Tag: Alana McLaughlin

Transgender Fighter’s Recent Win Draws Anger From Former UFC Fighter

One week from yesterday, former U.S. Special forces member Alana McLaughlin sent shockwaves through the MMA community after picking up her first professional win at Combate Global. Unfortunately, the shockwaves were not a result of her performance. Rather, the reaction that fellow MMA fighters had following the realization that she was openly out as a […]

Continue Reading Transgender Fighter’s Recent Win Draws Anger From Former UFC Fighter at MMA News.

One week from yesterday, former U.S. Special forces member Alana McLaughlin sent shockwaves through the MMA community after picking up her first professional win at Combate Global.

Unfortunately, the shockwaves were not a result of her performance. Rather, the reaction that fellow MMA fighters had following the realization that she was openly out as a trans athlete.

Transgenderism has become a hot topic in sports as entities grapple with how to either regulate or deregulate the participants. Recently, The International Olympic Committee ruled that transgender athletes can compete in the Olympics with no surgeries required. However, the sacred sporting event did implement rules depending on the circumstances of the transition. The ruling insists that female-to-male athletes can compete without restriction, but male-to-female athletes must undergo hormone therapy.

Following McLaughlin’s big win, former Strikeforce champ Jake Shields was taken back that any commission would allow this person to fight a woman.

“This is just insane that any fight show or commission would allow a trans person to fight a women” Jake Shields posted.

Despite the palpable criticisms, Alana McLaughlin won her debut in dramatic fashion. Initially, it seemed like she might be in trouble against newcomer Celine Provost, but momentum swung back in her favor. McLaughlin became the second openly trans person to win at an MMA event.

It appears Jake Shields isn’t the only fighter to take issue with McLaughlin’s recent activities either. UFC bantamweight Sean O’Malley is the latest fighter to emerge and air his grievances by implying that her physical stature alone is enough to raise red flags.

In accordance with the United States Anti Doping Agency, the UFC currently allows transgender athletes to perform under their company’s set of rules. Many of the stipulations in the 9-page release refer to therapeutic-use exemptions when readying transgender athletes for official competition.

Do you think transgender athletes have an unfair physical advantage in sports?

Continue Reading Transgender Fighter’s Recent Win Draws Anger From Former UFC Fighter at MMA News.

Demian Maia: ‘Absurd To Put A Person Who Was Born A Man To Fight A Woman’

Demian MaiaDemian Maia is the latest fighter to speak out against the transgender fighter Alana McLaughlin since her win over Celine Provost. McLaughlin won her fight via submission after being rocked in the first round. McLaughlin took to Twitter to talk about the people speaking out against her debut. Maia is a legendary UFC title challenger […]

Demian Maia

Demian Maia is the latest fighter to speak out against the transgender fighter Alana McLaughlin since her win over Celine Provost.

McLaughlin won her fight via submission after being rocked in the first round. McLaughlin took to Twitter to talk about the people speaking out against her debut.

Maia is a legendary UFC title challenger who is most known for his fantastic BJJ. Maia had this to say in regards to McLaughlin being able to compete, “I think it’s absurd for you to put a person who was born a man to fight a woman. I’m going to talk about my sport, which is fighting. The person (who faces the trans athlete) will get hurt. There is no comparison. ‘Oh, but she started taking (female) hormones early on.’ Does not matter. The development there… And it’s not prejudice, none of that. But you have to understand that to work on the issue of prejudice in society, it’s not like that. This is not what will make people more or less prejudiced. (H/T MMAnews)

Maia is one of many that has spoken out against McLaughlin this week. Sean Strickland gave his opinion saying “Change your name, call yourself a woman… but you’re still a fu****g man, get out of women’s MMA, coward,”

Michael Bisping, ‘Suga‘ Sean O’Malley and Megan Anderson has also spoken out against McLaughlin competing against women. The most notable being Anderson. The more women that speak about McLaughlin, the more of a feeling we will have about how McLaughlin’s competition feels about her being able to fight. The women’s opinion holds a bit more weight than the men’s when discussing Alana McLaughlin’s ability to compete, since they will be the opponents of McLaughlin.

Do you agree with Demian Maia?

Should McLaughlin be allowed to compete against women inside the octagon?

Jake Shields’ Attempted Online Bullying of Alana McLaughlin Backfires

Transgender MMA fighter Alana McLaughlin continues to be a hot topic in the combat sports world today, especially with those believing she shouldn’t be allowed to compete as a professional. This includes Jake Shields, who mocked McLaughlin along with former transgender fighter Fallon Fox. But, Shields’ attempt at mockery backfired in a brutal way after […]

Transgender MMA fighter Alana McLaughlin continues to be a hot topic in the combat sports world today, especially with those believing she shouldn’t be allowed to compete as a professional. This includes Jake Shields, who mocked McLaughlin along with former transgender fighter Fallon Fox.

But, Shields’ attempt at mockery backfired in a brutal way after McLaughlin shared a few earlier tweets that Shields made before finding out McLaughlin originally transitioned from man to woman.

Just days after McLaughlin’s MMA debut win in Combate Global by submission, McLaughlin and Fox connected on Twitter to celebrate the former’s big win. Shields weighed in with a picture of McLaughlin looking ripped before making their transition into a woman.

“This is the ‘woman’ MMA fighter that they just allowed to beat up a girl in Florida,” Shields tweeted. “So brave of ‘her’ to transition then live ‘her’ dream of beating up women.”

Following Shields’ controversial tweet, one Twitter user pointed out the hypocrisy of Shields’ comments by pointing out that he once called McLaughlin attractive and dateable in previous posts. McLaughlin got word of the comments and responded to Shields in a brief, brutal way.

