As part of Pri Month, BBC Sport looks at why there is a lack of openly gay male MMA fighters and what needs to change.
Contents:
- LIST OF GAY UFC FIGHTERS (OUT & PROUD MEN & WOMEN)
- ISRAEL ASANYA RPONDS TO A FAN WHO ASKED HIM – “WHY ARE YOU GAY”
- PRI MONTH: WHY ARE THERE NO OPENLY GAY MALE MMA FIGHTERS?
- UFC FIGHTER DONALD CERRONE’S ‘GAY LOVERS’ LE ADDS TO HIS HISTORY OF HOMOPHOBIC MENTS
- ARE THERE ANY GAY UFC FIGHTERS? (GAY MMA FIGHTERS ALSO)
- GAY MMA FIGHTERS – IS IT A BIG DEAL?
- ANRSON SILVA SAYS THERE ARE LOTS OF HOMOSEXUALS IN MMA AND HE COULD BE GAY
- IS ULTIMATE FIGHTG GAY?THE HEAD OF THE ULTIMATE FIGHTG CHAMPNSHIP RECENTLY BEME THE FIRST HEAD OF A MAJOR SPORTS LEAGUE TO WELE GAY ATHLET. THAD RSELL ON THE MIXED MARTIAL ARTS’ HOMOEROTIC APPEAL.THAD RSELLUPDATED JUL. 14, 2017 6:56PM EDT / PUBLISHED OCT. 31, 2009 3:48AM EDT JON KOPALOFF / GETTY IMAG I HAD HEARD THE ACCATNS AND NUENDO. AND JT TWO MUT TO THE FIRST PRELIMARY FIGHT OF LAST WEEK'S ULTIMATE FIGHTG CHAMPNSHIP (UFC) EVENT I SAW SOMETHG THAT NFIRMED THEM. I WAS A SPORTS BAR THE SAN GABRIEL VALLEY, A PREDOMATELY WORKG-CLASS SUBURBAN AREA JT EAST OF LOS ANGEL THAT HAS PRODUCED A DISPROPORTNATE NUMBER OF MIXED MARTIAL-ARTS (MMA) FIGHTERS AND IS HOME TO SOME OF THE SPORT'S MOST MTED FANS. MALLS THE AREA ARE FILLED WH MEN WEARG GOTHIC-SPIRED MMA T-SHIRTS AND BASEBALL HATS, AND THE PARKG LOTS OFTEN BEE MOCK BATTLEGROUNDS FOR TEENAGE BOYS ACTG OUT THE PUNCH, KICKS, AND GRAPPLG MOV OF THE FASTT-GROWG AND WHAT MANY BELIEVE IS THE MOST MACHO SPORT THE UNED STAT.SPOKMEN FOR PROFSNAL BOXG, WHICH HAS SEEN A LARGE SHARE OF S FAN BASE GRAVATE TOWARD MMA, HAVE BEEN QUICK TO ACCE THEIR RIVALS OF PROMOTG GAY PORN. BOXG PROMOTER BOB AM SCRIBED MMA AS "GUYS ROLLG AROUND LIKE HOMOSEXUALS ON THE GROUND." BUT WHEN CHASE GORMLEY THREW STEFAN STVE TO THE MAT AND MOUNTED HIM BETWEEN HIS LEGS, A YOUNG WOMAN THE RNER OF THE BAR YELLED "THAT IS SO HOT!" A MUTE LATER, STVE TURNED THE TABL WH HIS OWN THROW AND MOUNT, THEN CLASPED GORMLEY'S HEAD, NECK, AND SHOULR BETWEEN HIS LEGS WHAT IS LLED A "TRIANGLE CHOKE HOLD." AT THIS POT THE WOMAN, WHO WAS STG WH TWO QUIET AND CREASGLY EMBARRASSED MEN, MOANED LTFULLY THEN TURNED TO HER PANNS AND TOLD THEM SHE WAS "GETTG IAS" FOR THGS TO DO WH HER BOYIEND. A MAN WEARG SKULL-AND-BON MMA GEAR STG NEAR ME SLAMMED DOWN HIS BUD LIME AND SHOUTED AT HER THAT SHE WAS "G THE FIGHT."I FOUND OUT LATER THAT THE TWO MEN STG WH THE AROED WOMEN WERE AMONG A GROWG GAY MMA FAN BASE. THEY TOLD ME THAT THEY WERE JT AS TURNED ON BY THE ACTN AS THEIR FEMALE IEND BUT NTAED THEMSELV FOR FEAR OF RETRIBUTN OM THE "HYPER-MACHO" CROWD. "SHE SAYS WHAT WE N'T WHEN WE WATCH THE FIGHTS PUBLIC," ONE SAID. RECENTLY, GAY BLOGGERS, HOMOPHOBIC CRICS OF MMA, AND EVEN STRAIGHT FANS HAVE CLARED