The son of Norway’s Crown Princess Mette-Marit, Marius Borg Høiby, has been sentenced to four years in prison following a conviction for rape.

After a six-week trial, Høiby was found guilty on two counts of rape, with the proceedings also revealing troubling claims of violence, drug use, and sexual misconduct.

An Oslo court convicted him of assaulting his former girlfriend, Nora Haukland, making threats, and various traffic violations. However, he was cleared of two additional rape accusations.

The 29-year-old faced charges of sexually assaulting four women who were either asleep or incapacitated between 2018 and 2024.

This conviction represents a significant downfall for Høiby, who was raised in the public spotlight after his mother wed Crown Prince Haakon in 2001, when he was only four years old.

Although he does not hold a royal title or carry out official duties, he has long been closely associated with the Norwegian royal family.

Judge Jon Sverdrup Efjestad handed down the sentence after hearing evidence linked to 40 charges, including four alleged rapes, assaults, breaches of restraining orders, drug offences and driving violations. One charge relating to a restraining-order violation was overturned.

The court heard how Høiby’s drug addiction spiralled in recent years, while investigators presented more than 800 messages and a series of self-made videos of sexual encounters as evidence during the trial.

Hoiby, 29, Mette-Marit’s son from a relationship prior to her 2001 marriage to Crown Prince Haakon, was accused of 40 charges 

Norway’s Marius Borg Hoiby on his way to a meeting with his lawyer in Oslo, Norway,in January 

Crown Princess Mette-Marit of Norway’s health has deteriorated – and she is on the lung transplant list (pictured in May)

One alleged rape took place in the basement of the Crown Prince’s family home, the court was told. 

Høiby, who denied the most serious allegations while admitting to some lesser offences, was not physically present in court for the verdict and instead joined proceedings via video link. 

The verdict comes at an especially difficult time for Høiby’s mother, Crown Princess Mette-Marit, whose health has deteriorated sharply in recent months.

She suffers from pulmonary fibrosis, a progressive lung disease that makes breathing increasingly difficult. 

Earlier this month she was placed on Norway’s national lung transplant waiting list after her condition worsened.

Last week, Oslo District Court initially approved Høiby’s release from custody so he could spend time with his mother while she awaits a transplant. 

However, prosecutors appealed the decision and a higher court overturned the ruling, meaning he remained behind bars ahead of Monday’s verdict.

The royal family has also faced renewed scrutiny over Mette-Marit’s past association with convicted sex offender Jeffrey Epstein.

The Epstein files revealed that frequent communication between her and Epstein occurred long after he pleaded guilty in 2008 to soliciting an underage girl. 

Additional drama is simultaneously unfolding for the royal family with the upcoming arrival of a second reality TV show by King Harald and Queen Sonja’s eldest daughter, Princess Martha Louise, and her ‘shaman’ husband, Durek Verrett.

The Nowegian royal family pictured during the confirmation of Princess Ingrid Alexandra (centre) in 2019

Princess Martha Louise and Shaman Durek Verrett are pictured at a gala dinner in Oslo in 2022

The couple wed on 31 August 2024 in Norway and now live in a penthouse in Oslo 

The couple’s first Netflix show, Rebel Royals: An Unlikely Love Story, took an ‘intimate look’ at the love story between Martha Louise and the Hollywood ‘half-reptilian and bisexual’ shaman.

The film followed the couple as they ‘navigated a swirl of controversy’ and prepared for their wedding, which took place in the picturesque small town of Geiranger in 2024.

In a move dubbed ‘Norway’s Megxit’, Martha Louise relinquished her royal role in November 2022.

Eyebrows were raised when the princess first began dating Verrett, who holds some controversial and pseudoscientific views, including that cancer in children can be caused by ‘being unhappy’.

The couple were introduced by friends in 2019 and have claimed to have known each other in a past life, specifically from ancient Egypt.

Their latest reality TV venture adds to what has been one of the toughest periods for the Norwegian throne in modern times.

A tragic mid-air collision over Rio de Janeiro resulted in a passenger leaping from a helicopter carrying YouTuber Oliver Tree. This devastating crash involved two helicopters and resulted in the deaths of four friends and two pilots.

Before the accident, Oliver Tree was documenting his adventures across Brazil through a series of heartfelt videos, which were posted online just hours before the fatal incident.

The American musician, aged 32, lost his life on a Sunday morning while in Brazil as part of his extensive world tour covering 30 countries.

Known to many as Tree, Oliver and five others perished in the collision that took place above an electric car dealership in Rio.

