For someone who doesn't fight in Ultimate Fighting Championship (UFC), Fallon Fox sure does get a lot of attention from the ZUFFA brass.
That's courtesy of recently-suspended heavyweight Matt Mitrione, who earlier this week labeled the transgender fighter a "sick, sociopathic, disgusting freak," who he claims lied to the Florida state athletic commission for the opportunity to beat up women.
See his full comments here.
Naturally, "Meathead's" little tirade didn't go over well with UFC President Dana White (see his reaction here), and now UFC CEO Lorenzo Fertitta (via MMA Torch) is chiming in to explain why the promotion took this position:
"Whatever your thoughts are on the whole transgender issue, I've listened to [Mitrione's comments on 'MMA Hour'] and in my opinion, it came off as a bit mean-spirited, and is something I think warranted review. Obviously, this is not the easiest issue and a lot of people are questioning both sides of this thing. A fair debate and discussion of the issue should be allowed. But when you call her disgusting, and Buffalo Bill, that's another matter. It warrants review. I think it's the same thing the NFL would look at and the same thing that any professional organization that is at the level we're at would at least take a look at."
No word yet on how long that review period will last, or what the outcome might be.
In the wake of Meat-Gate (see Fox's reaction here), UFC officials released its official code of conduct (read it here), designed to keep fighters from straying too far off the path. As UFC Executive Vice President and General Counsel Lawrence Epstein explained, the UFC is not playing the role of police officer.
It just wants its fighters to do the right thing. Or, at the very least, to keep their traps shut when it comes to issues like this.
See who didn't get the memo here.