XL Recreation

The universal Chuck Norris

For younger audiences, he's a myth, that tough guy with a good heart. But in reality, he's a martial arts star, turned actor, turned World Combat League founder

The man (Chuck Norris), the myth ("Guns don't kill people. Chuck Norris kills people."), the legend ("Delta Force," 'Sidekicks," "Walker, Texas Ranger") is bringing his new World Combat League to Austin on Friday, Sept. 22. A team-oriented spectator sport enterprise, the league features fighters who deploy an array of martial-arts styles and are penalized for passivity. The American-Statesman recently got a chance to talk with Norris . . . and lived to write about it.

Austin American-Statesman: Your long-running TV series, "Walker, Texas Ranger," ended in 2001, but you've stayed in the public consciousness as a kind of pop-culture icon. While it seems you've embraced the satirical "Chuck Norris Facts" on the Internet (www.chucknorrisfacts.com), do you think people confuse your TV and movie personalities with the real Chuck Norris?

Chris Carson
FOR AMERICAN-STATESMAN

(enlarge photo)

At 66, Chuck Norris might not be competing actively in martial arts, but he is inspiring a new generation of fighters.

The World Combat League's West Coast Playoffs

• When: 8 p.m. Friday, Sept. 22
• Where: Erwin Center, 1701 Red River St.
• Cost: $20-$100
• Information: 477-6060, www.worldcombatleague.com

XL cover story

• Everybody was (insert martial art here) fighting

Chuck Norris: Maybe a little bit. The thing is that even though "Walker" ended, I'm on the air more now syndicated — not only in the States but worldwide — than I was when "Walker" aired only once a week. But this "Chuck Norris Facts" thing has created a whole new, younger fan base. My fan base was really 30-and-above. "Chuck Norris Facts" started at the college level, moved down to the high-school level. Now it's down in the middle-school level. It's been absolutely incredible. It's mind-boggling.

You have black belts in more than 3,000 different styles of martial arts. Is there a certain style you deem the most effective for fighting?

My system is called chun kuk do. That's the system that all my black belts are a part of. "Chun kuk do" means "universal way," and universal way means a conglomeration of many different systems merged into one. Jujitsu, judo, karate, tae kwon do, they're all merged into one. Over the 46 years that I've been training, I've trained in almost every martial-arts style there is, and I've blended them all together.

If Cordell Walker of "Walker, Texas Ranger" and J.J. McQuade of the movie "Lone Wolf McQuade" were to meet in the World Combat League, who would win?

I'd have to say J.J. McQuade. I was younger back then.

Of today's action-movie star/

martial-arts experts, who is your favorite?

Jackie Chan. Jackie's a great guy, and he's a good friend as well. He's really an incredible athlete.

In 1974, at the age of 34, you retired from competitive fighting after six straight years as World Middleweight Karate Champion. Has putting together the World Combat League ever given you the urge to get back in the ring?

(Laughing) It gives me the urge, but not a big enough urge. You've seen my fighters; I overcome my urge real quick when I see my fighters. But it does bring back memories. It brings back the memories of when I was fighting and the athleticism of these incredible young people. You miss not having that youth to be able to do the things that they do now. But I've been there and done that, so I can always say it was exciting at the time, but now it's their chance.