This tragic event claimed the lives of Tree, Argentinian YouTuber Gaspar Prim, 23, popularly known as Gaspi, Argentine director and screenwriter Lucas Vignale, 29, Brazilian music producer Lucas Brito Chaves, 21, and the pilots Alexandre Souza and Charles Marsillac.

One witness described seeing a helicopter in flames after the collision and saw a passenger jump to his death from the other aircraft before both hit the ground.

‘It was terrifying, absolutely horrifying,’ tyre worker Fernandes de Freitas said.

But days earlier he had shared poignant footage of himself playing football as World Cup fever sweeps across the South American country, which has won the championship five times.

Tree was also filmed cooking steaks, riding a motorbike through Rio and singing with local influencers in videos captioned ‘American for the 1st time in Brazil’ and ‘Gringo 24 horas no Brasil.’

Photos showed the devastating aftermath of the crash, which saw the two aircrafts and vehicles on the ground burst into flames with at least one person on the aircraft trying to jump to safety.

Officials are now scouring through the wreckage to determine how the tragedy happened.

The 32-year-old, who had 2.6million followers on Instagram and had appeared on shows with British YouTube star KSI, had just started a world tour across 30 countries.

Tree, who first rose to fame as a teenager in 2010, was due to tour Europe in July before heading to the US, Australia, and China.

Internet star and singer Oliver Tree (L) was seen travelling through Brazil on the trip of a lifetime in bittersweet videos just days before he was tragically killed in a helicopter crash. Pictured with YouTube star Iae Break days before the deadly incident 

Photos showed the devastating aftermath of the crash, which saw aircraft and vehicles on the ground burst into flames, with officials now scouring through the wreckage to determine the cause 

An aerial view shows the aftermath of a helicopter crash in the Recreio dos Bandeirantes neighbourhood in Rio

A man walks past parts of a helicopter following a deadly collision between two helicopters 

His death sparked an outpouring of grief from fans and fellow content creators, with KSI saying he felt ‘genuinely sick’ on hearing the news in a heartfelt tribute.

Posting photos of the pair together on social media, KSI wrote: ‘Can’t believe I’m actually having to type this. You’re 32 man. You should still be here. You still had so much life to live.

‘So much music to make. So much content to make. You’re a legend and will always be a legend. Still doesn’t feel real. Genuinely feel sick. I love you bro.’

It came just months after Tree revealed none of his estate would be passed onto family, claiming all of his money would instead go into a foundation for child artists.

Tree had been due to perform in the U.S. and Europe over the next few months as part of his ‘Love You Madly, Hate You Badly World’s First’ tour, and had been enjoying a week off in Brazil when the tragedy happened.

In a clip posted Tuesday, Tree compared dance moves with Brazilian content creator Akihito in an exchange he described as ‘absolute cinema.’ 

Akihito wrote in a message (translated from Portuguese) on his Instagram Stories Sunday: ‘I’m so sorry to all of Oliver’s family and friends because he was very loved, incredible, and talented.’

In a separate post, Tree was seen singing and dancing with Brazilian content creator Lucas Vinícius.

Tree’s death sparked an outpouring of grief from fans and fellow content creators, with KSI saying he felt ‘genuinely sick’ on hearing the news in a heartfelt tribute 

KSI was among those who paid memorial to the charismatic late singer, saying it was surreal as the reality of the grim situation set in 

‘Brazilian rock is a million times better than American rock,’ Tree captioned the post.

Vinícius in an Instagram Stories memorial (translated from Portuguese) on Sunday said the news of Oliver’s passing marked a ‘reminder our fragility is delivered to us in such a heartbreaking way.’

He said that his ‘brief encounter’ with the late singer taught him ‘a lesson in what it means to be intense and respect our inherent desire to connect without constraints.

‘To dive headfirst into free will and the cultures that the universe kindly makes available to us and extract the maximum from everything.’

Vinícius said he took comfort knowing that Tree left a lasting legacy with those who he connected with.

‘The comfort will be knowing that I, and anyone fortunate enough to have our paths intertwined with yours, inevitably carry with us and preserve a part of a free and enviable spirit that was put to rest far too soon,’ Vinícius said.

In a clip with YouTube star Iae Break posted Saturday, Tree was seen playing soccer, cooking, getting his bangs trimmed and showing off a replica of the FIFA World Cup trophy.

Break posted a clip to Instagram Stories with a series of crying emojis and a selfie that indicated he had wept amid the tragic news of Tree’s passing.

