deploys the trappings of office to attend some of the nation's premier sporting events. It also highlights his long and loyal ties to the UFC organization and its CEO, Dana White, and the alignment between the mixed martial arts brand and the young men who propelled Trump back to the White House. With the exception of nearly weekly trips to his Mar-a-Lago property in South Florida, the president's domestic travel has been rare during his second term. But since taking office, he has flown aboard Air Force One to attend the Super Bowl in New Orleans, the Daytona 500 in Daytona Beach, and the NCAA men's wrestling championships in Philadelphia. His warm reception at those events has emphasized his transformation from a pariah and punchline of American popular culture back to the status he enjoyed during his 'Apprentice' days. 'President Trump and the UFC are cultural icons. He is a fan of the sport and the elite competitive spirit of all the athletes who step into the Octagon,' White House communications director Steven Cheung told CNN. Cheung added, 'He'll be sitting cage side, like he always does, and the crowd will erupt in applause as he makes his signature walkout.' Trump, who has long styled himself a 'fighter,' successfully tapped into the male-oriented podcast sphere during his 2024 campaign, boosting his turnout among low-propensity voters as he and top surrogates leaned into interviews with host Joe Rogan, Barstool Sports' 'Bussin' With The Boys,' and Andrew Schulz's 'Flagrant,' among others – offering listeners long-form, unfiltered and un-fact-checked conversations. Many male-oriented podcasters discuss physical fitness, promote traditional traits of masculinity and often share a deep appreciation for mixed martial arts, specifically UFC. Founded in 1993, UFC has emerged as a mainstream, major sporting organization in recent years — in parallel, in some ways, to Trump's political ascendance. In 2019, the sport announced a deal with the Walt Disney Company to broadcast its 'Fight Night' events on ESPN+, and UFC broadcasts now reach an estimated 975 million households across 170 countries, according to a recent press release. Trump has supported the brand for decades, most recently attending a UFC event shortly after his November election victory at New York City's Madison Square Garden, where he was cheered upon his arrival to a ringside seat, feted with a special video celebrating his win, and flanked by White, Kid Rock, House Speaker Mike Johnson, Tucker Carlson and Donald Trump Jr. Like with many of the president's closest allies, Trump's longtime friendship with the UFC CEO is one forged in loyalty. In White's early days with the organization, he was struggling to secure venues for his fights. Trump agreed to host the event at the Trump Taj Mahal in Atlantic City in 2001. 'Nobody wanted to give him a ring because they said it's a rough sport, a little rough. And I helped him out a little bit and I went and they said, 'This is the roughest sport I've ever seen.' But I began to like it and he loved it, and nobody's done a better job in sports,' Trump said during his 2024 victory speech in West Palm Beach as White joined the new president-elect's nearest and dearest onstage. White emerged as a key surrogate for Trump in 2024 as his campaign sought to bolster its appeal to young men. UFC has a plugged-in fan base on and offline — boasting tens of millions of followers on social media. One of its biggest stars, Conor McGregor, has 46.7 million Instagram followers. So when the time came for the then-former president to select someone to introduce him at the Republican National Convention in July 2024, Trump, who was introduced by daughter Ivanka in 2020 and wife Melania in 2016, went with White. 'I'm in the tough guy business, and this man is the toughest, most resilient human being that I've ever met in my life,' White said in his remarks, calling Trump a 'real American bada**.' CNN's Donie O'Sullivan contributed to this report.
CNN
12-04-2025
- Entertainment
- CNN
Trump to trade the Oval Office for The Octagon with UFC appearance
President Donald Trump is trading the Oval Office for The Octagon on Saturday night. The president is set to attend UFC 314 in Miami, where Australian Alexander Volkanovski is set to take on Diego Lopes of Brazil in the featherweight title bout. His attendance at the late-night fight underscores his reemergence in the American pop cultural mainstream as he deploys the trappings of office to attend some of the nation's premier sporting events. It also highlights his long and loyal ties to the UFC organization and its CEO, Dana White, and the alignment between the mixed martial arts brand and the young men who propelled Trump back to the White House. With the exception of nearly weekly trips to his Mar-a-Lago property in South Florida, the president's domestic travel has been rare during his second term. But since taking office, he has flown aboard Air Force One to attend the Super Bowl in New Orleans, the Daytona 500 in Daytona Beach, and the NCAA men's wrestling championships in Philadelphia. His warm reception at those events has emphasized his transformation from a pariah and punchline of American popular culture back to the status he enjoyed during his 'Apprentice' days. 'President Trump and the UFC are cultural icons. He is a fan of the sport and the elite competitive spirit of all the athletes who step into the Octagon,' White House communications director Steven Cheung told CNN. Cheung added, 'He'll be sitting cage side, like he always does, and the crowd will erupt in applause as he makes his signature walkout.' Trump, who has long styled himself a 'fighter,' successfully tapped into the male-oriented podcast sphere during his 2024 campaign, boosting his turnout among low-propensity voters as he and top surrogates leaned into interviews with host Joe Rogan, Barstool Sports' 'Bussin' With The Boys,' and Andrew Schulz's 'Flagrant,' among others – offering listeners long-form, unfiltered and un-fact-checked conversations. Many male-oriented podcasters discuss physical fitness, promote traditional traits of masculinity and often share a deep appreciation for mixed martial arts, specifically UFC. Founded in 1993, UFC has emerged as a mainstream, major sporting organization in recent years — in parallel, in some ways, to Trump's political ascendance. In 2019, the sport announced a deal with the Walt Disney Company to broadcast its 'Fight Night' events on ESPN+, and UFC broadcasts now reach an estimated 975 million households across 170 countries, according to a recent press release. Trump has supported the brand for decades, most recently attending a UFC event shortly after his November election victory at New York City's Madison Square Garden, where he was cheered upon his arrival to a ringside seat, feted with a special video celebrating his win, and flanked by White, Kid Rock, House Speaker Mike Johnson, Tucker Carlson and Donald Trump Jr. Like with many of the president's closest allies, Trump's longtime friendship with the UFC CEO is one forged in loyalty. In White's early days with the organization, he was struggling to secure venues for his fights. Trump agreed to host the event at the Trump Taj Mahal in Atlantic City in 2001. 