Fallon Fox has been garnering headlines -- and criticism -- for becoming the sport of mixed martial arts' (MMA) first-ever transgender fighter.
Fox recently came under fire after it was discovered she underwent gender reassignment surgery back in 2006, as well as hormonal therapy to complete the transformation from male to female.
Normally, in this day and age, people wouldn't care much about a story like this, but, when the person in question is knocking out women left and right inside a steel cage, then it becomes an issue.
An issue that has garnered the interest of the MMA community.
Many in the fight industry are outraged that Fox -- who was born a man -- would be granted permission to fight a woman after legally becoming one.
One of her most outspoken critics to date is Ultimate Fighting Championship (UFC) heavyweight Matt Mitrione, who didn't hold anything back during his recent appearance on "The MMA Hour." The former NFL'er described Fox as a "disgusting freak" who should be "embarrassed" for wanting to beat up women.
Mitrione shares his outrage:
"Because she's not a he. He's a he. He's chromosomally a man. He had a gender change, not a sex change. He's still a man. He was a man for 31 years. That's a couple years younger than I am. He's a man. Six years of taking performance de-hancing drugs, you think is going to change all that? That's ridiculous. That is a lying, sick, sociopathic, disgusting freak. And I mean that. Because you lied on your license to beat up women. That's disgusting. You should be embarrassed yourself. And the fact that Florida licensed him because California licensed him or whoever the hell did it, it's an embarrassment to us as fighters, as a sport, and we all should protest that. The woman that's fighting him, props to you. I hope you beat his ass, and I hope he gets blackballed and never fights again, because that's disgusting and I'm appalled by that."
The Florida State Boxing Commission eventually found no wrongdoing on the part of Fox, so it seems the 36-year old fighter won't be penalized for her latest victory which came in just 39 seconds of the very first round against Ericka Newsome at CFA 10 just last month.
In fact, Fox already has her next fight lined up up for Championship Fighting Alliance (CFA) on May 24, 2013 as she takes on Al-Lanna Jones at CFA 11 in Coral Gables, Florida. And while Fox continues to legally get fights, you can bet the scrutiny and criticism will continue, as well.
How about it Maniacs, did "Meathead" -- who is fresh of a 19-second demolition of Philip De Fries this past weekend (April 6, 2013) at UFC on FUEL TV 9 -- go too far in his assessment of Fox?
Or did he hit the nail on the head?
Get the latest gear