Tree chronicled his last days on social media prior to his death at 32 in a helicopter collision in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil on Sunday. Pictured last month headed to the EDC Las Vegas 

In a seperate post he was seen singing and dancing with Brazilian content creator Lucas Vinícius 

In one clip posted Tuesday, Tree compared dance moves with Brazilian content creator Akihito in an exchange he described as ‘absolute cinema.’ 

He added, ‘I can’t believe you guys are gone’ in an adjacent post of him posing with the beloved late entertainer.

The enigmatic late performer donned a Shrek costume for an April 24 interview on the Zach Sang Show in support of his album Love You Madly Hate You Badly.

He said in the interview of his material, ‘I don’t believe that any of the wealth or the things that get made from it is mine.

‘And so when I die, set it up, my will is set up that when I pass, my family, no one’s gonna get a penny; if I have a wife or kids or anything, [they’re] not getting a f***ing penny.’

Tree, who was not married and did not have any children, continued, ‘I’ll get my kids through college, that the agreement, but they’re not going to be a silver spoon. They’re taken care of “because my dad worked on some stuff in the 2000s.”‘

In a clip with YouTube star Iae Break posted Saturday, both were seen flashing peace signs 

The enigmatic late performer donned a Shrek costume for an April 24 interview on the Zach Sang Show in support of his album Love You Madly Hate You Badly 

Tree said of posthumous recognition less than two months ago, ‘People will finally appreciate my stupid f***ing videos, my f***ing stupid songs – that’s when people appreciate you when you’re not there anymore’

Tree said that he wanted to put his money back into the arts following his passing.

‘The idea is when I die, all the money’s gonna go back to artists,’ Tree said. ‘So I’ve set up a foundation. It’s called Dr. Oliver Tree’s Art Grants for Baby Geniuses.

‘And it’s set up so that basically the interest generated from my music will take mostly that, but there’s also room for other money because when I die, my art will continue to have residuals – and probably be worth more than it is now.’

Tree spoke about how ‘historically speaking,’ interest ‘in artist’s work go up after they die.’

He added, ‘People will finally appreciate my stupid f***ing videos, my f***ing stupid songs – that’s when people appreciate you when you’re not there anymore.

‘Anyways, they might not, doesn’t even make a difference … the art will continue to make money no matter what.’ 

John Stamos sought wisdom from the King of Cool, and received unforgettable guidance in return.

The “Full House” star first gained prominence playing Blackie Parrish on “General Hospital” between 1982 and 1984. By the end of his stint, Stamos was eager to break free from the soap opera mold and demonstrate his versatility.

“When I decided to leave ‘General Hospital,’ the producer, Gloria Monty, tried to persuade me to stay,” Stamos shared in a vintage clip from Joseph Sibilia’s “Friars Club Podcast,” which was recently featured on “Nostalgia Tonight with Joe Sibilia.”

“I wanted to try my hand at comedy and be part of a sitcom, ideally one by Garry Marshall,” explained Stamos, now 62. “Gloria took me to the renowned Le Dome restaurant in Hollywood, hoping to change my mind about leaving the show.”

Stamos reflected on how he was “a very innocent kid” who adored the series, but was also eager to explore his comedic potential.

“She was like, ‘Well, why do you want to leave my show, dear?’” Stamos recalled. “And I said, ‘Well, Gloria, I want to be funny.’ She’s like, ‘You want to be funny.’”

During their conversation, Monty spotted Dean Martin eating alone. She brought Stamos over and introduced him to Martin.

“She said, ‘Mr. Martin, this is the star of my show, ‘General Hospital.’ And he wants to leave the show. He wants to be funny. Now, will you tell him about loyalty and about sticking where you’re at?’” said Stamos.

“He was pretty old by this time, and he was sitting by himself,” said Stamos. “That was a trick of his. He would have a table set for two, but nobody was coming [for] the other [seat]. He just liked to be alone.”

“She said, ‘Tell him not to leave, Mr. Martin.’ And he looked at me, and he said, ‘Run.’”

Stamos ended up moving on to the CBS sitcom “Dreams” in 1984. Then, from 1986 to 1987, he starred in the NBC sitcom “You Again?” before landing on “Full House” later that year. He played Jesse Katsopolis in the series until 1995 and then reprised the role on “Fuller House” from 2016 to 2020.

Back in 2019, Martin’s daughter, Deana Martin, told Fox News Digital that in his later years, her father preferred enjoying his own company while out in Hollywood.

