UFC legend Royce Gracie backs California sheriff in bid to replace Newsom

EXCLUSIVE: Pioneer and Ultimate Fighting Championship legend Royce Gracie has endorsed a pro-law enforcement candidate running for governor of California.

One of the biggest names in mixed martial arts and the first UFC champion, Gracie made a name for himself by knocking out much larger opponents with his precision and skill.

He now has political clout in the race to replace term-limited Democratic Gov. Gavin Newsom, who is rumored to have presidential ambitions for 2028.

In a statement to Fox News Digital, Gracie said he approves of Sheriff Chad Bianco’s long-shot bid to replace Newsom in 2026. Gracie, a three-time UFC champion, called Bianco a “fighter” who is “exactly what we need.”

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Riverside County, California Sheriff Chad Bianco announces his 2026 Republican gubernatorial campaign, in the race to succeed term-limited Governor Gavin Newsom, in Riverside, California, February 17, 2025. (Chad Bianco Campaign)

“When Gavin Newsom closed businesses, schools and churches, one person stood against him, Sheriff Chad Bianco,” Gracie told Fox News Digital.

“Chad Bianco did not give up. He is a fighter, and a fighter is exactly what we need as governor of California,” he added, saying: “We need his strength to turn this state around after the mess created by Gavin Newsom.”

Bianco, who is a staunch Trump supporter and sheriff of Riverside County, just east of Los Angeles, announced his candidacy for governor in February, saying, “Californians deserve better.”

He focused his candidacy around restoring safety and a better quality of life in California.

“This campaign will not be about the division between Republicans and Democrats. It will be about the common goal we all have for a better California,” Bianco emphasized during the launch of his campaign.

“As Californians, we want leadership that actually cares about the cost of living…and leaders who will do something about it,” Bianco said in his speech. “We want homes we can afford. We want air conditioning when it’s hot, no recurring power outages. We want water for the crops and animals that feed us. We want the opportunity to realize the California dream, without being prevented from doing so by red tape and government regulation. We want honesty and transparency from our elected officials. We want lower taxes and less government waste. We want sanity restored and the common sense prevails.”

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Jiu-Jitsu black belt Royce Gracie kicks cruiserweight boxer Art Jimmerson during a first round match at the Ultimate Fighter Championships in Denver, Colorado. Gracie won the match and ultimately the championship. (Markus Boes)

Bianco, who has been in law enforcement for more than three decades, was first elected sheriff in 2018. A vocal critic of Newsom and soft on crime policies, Bianco was one of the leaders who helped push California’s Proposition 36 ballot measure to a landslide victory in last November’s election. The measure, which came into force in December, imposes harsher penalties and longer sentences in California for certain drug and theft crimes.

In response to Gracie’s endorsement, Bianco told Fox News Digital that “Californians are waking up and we are going to clean up this state.”

“Gavin Newsom drove out Californians in record numbers,” he said, adding, “I’m grateful for the support of patriots like Royce Gracie.”

Fox News Digital reached out to Newsom’s office for comment but did not receive a statement at the time of publication.

Bianco faces an uphill battle to win as a Republican in deep blue California. It’s been nearly two decades since a Republican won a statewide race.

Although it’s still early, the current front-runner to succeed Newsom is former Democratic Rep. Katie Porter, a progressive who has made resistance to President Donald Trump a central theme of her campaign.

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Republican Sheriff Chad Bianco (left) received the endorsement of UFC legend Royce Gracie (right) for governor of California. (Images courtesy of Chad Bianco Campaign)

Xavier Becerra, former U.S. Secretary of Health and Human Services during the Biden administration and former California attorney general, is also a candidate for the Democratic nomination.

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The Democratic and Republican primaries will be held on June 2 next year and the general election will be held on November 3.