THAT ONE OF THE GREAT APPEALS OF THE SPORT IS S HOMOEROTICISM. THEY NOTE THE LARGE NUMBER OF GAY MEN AND STRAIGHT WOMEN WHO HAVE BEE FANS OF MMA AND ATTRIBUTE TO THE APPEAL OF THE NEARLY-NAKED HARD BODI OF THE FIGHTERS AND THE TIMATE, OFTEN PELVIC TECHNIQU OF BRAZILIAN JIU-JSU, THE FAVORED GRAPPLG DISCIPLE THE SPORT.JIM BUZSKI, THE PUBLISHER OF , A WEB SE VOTED TO GAY SPORTS FANS AND ATHLET THAT HAS UNTED NFL NETWORK AND ESPN RAD AMONG S ADVERTISERS, LLS MMA "TRSILLY HOMOEROTIC." HE CLAIMS THAT "WHILE IS IMPOSSIBLE TO QUANTIFY NUMBERS, 'S CLEAR THAT MMA HAS A GAY FOLLOWG." THIS MONTH, ONE OF THE SE'S MOST VIEWED ARTICL WAS A LIST OF "A STRAIGHT GUY'S TOP MMA HOTTI." SPIKE TV'S "ULTIMATE FIGHTER" REALY SERI, WHICH A GROUP OF FIGHTERS LIVE TOGETHER A HOE AND PETE FOR A UFC NTRACT, IS PECIALLY POPULAR WH OUTSPORTS REARS. BUZSKI LLS "THE MOST HOMOEROTIC SHOW ON TV." MOREOVER, THE SE'S REARS "ROUTELY SEND LKS TO WHAT THEY THK ARE HOT MMA FIGHTERS, SO THEY CLEARLY PAY ATTENTN TO MORE THAN JT THEIR SKILLS. [UFC WELTERWEIGHT CHAMPN] GE ST. PIERRE TIGHT TNKS EQUALS PAGE VIEWS."AND THEN THERE'S , A WEBSE VOTED TO "HELPG HOMOSEXUAL GRAPPLERS EXPLORE AND EXPRS THEIR FETISH A WELG ENVIRONMENT." THE SE FEATUR MOVI AND PHOTOS OF GAY JUDO AND JIU-JSU FIGHTERS PERFORMG WHAT LLS MARTIAL-ARTS "SPORNO."PERHAPS ACKNOWLEDGG MMA'S PAN-SEXUAL APPEAL, DANA WHE, THE PRINT OF THE UFC, RECENTLY BEME THE FIRST HEAD OF A MAJOR SPORTS LEAGUE TO WELE GAY ATHLET. “ANY GUY VOLVED GRAPPLG IS THE FURTHT THG OM HOMOPHOBIC THE WORLD," WHE SAID. "I HONTLY THK WOULD HAVE NO IMPACT WHATSOEVER WH NOT ONLY OUR FIGHTERS OR OUR FAN BASE. THE GUYS THE UFC, EVERYBODY IS SO OL, ’S GREAT SPORTSMANSHIP, EVERYBODY HAS RPECT FOR EACH OTHER. I HONTLY, WOULDN’T BE A BIG AL TO ME AND MOST OF THE GUYS I KNOW THIS SPORT, WOULDN’T BE A BIG AL FOR THEM EHER.”NOT SURPRISGLY, GAY-IENDLS IS FAR OM UNIVERSAL WH THE SPORT. UFC HEAVYWEIGHT CHAMPN BROCK LNAR ISSUED WHAT ESPN SCRIBED AS "A CURSE-LAN OUTBURST" AGAST HOMOSEXUALS WHEN A FEMALE FAN RMED HIM THAT HER IEND "SHAWN" THOUGHT HE WAS CUTE. "I DON'T LIKE GAYS," HE ANNOUNCED TO REPORTERS. "WRE THAT DOWN YOUR LTLE NOTEBOOK. I DON'T LIKE GAYS."DANA WHE HIMSELF WAS NOUNCED BY GAY RIGHTS GROUPS FOR SLANRG ONE OF HIS CRICS AS "A PSY AND A FUCKG FAGGOT." HE RPOND QUICKLY WH A PUBLIC APOLOGY AND THE STATEMENT OPENG THE DOOR TO GAY FIGHTERS. ACRDG TO BUZSKI, THIS WAS A WISE BS MOVE. "WHE KNOWS HIS DIENCE AND KNOWS THAT OVERT HOMOPHOBIA WON'T SELL. BY APPEALG TO AS MANY SEGMENTS OF THE MARKET AS POSSIBLE, CLUDG GAY MEN, WHE N GROW THE SPORT BEYOND S NICHE."SPOKMEN FOR PROFSNAL BOXG, WHICH HAS SEEN A LARGE SHARE OF S FAN BASE GRAVATE TOWARD MMA, HAVE BEEN QUICK TO ACCE THEIR RIVALS OF PROMOTG GAY PORN. BOXG PROMOTER BOB AM SCRIBED MMA AS "GUYS ROLLG AROUND