'Nobody wanted to give him a ring because they said it's a rough sport, a little rough. And I helped him out a little bit and I went and they said, 'This is the roughest sport I've ever seen.' But I began to like it and he loved it, and nobody's done a better job in sports,' Trump said during his 2024 victory speech in West Palm Beach as White joined the new president-elect's nearest and dearest onstage. White emerged as a key surrogate for Trump in 2024 as his campaign sought to bolster its appeal to young men. UFC has a plugged-in fan base on and offline — boasting tens of millions of followers on social media. One of its biggest stars, Conor McGregor, has 46.7 million Instagram followers. So when the time came for the then-former president to select someone to introduce him at the Republican National Convention in July 2024, Trump, who was introduced by daughter Ivanka in 2020 and wife Melania in 2016, went with White. 'I'm in the tough guy business, and this man is the toughest, most resilient human being that I've ever met in my life,' White said in his remarks, calling Trump a 'real American bada**.'
CNN
12-04-2025
- Entertainment
- CNN
Trump to trade the Oval Office for The Octagon with UFC appearance
President Donald Trump is trading the Oval Office for The Octagon on Saturday night. The president is set to attend UFC 314 in Miami, where Australian Alexander Volkanovski is set to take on Diego Lopes of Brazil in the featherweight title bout. His attendance at the late-night fight underscores his reemergence in the American pop cultural mainstream as he deploys the trappings of office to attend some of the nation's premier sporting events. It also highlights his long and loyal ties to the UFC organization and its CEO, Dana White, and the alignment between the mixed martial arts brand and the young men who propelled Trump back to the White House. With the exception of nearly weekly trips to his Mar-a-Lago property in South Florida, the president's domestic travel has been rare during his second term. But since taking office, he has flown aboard Air Force One to attend the Super Bowl in New Orleans, the Daytona 500 in Daytona Beach, and the NCAA men's wrestling championships in Philadelphia. His warm reception at those events has emphasized his transformation from a pariah and punchline of American popular culture back to the status he enjoyed during his 'Apprentice' days. 'President Trump and the UFC are cultural icons. He is a fan of the sport and the elite competitive spirit of all the athletes who step into the Octagon,' White House communications director Steven Cheung told CNN. Cheung added, 'He'll be sitting cage side, like he always does, and the crowd will erupt in applause as he makes his signature walkout.' Trump, who has long styled himself a 'fighter,' successfully tapped into the male-oriented podcast sphere during his 2024 campaign, boosting his turnout among low-propensity voters as he and top surrogates leaned into interviews with host Joe Rogan, Barstool Sports' 'Bussin' With The Boys,' and Andrew Schulz's 'Flagrant,' among others – offering listeners long-form, unfiltered and un-fact-checked conversations. Many male-oriented podcasters discuss physical fitness, promote traditional traits of masculinity and often share a deep appreciation for mixed martial arts, specifically UFC. Founded in 1993, UFC has emerged as a mainstream, major sporting organization in recent years — in parallel, in some ways, to Trump's political ascendance. In 2019, the sport announced a deal with the Walt Disney Company to broadcast its 'Fight Night' events on ESPN+, and UFC broadcasts now reach an estimated 975 million households across 170 countries, according to a recent press release. Trump has supported the brand for decades, most recently attending a UFC event shortly after his November election victory at New York City's Madison Square Garden, where he was cheered upon his arrival to a ringside seat, feted with a special video celebrating his win, and flanked by White, Kid Rock, House Speaker Mike Johnson, Tucker Carlson and Donald Trump Jr. Like with many of the president's closest allies, Trump's longtime friendship with the UFC CEO is one forged in loyalty. In White's early days with the organization, he was struggling to secure venues for his fights. Trump agreed to host the event at the Trump Taj Mahal in Atlantic City in 2001. 'Nobody wanted to give him a ring because they said it's a rough sport, a little rough. And I helped him out a little bit and I went and they said, 'This is the roughest sport I've ever seen.' But I began to like it and he loved it, and nobody's done a better job in sports,' Trump said during his 2024 victory speech in West Palm Beach as White joined the new president-elect's nearest and dearest onstage. White emerged as a key surrogate for Trump in 2024 as his campaign sought to bolster its appeal to young men. UFC has a plugged-in fan base on and offline — boasting tens of millions of followers on social media. One of its biggest stars, Conor McGregor, has 46.7 million Instagram followers. So when the time came for the then-former president to select someone to introduce him at the Republican National Convention in July 2024, Trump, who was introduced by daughter Ivanka in 2020 and wife Melania in 2016, went with White. 'I'm in the tough guy business, and this man is the toughest, most resilient human being that I've ever met in my life,' White said in his remarks, calling Trump a 'real American bada**.'