“He would go out to dinner every night, and he had two restaurants,” Deana recalled at the time. “He would go to La Familia every night, but on Sunday nights he would go to The Hamburger Hamlet. He would always sit at the same table and in the same chair. He didn’t really want people to be with him. He didn’t want to have a lot of people around him. But wherever he went, everybody wanted to talk to him.”

“My husband and I would call him and say, ‘Dad, do you want us to come have dinner with you tonight?’” she said. “And he’d say, ‘Well, sure, just no chit-chat.’ He’d say, ‘I don’t mind the chit, it’s the chat.’ He just wanted it to be quiet, but he was perfectly happy being alone at a restaurant, sitting at his table.”

Martin died on Christmas Day 1995. He was 78.

The Carolina Hurricanes began their Stanley Cup Final journey by weathering the storm, finding ways to claw back from deficits and adapt to a high-scoring game that diverged from their usual play style.

However, when it was time to seal the deal and capture the Cup, Carolina’s defense truly took center stage. They effectively stifled the Vegas Golden Knights, showcasing a relentless defensive effort that never wavered.

In the crucial Games 4 and 5, the Hurricanes limited Vegas to a mere five goals. Their defensive prowess culminated in a commanding 3-0 shutout victory in Game 6 on Sunday night, securing their first championship title in two decades.

“Twenty years is a long time,” remarked Carolina center Jordan Staal, who was awarded the Conn Smythe Trophy as the playoff MVP. “It’s incredible. Winning this is something I’ve been striving for since our first championship. You want to keep winning, over and over. It’s an indescribable feeling, an intense battle. The team really pushed through today, it was remarkable. So many players made crucial efforts to keep the puck out of our net. This journey was extraordinary, and I couldn’t be prouder of these guys.”

Brandon Bussi, whose late-game heroics in Game 3 were pivotal for Carolina, achieved his first career playoff shutout, blocking 22 shots. Jackson Blake contributed with a goal and an assist, while Taylor Hall set the pace early on, scoring just 3 minutes and 47 seconds into the game. Nikolaj Ehlers sealed the victory with an empty-net goal.

“Your mind wanders the last couple of days and wonder what it may be like out here (on ice after winning) and it’s better than I could have expected,” Hall said. “My career has taken a lot of different turns, but to end up here with this group of guys and to do this is amazing.”

The Golden Knights, who made an unlikely run just to reach the final, struggled badly to muster any kind of offense in Game 6 and went 18:37 between shots on goal in the second and third periods. Playing in their third Cup final, this is the first time they have been shut out.

This clinching game was what many observers expected the series to be like between the defensive-minded teams, but each side watched leads of two-plus goals disappear in the first three games.

Now, the Cup belongs to the Hurricanes, led by coach Rod Brind’Amour, who also captained Carolina to its 2006 title.

This was the first game of the series that Vegas goalie Carter Hart didn’t allow four goals in a game. He finished with 20 saves.

The Hurricanes began to assume control of the series after falling behind by the score of 4-0 in Game 3. They came back force overtime, and though the Canes lost, they outplayed the Golden Knights from there on out.

Reflecting the do-or-die situation for the Golden Knights, they made several lineup changes, with Brett Howden replacing the injured William Karlsson at second-line center. Mitch Marner could have moved there, but remained at right wing.

Original Golden Knight Reilly Smith made his Cup final debut at third-line right wing, and Braeden Bowman made his playoff debut at fourth-line right wing. Kaedan Korczak replaced Dyland Coghlan on the third defensive pairing.

This title is a testament to Carolina’s resilience as a franchise that kept coming close to winning the Eastern Conference, but couldn’t quite get through until now.

Brind’Amour made sure the Hurricanes kept getting back up after losing in the conference final twice in the past three years and three times in their current eight-year playoff run. The talent was clearly there, but there was always a stumbling block.

Not anymore.

After dispatching Montreal in five games to make the final, the Brind’Amour-led Hurricanes then faced perennial power Vegas and took care of business there, too. Now, he will get his name on the Cup for the second time.

So will 37-year-old Staal, who also won the title in 2009 with Pittsburgh. He planted himself in front of Hart and dared the Golden Knights to knock him out of the way. Staal scored in each of the first five Cup final games, the first time that has happened.

The Hurricanes got off to a fast start with a goal just 25 seconds into Game 1, only to lose 5-4 on a late goal from Tomas Hertl. And the Golden Knights were on the verge of taking complete control as minutes ticked down in Game 2 while holding a 2-0 lead and appearing as if they would take a two-game advantage back home.