LIKE HOMOSEXUALS ON THE GROUND." AND LEGENDARY MIDDLEWEIGHT CHAMPN BERNARD HOPKS LLED "GROWN MEN WH PANTI ON, SWEATG, [WH] NUTS THEIR FACE. . . . IT’S A PORNO. IT’S AN ENTERTAMENT PORNO."THE ARE NOT THE FIRST OBSERVATNS OF HOMOEROTICISM VLENT SPORTS. THE HISTORIAN ELLTT GORN FOUND THAT JOURNALISTIC ACUNTS OF BARE-KNUCKLE PRIZE FIGHTG THE 19TH CENTURY MONLY FEATURED "LOVG SCRIPTNS OF BOXERS' BODI" AND CELEBRATED THE "MANLY BETY" OF FIGHTERS. IN 1978 THE ANTHROPOLOGIST ALAN DUNS ARGUED A FAMO SCHOLARLY ARTICLE (WHICH GARNERED SEVERAL ATH THREATS) THAT AMERIN FOOTBALL REPRENTED A FORM OF HOMOSEXUAL RUAL BAT WHICH "THE WNERS FEMIZE THE LOSERS BY GETTG TO THEIR END ZONE." YET THERE HAS NEVER BEEN AN OPENLY GAY MALE ATHLETE A MAJOR AMERIN SPORT.COULD BE, GIVEN DANA WHE'S APPARENT OPENNS AND THE GROWG NUMBER OF GAY MEN DRAWN TO MMA, THAT WHAT IS MONLY BELIEVED TO BE THE MANLIT OF SPORTS WILL SOON BE THE GAYT? AND IF SO, SHOULD WE BE SURPRISED?THAD RSELL HAS TGHT HISTORY, PHILOSOPHY, AND AMERIN STUDI AT COLUMBIA UNIVERSY, BARNARD COLLEGE, EUGENE LANG COLLEGE, AND THE NEW SCHOOL FOR SOCIAL REARCH. HE IS THE THOR OF JIMMY HOFFA AND THE REMAKG OF THE AMERIN WORKG CLASS (KNOPF, 2001) AND THE FORTHG A RENEGA HISTORY OF THE UNED STAT (FREE PRS/SIMON & SCHTER, 2010). THAD RSELL
- UFC FIGHTER JEFF MOLA PUBLICLY SUPPORTS PRI MONTH, IS MISTAKEN FOR BEG GAY, AND IS OL ABOUT
- OPENLY GAY FIGHTER ‘GOLN PRCS’ BATTL STIGMA, RRI PRI FLAG AHEAD OF TLE FENSE BRAZIL
- CLARSA SHIELDS: ‘I’M NOWHERE NEAR HOMOPHOBIC’ WHILE PROTTG THE GAY ‘AGENDA’
LIST OF GAY UFC FIGHTERS (OUT & PROUD MEN & WOMEN)
Are there any gay UFC fighters? Here is a pilatn of male and female gay fighters the apex MMA promotn. * ufc is gay *
From male and female gay UFC fighters to enuragg closet members to reveal their inty to the world, the MMA muny embrac Pri month a spectacular welg as the MMA is to LGBTQIA+ members, at the apex MMA promotn, rervatns persist regardg the acceptabily of members to the doubt LGBTQIA+ members abound the women’s UFC; is a different realy the UFC domated by article explor the realy of the LGBTQIA+ muny the UFC and also prents the list of male and female openly gay UFC fighters. Before we lve to our list of UFC gay fighters, the recurrg qutn regardg why no gay fighter exists the male divisn of the promotn has to be fairly answered. In 2009 UFC print, Dana Whe was ptured a vio blog posted on the UFC webse which he took swiped at women and obsceny-lan vio was a rponse to a story by a longtime MMA reporter Loretta Hunt of, which he claimed rrectly reported on UFC polici and crentialg of managers and agents relatn to their vio stck the nerve of the members of the LGBTQIA+ muny, such as the Gay & Lbian Alliance Agast Defamatn (GLAAD), who requted that Whe apologize.
