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UFC champion Tito Ortiz reveals he fled home state California because of Newsom’s leadership
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UFC champion Tito Ortiz never wanted to leave his home state of California.
Born and raised in Huntington Beach, he became a local leader as a council member and later mayor pro tempore of the city.
It’s where he built his life as a mixed martial arts star.
Tito Ortiz (R) battles Forrest Griffin during their Light Heavyweight Fight at the UFC 106 in 2009 in Las Vegas, Nevada. (2009 Getty Images)
But now, at age 51, with a family, Ortiz believed it was not a feasible place to raise his children.
“I never wanted to leave California. But I left because of the crime, the fraud and the growing threat to the safety of my children. Like millions of other parents, I made the difficult decision to move my family to Florida — not for opportunity, but for protection. No parent should ever be forced to flee their home state to keep their children safe,” Ortiz told Fox News Digital.
Ortiz blames Gov. Gavin Newsom for the conditions that have pushed his family out of the state.
“Gavin Newsom’s failures didn’t start in Sacramento. He helped devastate San Francisco, then exported those same disastrous policies statewide. The result is undeniable: exploding crime, rampant fraud, lawless streets, unaffordable housing, crushed small businesses and families who no longer feel safe in their own communities,” he added.
“California cannot survive more of the same.”
Newsom’s office has responded to Ortiz’s criticisms in a statement to Fox News Digital.
“We’re not sure who Tito Ortiz is, but we wish him well. Bye!” Newsom’s office said.
Ortiz, nicknamed “The Huntington Beach Bad Boy” is a pioneering UFC Hall of Famer and former light heavyweight champion. He held the UFC light heavyweight championship from April 2000 to September 2003, defending it five times.
He finished his professional MMA career with a 21-12-1 record and had his final fight in 2019.
Now, from afar, he hopes to inspire change in his home state by endorsing Riverside County Sheriff Chad Bianco for California governor in 2026.
UFC LEGEND ENDORSES PRO-LAW ENFORCEMENT PICK FOR CALIFORNIA GOVERNOR: ‘WE NEED HIS STRENGTH’
Gov. Gavin Newsom walked back his office’s comments slamming ICE agents during a podcast interview. (Amy Sussman/Getty Images)
For Ortiz, the defining trait that inspires his endorsement is Bianco’s handling of the COVID-19 quarantine in 2020, when the sheriff refused to enforce certain lockdown protocols under Newsom’s leadership.
“Sheriff Chad Bianco is not a career politician. He is a proven leader with courage and integrity,” Ortiz said.
“In 2020, when Gavin Newsom ruled by decree and used fear as a weapon, Sheriff Bianco stood up and refused to enforce unconstitutional lockdowns. He defended churches, small businesses and the fundamental rights of Californians.
“Anyone can talk. Sheriff Bianco acted. When it mattered most, he stood with the people, not the political elite. He has earned my vote, my endorsement and my trust. California deserves leadership that will fight back, restore law and order and put families first again.”
Ortiz joins fellow former UFC fighter and Californian Dan Henderson, who told Fox News Digital in November he is endorsing Bianco.
“It was kind of a blessing that he didn’t shut everything down as long as we were being responsible with everything. I kind of admired how he handled that whole situation,” Henderson said.
“A lot of business owners would have went out of business, and maybe even worse, as far as losing a lot of the things that they had, had he shut all the business down like the governor wanted. … It was more common sense. He didn’t panic and think the world was going to end.”
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Bianco is the frontrunner for the state’s 2026 gubernatorial election in several polls, including January polls from EMC Research and Public Policy Polling.
Bianco’s biggest challenger in the upcoming race appears to be fellow Republican Steve Hilton, who has been at or near the top of recent polls with the sheriff.
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LAS VEGAS (FOX5) — One woman is dead following a head-on collision on US-95 Sunday afternoon.
Nevada Highway Patrol responded to a report of a crash at 4:41 p.m. at mile marker 105, approximately 45 miles north of Beatty. The crash involved two sport utility vehicles.
One adult female driver was confirmed dead at the scene. The other driver was transported to a local area hospital with injuries.
MORE ON FOX5: Report: Nevada traffic deaths down 33% for April
No road closures are in effect. Investigations are being conducted on the southbound shoulder area.
Nevada Highway Patrol, a division of the Nevada State Police, is asking motorists to slow down and use caution in the area as troopers and investigators work at the scene.
Further information will be provided following the preliminary investigation.
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Damon Bankston, RB
Height: 5’ 10 ⅜”
Weight: 196 lbs
Class: Fifth-year Senior
School: New Mexico
Hands: 9 ½”
Arm Length: 30 ⅞”
Wingspan: 72 ⅝”
40-Yard Dash: 4.44 seconds
Bench Press: 21 reps
Vertical: 33”
Broad Jump: 10’ 3”
20-Yard Shuttle: 4.32 seconds
3-Cone: 6.89 seconds
STATS
Damon Bankston was an unranked running back recruit from Katy Paetow in Katy, Texas, who enrolled at Weber State, an FCS school in Ogden, Utah.
Bankston would stay at Weber State from 2021 to 2024 before transferring to New Mexico for his final season of college football in 2025.
As a redshirt senior, Bankston would rack up 635 rushing yards, 397 receiving yards, and 8 scrimmage touchdowns, as well as another 434 kick return yards and two touchdowns on just 12 returns.
Strengths
- Explosive athlete with elite acceleration
- Soft, natural hands as a pass-catcher out of the backfield
- Solid vision when operating in zone run schemes
- Usually a patient runner before accelerating through gaps
- Plays very quick as a runner with a bit of a choppy style
- Eliminates tackle angles with acceleration
- Can make defenders miss in space with a solid juke move
- Kick return specialist with two return touchdowns in 2025
- Willing as a pass protector in the backfield
Weaknesses
- Likely won’t be able to survive through contact often against NFL-caliber defenders
- Questionable ability to run between the tackles at the next level
- Not necessarily a weakness but only one year of FBS film, not sure how he’ll adapt to NFL game speed
- Questionable size to succeed in pass protection
- Ball security was an issue for him in 2025, including two fumbles in one game against Colorado State
- Play strength is a concern with contact balance, ball security, pass protection, and the ability to be an all-around back
Summary
Bankston will at best be a change-of-pace back in the NFL who never handles a significant workload.
Carving out a role as a return specialist should be the goal for Bankston to make the roster in 2026, which will also be a tall task for him to solidify with Deonte Banks back for the Giants in 2026.
Bankston, who at this point is probably more of a practice squad candidate, can definitely provide some juice on special teams as a kickoff returner. In college he averaged 36.2 yards per return and had two returns for touchdown, showing some explosiveness.
The step up in competition from the FCS to FBS for Bankston caused him to be less consistent with creating yards after contact and making defenders miss.
It’s fair to estimate that with another step up in competition, Bankston could once again see a decrease in that ability to create.
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