Then, it all changed. Carolina showed a fight that not only brought the Hurricanes back into the series by rallying to win 4-3 in overtime on Seth Jarvis’ one-timer, but would serve as their signature throughout the series.

That was especially true the following game when the Golden Knights took a 4-0 lead into the third period and the Canes seemed to have no answers. Brind’Amour even appeared to wave the white flag by removing goalie Frederik Andersen and replacing him with Bussi.

But the Hurricanes weren’t simply trying to get to Game 4. They sent a message, going on a remarkable rally to force overtime. Though Carolina lost, it was an inflection point, with Bussi backstopping a team that was only growing stronger. Carolina then went on to win the next two games and moved within a victory of the championship.

The Hurricanes got it done against the Golden Knights team that was on a heater after John Tortorella replaced Bruce Cassidy with eight games left in the regular season. Vegas then went from third in the Pacific Division to first, knocked off Utah and Anaheim in six games apiece in the playoffs and shockingly swept Presidents’ Trophy-winning Colorado to win the West.

Now, the Golden Knights have some notable questions to ask, including, at the top of the list, whether to make Tortorella a full-time coach. He didn’t have any guarantees of coaching in Vegas beyond this season, but getting to the Cup final is a good argument to run it back.

Golden Knights management will make the final call on that, and they don’t always follow league norms. 

Barron Trump made a rare public appearance, towering over his parents, former President Donald Trump and First Lady Melania, at a UFC fight held on the White House lawn this past Sunday.

The 20-year-old, currently attending New York University, caught attention with his longer, tousled hairstyle while enjoying the UFC Freedom 250 event, which also marked his father’s 80th birthday celebration.

A White House pool reporter noted Barron diligently fulfilling his role as host, warmly welcoming numerous supporters who approached the former President.

Having transferred to NYU’s Washington, DC branch for his sophomore year, Barron now resides in the capital.

Despite being the youngest child in the Trump family, Barron seldom participates in White House functions or public social events.

Barron last attended the State of the Union address alongside his mother and some of his siblings at the US Capitol Building in late February. 

The First Son skipped this year’s Easter Egg Roll, an event children of the President often attend.  

On Sunday, he was joined by his half-brothers Donald Trump Jr and Eric Trump and half-sisters Tiffany and Ivanka. 

Barron Trump (left) made a rare appearance at UFC Freedom 250 Sunday night on the White House’s South Lawn, alongside his father President Donald Trump (center) and First Lady Melania Trump (right)

Barron Trump (center, back row) towered over his parents President Donald Trump (right) and First Lady Melania Trump (right) at Sunday night’s UFC fight at the White House. Donald Trump Jr (back left) and his new wife Bettina Trump (back center left) also attended 

His siblings brought along their spouses: Bettina, Lara, Michael Boulos and Jared Kushner, respectively. 

Bettina and Donald Trump Jr tied the knot last month in the Bahamas, an event Barron also missed. 

Some of his cousins were also on hand Sunday night, including social media star Kai, the daughter of Donald Trump Jr and his first wife Vanessa, the current girlfriend of golfer Tiger Woods. 

Barron ditched the tie at Sunday’s outdoor event, though he still sported a jacket. 

Temperatures hovered close to 80 degrees hours after sunset. 

In March, Barron was hailed as a hero by a judge after a Russian former MMA fighter was put in jail in the United Kingdom for beating up a female friend of the first son’s. 

The assault happened as the woman was FaceTiming the President’s son. 

Judge Joel Bennathan commended Barron in remarks before the court. 

Barron Trump was last seen attending President Donald Trump’s State of the Union address at the US Capitol on February 24, 2026. At the time he sported shorter hair 

Barron Trump’s (center) last public appearance was on February 24, as he attended the State of the Union address alongside his mother, First Lady Melania Trump (right) and his half-sister Ivanka Trump (left) 

Barron Trump (right) stands behind his parents President Donald Trump (left) and First Lady Melania Trump (center) at the UFC Freedom 250 event Sunday night on the White House’s South Lawn 

Barron Trump (center) talks with his father and mother, President Donald Trump and First Lady Melania Trump (right) with his maternal grandfather Viktor Knavs (left) and cousin Kai Trump (second from left) nearby  

Barron Trump had slicked-back hair at his father’s second inauguration on January 20, 2025. Barron became more politically active during the 2024 campaign, attending a Trump rally in Florida and advising his father on what podcasts to appear on 

‘Mr Trump properly and responsibly, despite being in the United States, made sure the emergency services here were called and he told them what he had ​seen,’ Bennathan said. 