Though Dana Whe apologized, this was the first major ht potg to a rocky relatnship between the UFC as well as Whe and the gay there were doubts about Whe and the promotn’s stance on gay fighters UFC, those doubts were effectively cleared Febary Whe revealed that should a UFC male fighter e out openly as gay, he would support such fighters and help wh any potential down the le, spe the reassurg words of Whe on supportg male UFC gay fighters, the UFC male divisns boast of no openly gay, however, is not a reflectn of anti-gay sentiments the fact, the UFC star Marc Diakie dubbed the Bonecsher, beme the first UFC star to appear a gay fact that no openly gay UFC star exist is not an issue unique to the MMA general, pecially male sports, do not have gay top-flight sports which generate lots of buzz and tert boast of few to zero athlet who openly intify as members of the gay muny This, th, is no issue peculiar to the UFC but to sports Complete List of Gay UFC Fighters 1. Amanda Nun The Brazilian MMA star is no stranger to the UFC or the world of mixed martial Nun is one of the most ement members of the gay muny the UFC but also bee she is credibly talented what she of May 2022, Amanda Nun currently holds the UFC Women’s Featherweight to fightg the UFC, Amanda Nun fought the Strikeforce promotns, where she effectively tablished herself as one of the tought MMA fighters the reputatn she created was tegral her short stt wh Invicta Fightg Champnships before she moved on to the UFC.
Raquel Penngton is one of the lbian UFC fighters who is vol about her revealed to fans ndidly how she me out as a lbian and also nveyed her thoughts on the stggl of beg a gay athlete.
ISRAEL ASANYA RPONDS TO A FAN WHO ASKED HIM – “WHY ARE YOU GAY”
Israel Asanya put up a story shosg his teractn wh a fans who asked him if he was gay. Izzy replied that he was super gay. * ufc is gay *
Tecia TorrPhoto: @teciatorrOne of the current gay fighters UFC who is openly lbian, Torr, is no stranger to the MMA star, who is one of the top-rated stars the UFC female strawweight divisn, began her MMA reer over a ago and has tablished herself as a ntenr for the UFC Strawweight ’s major troductn to the sport started October 2012 when she ma her promotnal but the Invicta Fightg stt at Invicta was short, as her potential ught the attentn of the UFC, who offered her a place the ele December Torr was one of the first 11 women signed to the UFC strawweight divisn and also was a st member The Ultimate Fighter realy show. Concln There you have —the list of the openly gay fighters there are no openly gay male UFC fighters, the promotn, through s print Dana Whe has ma known how supportive they will be should any male MMA fighter tak the brave step of g the current members of the LGBTQ muny the UFC, there has been mostly no difference their reers pared to their straight Out The Intertg Articl on BiglySports:Top 20 Hottt Female UFC Fighters Of All TimeHow Much Do UFC Rg Girls Make? Apparently, a fan asked Asanya, “Why are you gay” ‘The Last Stylebenr’ replied, showsg a vio and a nversatn wh someone on this veted topic about Asanya admted that he was a super gayADVERTISEMENTArticle ntu below this adThe vio Asanya‘s stat showsed a nversatn between two people, one of which was tryg to impose his opn on the other one.
But the first one overpowered the other, ncludg, “You are gay”’s reply was displayed right unr the vio, where he admted, “Super Gay”. "Until there's more people [like Mola] who are vol wantg to create a welg environment, there's gog to be barriers for LGBT athlet - pecially LGBT gay male athlet. "'It's crazy how much we hi who we are'Smh (left) is creded wh beg the first man to e out profsnal MMAThe ntrast between the men's and women's divisns of the MMA is stark, wh Amanda Nun, Liz Carmouche and Molly McCann three of several openly gay female McCann, who tailed her story of g out on the BBC's LGBT Sport Podst, believ gay male fighters are held back by stereotyp.
PRI MONTH: WHY ARE THERE NO OPENLY GAY MALE MMA FIGHTERS?
* ufc is gay *
"I remember at my gym, there were guys who qutned themselv and 's like 'well whatever, if you are [gay] then you are, no problem', " said McCann. "I n pretty much guarantee if straight men knew there was a gay man [ the gym] this day and age that we're now, most of them wouldn't re. UFC fighter Donald Cerrone’s chaotic week leadg to UFC on ESPN 24 took a turn down the homophobic path on Wednday when speakg about his origal opponent on the event, Diego Sanchez, and Sanchez’s ntroversial traer Joshua Fabia.
When asked about the Sanchez-Fabia suatn, Cerrone tread once aga to g homosexualy as a pejorative way to scribe Sanchez and Fabia’s relatnship. In this article, we’ll look at the plete list of gay UFC fighters, why there aren’t any gay male UFC fighters and the plete list of openly gay male MMA fighters.
Dpe this, while MMA and the UFC likely have some gay male fighters, they’re unwillg to e out as gay bee of the stigma surroundg beg gay martial arts and sports overall. This is pecially te for male UFC fighters, where there hasn’t been a sgle male fighter to e out as gay such a macho sport. There are no openly gay male UFC Fighters bee they’re sred to e out a sport where beg gay is looked down upon and feme, and where onle abe is so mon.
UFC FIGHTER DONALD CERRONE’S ‘GAY LOVERS’ LE ADDS TO HIS HISTORY OF HOMOPHOBIC MENTS
Durg the UFC on ESPN 24 media day on Wednday, Cerrone referred to former UFC fighter Diego Sanchez and Sanchez’s ach, Joshua Fabia, as ‘gay lovers’ pejoratively. * ufc is gay *
Whe has repeatedly apologized, and 2011 Whe said about gay fighters, “I wish they’d e out”, and “If you’re an athlete the UFC and you are gay, I uld re ls. So, spe Whe beg scere his apologi, gay male UFC fighters may look at that those remarks 2009 and have some doubt their md when they thk about g out as gay – pecially when ’s the head of the promotn sayg those thgs.
Also, gay male athlet have plenty of evince om other sports that attus toward them are negative and the issue is still very polarizg. The NFL and NBA prevly operated unr the ‘don’t ask, don’t tell’ policy, seeg homosexualy as a distractn om the game and keepg many gay athlet the closet.
ARE THERE ANY GAY UFC FIGHTERS? (GAY MMA FIGHTERS ALSO)
Are you wonrg if there are any gay UFC fighters? * ufc is gay *
There were ments like, “Man you support gay people, you’re gonna burn hell” – showg ’s no wonr that gay fighters are aaid to e out when a heterosexual fighter showg support for them gets this much abe. Other UFC fighters have e unr scty for homophobic ments, such as Donald Cerrone, Josh Thompson, and Sean Strickland, who for the most part have gotten away wh their remarks.
On the other hand, the UFC and MMA have been vol their welg of gay fighters, pecially Dana Whe who most know don’t re about people’s sexual orientatn – he’s only foced on promotg the bt fighters and the bs si of the MMA.
GAY MMA FIGHTERS – IS IT A BIG DEAL?
The head of the Ultimate Fightg Champnship recently beme the first head of a major sports league to wele gay athlet. Thad Rsell on the mixed martial arts’ homoerotic appeal. * ufc is gay *
Gay male UFC fighters received a huge boost of nfince and support when the UFC celebrated pri month for the third time 2022. He’d prevly participated gay pornography and let the UFC know about this when applyg, and they accepted him for the show. Dakota mataed he was heterosexual, but this unequivolly shows that the UFC wel gay male UFC fighters, and what they offer as a fighter is the only thg that matters.
In 2013, former UFC fighter, Rashad Evans, me out support of gay marriage, sayg on the issue, “ ‘I’m a UFC fighter, a macho-type sport, ” he explaed. “I am a heterosexual guy a tough macho sport, which is exactly the reason I feel a duty to say I support gay marriage and gay rights.
ANRSON SILVA SAYS THERE ARE LOTS OF HOMOSEXUALS IN MMA AND HE COULD BE GAY
Washgton Duarte beme the first openly gay man to e out durg his MMA reer Brazil. * ufc is gay *
Overall, homosexualy the UFC and MMA is an extremely polarizg topic, and while there have been fighters supportg the LGBTQ muny, ’s anyone’s gus as to when there’ll be the first openly gay male UFC fighter. The most high-profile gay UFC fighter is Amanda Nun, due to her domance and beg the first gay UFC champn and only the third double champn behd Conor McGregor and Daniel Cormier. Amanda has been openly gay ever sce she first turned to profsnal MMA 2008, but has spoken of her stggl g out as a child.
Alongsi her wife, Na Nun, another former UFC fighter, they’re both seen as role mols wh the LGBTQ muny and always want to help people e out as gay and not hi who they tly are. In her 2013 UFC but, she lost agast Liz Carmouche, which was the first time UFC history that two openly gay fighters had fought.