Barron spoke directly with a 999 operator – the British equivalent of 911 – from Florida. 

He told the dispatcher: ‘I just got a call from a girl – she’s getting beat up.’ 

Barron appeared to be getting more politically involved during his father’s third presidential run in 2024. 

He attended his first Trump rally, at his father’s Doral golf course in Miami, in July 2024, just days before the President survived an assassination attempt in Butler, Pennsylvania. 

Trump also credited his son for having him appear on podcasts, which helped shore up his support among male voters. 

One of those podcasters, Joe Rogan, was on hand Sunday night doing interviews in the UFC’s Octagon.  

Alex Pereira isn’t one to boast or belittle his opponents. Instead, he lets his remarkable fighting skills speak for themselves, earning him a place among the elite in combat sports history for his size.

Having already secured titles in two weight classes, Pereira arrived in Washington last week for UFC Freedom 250, setting his sights on becoming the first UFC fighter to vie for a championship in a third division. This unprecedented attempt at making history is something no fighter has dared to pursue before.

Even Conor McGregor, who achieved fame by clinching the lightweight title shortly after winning the featherweight belt nearly a decade ago at Madison Square Garden, never ventured into a third weight class.

Meanwhile, Ilia Topuria aimed to unify the lightweight title against interim champion Justin Gaethje on Sunday. While he might one day aspire to follow in Islam Makhachev’s footsteps by moving up to welterweight, currently, Topuria holds titles in two divisions, having previously conquered the featherweight category.

Ilia Topuria, who on Sunday sought to unify the lightweight championship against interim champion Justin Gaethje, just may one day follow Islam Makhachev up to welterweight in a bid to add it to his belt collection. For now, he’s merely a two-division king after previously reigning at featherweight.

Pereira, who’s not even reached the five-year mark in the UFC, already has middleweight and light heavyweight gold to his name, matching in MMA what he’d accomplished in the realm of elite kickboxing. He sized out each weight class, and heavyweight is his final frontier.

Unlike McGregor and Topuria, whose time as champions is not known for a high level of activity, Pereira’s workmanlike approach to defending his crown made it more of a mandate that he move on to bigger and better things.

“I think everything that I’ve been doing gave me enough credentials to fight for this third belt,” Pereira told The Post through an interpreter in the leadup to the event.

Say what you will about the interim championship that was up for grabs between Pereira and Ciryl Gane at the residence of President Trump, but UFC gold is UFC gold. The title was created with heavyweight champion Tom Aspinall still sidelined by the highly damaging double eye pokes he absorbed from Gane in their October no-contest. Couple that with some potential contractual disagreements between Aspinall and the UFC, and it’s conceivable that the interim title gets upgraded to undisputed status before long.

The interim title bout was the only one on the seven-fight docket between a pair of men not native to this country, though the Brazilian holds this land dear to him. Pereira has planted roots in Connecticut, training at the gym of his countryman and former UFC light heavyweight champion Glover Teixeira. His kids are growing up here and speak the language, although he has been slow to pick up English himself.

The prospect of one day becoming a citizen of the U.S. appeals to him. “I’ve had so many opportunities here. I’ve been able to accomplish so many things here,” Pereira said. “As I like to say, America is the land of opportunity; I’ve had a lot of opportunity here.”

Sunday offered perhaps the greatest opportunity of his career, one that figured to introduce his very fan-friendly style to a whole new audience. The fights at the White House have crossed over from the typical major UFC event into the realm of crossover curiosity.

Pereira’s charisma extends beyond his hands of stone — the translation of his nickname “Poatan” in the Tupi language spoken by indigenous peoples of Brazil. From his native warrior-inspired walkout — punctuated by miming the launch of an arrow at his opponent — to embracing how much he resembles an Easter Island statue, he’s easy to get behind. Hollywood took notice, too, casting him in a key role in the upcoming action thriller “Onslaught.”

Just don’t expect Pereira to “go Hollywood.” He’s a fighter to the core, one who had designs on being as active a heavyweight champion as the UFC has ever seen. The bar is low, given that it’s the least-frequently defended belt of them all.

Win or lose Sunday night, get used to seeing more of Pereira. He’s built for the UFC’s biggest stage in the nation’s capital. He’s built for the movies. He’s built to last with an unparalleled legacy after humble international beginnings.

Does it get more American than that?