IS ULTIMATE FIGHTG GAY?THE HEAD OF THE ULTIMATE FIGHTG CHAMPNSHIP RECENTLY BEME THE FIRST HEAD OF A MAJOR SPORTS LEAGUE TO WELE GAY ATHLET. THAD RSELL ON THE MIXED MARTIAL ARTS’ HOMOEROTIC APPEAL.THAD RSELLUPDATED JUL. 14, 2017 6:56PM EDT / PUBLISHED OCT. 31, 2009 3:48AM EDT JON KOPALOFF / GETTY IMAG I HAD HEARD THE ACCATNS AND NUENDO. AND JT TWO MUT TO THE FIRST PRELIMARY FIGHT OF LAST WEEK'S ULTIMATE FIGHTG CHAMPNSHIP (UFC) EVENT I SAW SOMETHG THAT NFIRMED THEM. I WAS A SPORTS BAR THE SAN GABRIEL VALLEY, A PREDOMATELY WORKG-CLASS SUBURBAN AREA JT EAST OF LOS ANGEL THAT HAS PRODUCED A DISPROPORTNATE NUMBER OF MIXED MARTIAL-ARTS (MMA) FIGHTERS AND IS HOME TO SOME OF THE SPORT'S MOST MTED FANS. MALLS THE AREA ARE FILLED WH MEN WEARG GOTHIC-SPIRED MMA T-SHIRTS AND BASEBALL HATS, AND THE PARKG LOTS OFTEN BEE MOCK BATTLEGROUNDS FOR TEENAGE BOYS ACTG OUT THE PUNCH, KICKS, AND GRAPPLG MOV OF THE FASTT-GROWG AND WHAT MANY BELIEVE IS THE MOST MACHO SPORT THE UNED STAT.SPOKMEN FOR PROFSNAL BOXG, WHICH HAS SEEN A LARGE SHARE OF S FAN BASE GRAVATE TOWARD MMA, HAVE BEEN QUICK TO ACCE THEIR RIVALS OF PROMOTG GAY PORN. BOXG PROMOTER BOB AM SCRIBED MMA AS "GUYS ROLLG AROUND LIKE HOMOSEXUALS ON THE GROUND." BUT WHEN CHASE GORMLEY THREW STEFAN STVE TO THE MAT AND MOUNTED HIM BETWEEN HIS LEGS, A YOUNG WOMAN THE RNER OF THE BAR YELLED "THAT IS SO HOT!" A MUTE LATER, STVE TURNED THE TABL WH HIS OWN THROW AND MOUNT, THEN CLASPED GORMLEY'S HEAD, NECK, AND SHOULR BETWEEN HIS LEGS WHAT IS LLED A "TRIANGLE CHOKE HOLD." AT THIS POT THE WOMAN, WHO WAS STG WH TWO QUIET AND CREASGLY EMBARRASSED MEN, MOANED LTFULLY THEN TURNED TO HER PANNS AND TOLD THEM SHE WAS "GETTG IAS" FOR THGS TO DO WH HER BOYIEND. A MAN WEARG SKULL-AND-BON MMA GEAR STG NEAR ME SLAMMED DOWN HIS BUD LIME AND SHOUTED AT HER THAT SHE WAS "G THE FIGHT."I FOUND OUT LATER THAT THE TWO MEN STG WH THE AROED WOMEN WERE AMONG A GROWG GAY MMA FAN BASE. THEY TOLD ME THAT THEY WERE JT AS TURNED ON BY THE ACTN AS THEIR FEMALE IEND BUT NTAED THEMSELV FOR FEAR OF RETRIBUTN OM THE "HYPER-MACHO" CROWD. "SHE SAYS WHAT WE N'T WHEN WE WATCH THE FIGHTS PUBLIC," ONE SAID. RECENTLY, GAY BLOGGERS, HOMOPHOBIC CRICS OF MMA, AND EVEN STRAIGHT FANS HAVE CLARED THAT ONE OF THE GREAT APPEALS OF THE SPORT IS S HOMOEROTICISM. THEY NOTE THE LARGE NUMBER OF GAY MEN AND STRAIGHT WOMEN WHO HAVE BEE FANS OF MMA AND ATTRIBUTE TO THE APPEAL OF THE NEARLY-NAKED HARD BODI OF THE FIGHTERS AND THE TIMATE, OFTEN PELVIC TECHNIQU OF BRAZILIAN JIU-JSU, THE FAVORED GRAPPLG DISCIPLE THE SPORT.JIM BUZSKI, THE PUBLISHER OF , A WEB SE VOTED TO GAY SPORTS FANS AND ATHLET THAT HAS UNTED NFL NETWORK AND ESPN RAD AMONG S ADVERTISERS, LLS MMA "TRSILLY HOMOEROTIC." HE CLAIMS THAT "WHILE IS IMPOSSIBLE TO QUANTIFY NUMBERS, 'S CLEAR THAT MMA HAS A GAY FOLLOWG." THIS MONTH, ONE OF THE SE'S MOST VIEWED ARTICL WAS A LIST OF "A STRAIGHT GUY'S TOP MMA HOTTI." SPIKE TV'S "ULTIMATE FIGHTER" REALY SERI, WHICH A GROUP OF FIGHTERS LIVE TOGETHER A HOE AND PETE FOR A UFC NTRACT, IS PECIALLY POPULAR WH OUTSPORTS REARS. BUZSKI LLS "THE MOST HOMOEROTIC SHOW ON TV." MOREOVER, THE SE'S REARS "ROUTELY SEND LKS TO WHAT THEY THK ARE HOT MMA FIGHTERS, SO THEY CLEARLY PAY ATTENTN TO MORE THAN JT THEIR SKILLS. [UFC WELTERWEIGHT CHAMPN] GE ST. PIERRE TIGHT TNKS EQUALS PAGE VIEWS."AND THEN THERE'S , A WEBSE VOTED TO "HELPG HOMOSEXUAL GRAPPLERS EXPLORE AND EXPRS THEIR FETISH A WELG ENVIRONMENT." THE SE FEATUR MOVI AND PHOTOS OF GAY JUDO AND JIU-JSU FIGHTERS PERFORMG WHAT LLS MARTIAL-ARTS "SPORNO."PERHAPS ACKNOWLEDGG MMA'S PAN-SEXUAL APPEAL, DANA WHE, THE PRINT OF THE UFC, RECENTLY BEME THE FIRST HEAD OF A MAJOR SPORTS LEAGUE TO WELE GAY ATHLET. “ANY GUY VOLVED GRAPPLG IS THE FURTHT THG OM HOMOPHOBIC THE WORLD," WHE SAID. "I HONTLY THK WOULD HAVE NO IMPACT WHATSOEVER WH NOT ONLY OUR FIGHTERS OR OUR FAN BASE. THE GUYS THE UFC, EVERYBODY IS SO OL, ’S GREAT SPORTSMANSHIP, EVERYBODY HAS RPECT FOR EACH OTHER. I HONTLY, WOULDN’T BE A BIG AL TO ME AND MOST OF THE GUYS I KNOW THIS SPORT, WOULDN’T BE A BIG AL FOR THEM EHER.”NOT SURPRISGLY, GAY-IENDLS IS FAR OM UNIVERSAL WH THE SPORT. UFC HEAVYWEIGHT CHAMPN BROCK LNAR ISSUED WHAT ESPN SCRIBED AS "A CURSE-LAN OUTBURST" AGAST HOMOSEXUALS WHEN A FEMALE FAN RMED HIM THAT HER IEND "SHAWN" THOUGHT HE WAS CUTE. "I DON'T LIKE GAYS," HE ANNOUNCED TO REPORTERS. "WRE THAT DOWN YOUR LTLE NOTEBOOK. I DON'T LIKE GAYS."DANA WHE HIMSELF WAS NOUNCED BY GAY RIGHTS GROUPS FOR SLANRG ONE OF HIS CRICS AS "A PSY AND A FUCKG FAGGOT." HE RPOND QUICKLY WH A PUBLIC APOLOGY AND THE STATEMENT OPENG THE DOOR TO GAY FIGHTERS. ACRDG TO BUZSKI, THIS WAS A WISE BS MOVE. "WHE KNOWS HIS DIENCE AND KNOWS THAT OVERT HOMOPHOBIA WON'T SELL. BY APPEALG TO AS MANY SEGMENTS OF THE MARKET AS POSSIBLE, CLUDG GAY MEN, WHE N GROW THE SPORT BEYOND S NICHE."SPOKMEN FOR PROFSNAL BOXG, WHICH HAS SEEN A LARGE SHARE OF S FAN BASE GRAVATE TOWARD MMA, HAVE BEEN QUICK TO ACCE THEIR RIVALS OF PROMOTG GAY PORN. BOXG PROMOTER BOB AM SCRIBED MMA AS "GUYS ROLLG AROUND LIKE HOMOSEXUALS ON THE GROUND." AND LEGENDARY MIDDLEWEIGHT CHAMPN BERNARD HOPKS LLED "GROWN MEN WH PANTI ON, SWEATG, [WH] NUTS THEIR FACE. . . . IT’S A PORNO. IT’S AN ENTERTAMENT PORNO."THE ARE NOT THE FIRST OBSERVATNS OF HOMOEROTICISM VLENT SPORTS. THE HISTORIAN ELLTT GORN FOUND THAT JOURNALISTIC ACUNTS OF BARE-KNUCKLE PRIZE FIGHTG THE 19TH CENTURY MONLY FEATURED "LOVG SCRIPTNS OF BOXERS' BODI" AND CELEBRATED THE "MANLY BETY" OF FIGHTERS. IN 1978 THE ANTHROPOLOGIST ALAN DUNS ARGUED A FAMO SCHOLARLY ARTICLE (WHICH GARNERED SEVERAL ATH THREATS) THAT AMERIN FOOTBALL REPRENTED A FORM OF HOMOSEXUAL RUAL BAT WHICH "THE WNERS FEMIZE THE LOSERS BY GETTG TO THEIR END ZONE." YET THERE HAS NEVER BEEN AN OPENLY GAY MALE ATHLETE A MAJOR AMERIN SPORT.COULD BE, GIVEN DANA WHE'S APPARENT OPENNS AND THE GROWG NUMBER OF GAY MEN DRAWN TO MMA, THAT WHAT IS MONLY BELIEVED TO BE THE MANLIT OF SPORTS WILL SOON BE THE GAYT? AND IF SO, SHOULD WE BE SURPRISED?THAD RSELL HAS TGHT HISTORY, PHILOSOPHY, AND AMERIN STUDI AT COLUMBIA UNIVERSY, BARNARD COLLEGE, EUGENE LANG COLLEGE, AND THE NEW SCHOOL FOR SOCIAL REARCH. HE IS THE THOR OF JIMMY HOFFA AND THE REMAKG OF THE AMERIN WORKG CLASS (KNOPF, 2001) AND THE FORTHG A RENEGA HISTORY OF THE UNED STAT (FREE PRS/SIMON & SCHTER, 2010). THAD RSELL
While Jsi Andra don’t speak too much on the subject as she’s all bs, she once revealed how gay women fight harr bee they feel they’re beg judged. Liz Carmouche was the first openly gay UFC fighter when she fought the UFC’s first female bout agast the gural bantamweight champn, Ronda Roey, at UFC 157 January 2013. Not only was Liz the first openly gay UFC fighter, but she had also long been a proud voice for the LGBTQ muny, exprsg her thoughts and challeng of beg a gay MMA athlete and former gay mare where she spent 5 years.
UFC FIGHTER JEFF MOLA PUBLICLY SUPPORTS PRI MONTH, IS MISTAKEN FOR BEG GAY, AND IS OL ABOUT
Amazgly, 2021 Molly published a short-illtrated book lled ‘Be Te To You’, discsg her cisn to e out as gay, as well as helpg young people discs their sexualy and have self-acceptance about . Raquel Penngton was volved UFC history when she fought agast Amanda Nun at UFC 224, May 2018; beg the first UFC tle bout to feature two openly gay UFC fighters.
OPENLY GAY FIGHTER ‘GOLN PRCS’ BATTL STIGMA, RRI PRI FLAG AHEAD OF TLE FENSE BRAZIL
Durg her time on the show, Penngton shared to her hoemat her g out story and what was like to be gay MMA, wh the news beg well received and posive. Controversial to say the least, but she always ma clear throughout her reer that she was gay and didn’t re what people thought; ultimately providg a platform for others to e out.
The first male MMA fighter to e out as gay was Shad Smh 2008, where he was also the first gay male athlete across Ameri’s biggt 5 sports (MMA beg the fifth).
It’s the stereotype of gay men that they want to fight you bee of a sexual preference, rather than wantg to be the bt martial artist and ttg their skills agast an opponent. After retirement, Shad Smh received backlash as was found out that he’d appeared gay adult films before enterg to MMA, which is somethg he’d never disclosed. Washgton Duarte is the first openly gay male MMA fighter to e out Brazil, wh a somewhat qutnable nickname, ‘The Ltle Goln Prcs’.
CLARSA SHIELDS: ‘I’M NOWHERE NEAR HOMOPHOBIC’ WHILE PROTTG THE GAY ‘AGENDA’
While Brazil seems mon for women to e out as gay, much like the UFC, ’s a lot harr for men to e out bee of the stigma surroundg . It’s wily known that a Brazilian fighter actually left his hometown after gettg knocked out by Washgton, explag he was too embarrassed after losg to a gay man.
And while there have been some gay male MMA fighters, none of them have ever been the limelight and have therefore remaed mostly unheard of. It’s gog to take an extreme amount of urage for the first gay male UFC fighter to e out bee we’ve seen the abe Jeff Mola received 2022 by merely supportg the Pri lors on his Venum shorts.