McLaughlin has been under fire by the MMA community with many feeling it’s unfair to allow her to compete with biological women inside of the cage. Shields, along with Michael Bisping and Sean O’Malley, has criticized the integrity of McLaughlin’s MMA career.

After their impressive win in Combate Global, all eyes with being on how McLaughlin deals with the public scrutiny and pressure moving forward. It’s unclear when McLaughlin’s fight will be, but it could happen by year’s end.

Shields hasn’t competed in MMA since 2018 when he was knocked out by former PFL champion Ray Cooper III. He had an up-and-down run in PFL before retiring from the sport altogether.

What is your reaction to Jake Shields’ comments, and Alana McLaughlin’s comeback?

Archives: Demian Maia Scoffs At Transgender Fighter Facing Women (2021)

On this day last year, we ran a story with Demian Maia expressing his disapproval of transgender fighter Alana McLaughlin competing against cis-gendered women. One of the biggest stories of 2021 was that of MMA fighter Alana McLaughlin, a former US Arm…

On this day last year, we ran a story with Demian Maia expressing his disapproval of transgender fighter Alana McLaughlin competing against cis-gendered women. One of the biggest stories of 2021 was that of MMA fighter Alana McLaughlin, a former US Army Special Forces member who was born biologically male prior to transitioning to being…

Continue Reading Archives: Demian Maia Scoffs At Transgender Fighter Facing Women (2021) at MMA News.

Sean O’Malley Blasts Trans Fighter Alana McLaughlin: “That’s A Dude”

Sean O'Malley Alana McLaughlinUFC bantamweight star Sean O’Malley isn’t buying into transgender fighter Alana McLaughlin’s MMA career, blasting her on his YouTube channel and discrediting the integrity of her being allowed to fight biological women. McLaughlin has made headlines after she became one of the very few openly transgender fighters to compete in MMA. She won her MMA […]

Sean O'Malley Alana McLaughlin

UFC bantamweight star Sean O’Malley isn’t buying into transgender fighter Alana McLaughlin’s MMA career, blasting her on his YouTube channel and discrediting the integrity of her being allowed to fight biological women.

McLaughlin has made headlines after she became one of the very few openly transgender fighters to compete in MMA. She won her MMA debut with Combate Global, blitzing Celine Provost en route to a submission win in the second round.

O’Malley, however, feels that it’s completely unfair for a biological man who transitioned into a woman to compete against biological women. O’Malley has quickly become one of the most prominent voices in the sport, both on social media and on his podcast.

“I don’t think that’s okay. I just don’t think that’s okay,” O’Malley said. “In just competing in sports, I mean, especially mixed.”

“It’s like she had testosterone for, who knows, 20 to 30 years of her life and now I’m a girl. You could tell that’s a dude. A jacked girl. I mean, look at those arms.”

O’Malley’s comments come just days after former UFC middleweight champion and current commentator, Michael Bisping, criticized McLaughlin and questioned whether or not it was fair for her to compete. While he said he supports transgender rights, he doesn’t think the same rules apply when it comes to athletic competition, especially when it comes to fighting.

McLaughlin thanked her supporters while blasting her critics during a recent social media post, and has blocked multiple personalities in the sport for being perceived as transphobic.

O’Malley is scheduled to fight in the UFC octagon before year’s end, but nothing has been set in stone just yet. He was rumored to fight Frankie Edgar before contract negotiations fell through.

O’Malley has won back-to-back fights including his dominant performance against Kris Moutinho at UFC 264.

What’s your reaction to Sean O’Malley’s comments regarding Alana McLaughlin?

Michael Bisping: Transgender Fighters Shouldn’t Be Allowed In WMMA

Michael Bisping believes transgender MMA fighters should not be allowed to compete in traditional women’s MMA divisions. Transgender MMA newcomer Alana McLaughlin began her career with a second-round submission victory over Celine Provost at Combate Global: Perez vs. Roa last Friday. And as was the case with Fallon Fox before her, McLaughlin’s arrival into MMA […]

Continue Reading Michael Bisping: Transgender Fighters Shouldn’t Be Allowed In WMMA at MMA News.

Michael Bisping believes transgender MMA fighters should not be allowed to compete in traditional women’s MMA divisions.

Transgender MMA newcomer Alana McLaughlin began her career with a second-round submission victory over Celine Provost at Combate Global: Perez vs. Roa last Friday. And as was the case with Fallon Fox before her, McLaughlin’s arrival into MMA has sparked a wave of debates about whether or not transgender women should be allowed to compete against fighters who were born biologically female.

In the latest installment of the Believe You Me podcast, UFC legend Michael Bisping voiced support for the transgender community in general and is even all for them competing against cisgender females in other sports. But when it comes to a sport as violent and physical as MMA, “The Count” is throwing down a red flag (h/t LowKickMMA).

“I’m not here to talk about transgender rights, you can identify as whatever you want,” Bisping said. “But I do believe that if you’re a woman that feels trapped in a man’s body, there are certain advantages that you should have to give up. If you have the body of a man, competing against girls or women, when you’re using your body to beat someone unconscious, has to be one of those things you sacrifice.”

“If you want to play volleyball, soccer, be my guest. But in a sport that you beat someone into submission or unconsciousness, it shouldn’t be allowed. It’s unfair to women’s MMA.”

McLaughlin is well aware of the backlash surrounding her MMA debut, prompting her to issue what she claims to be a one-time statement to all her detractors, which she posted on Instagram. UFC middleweight Sean Strickland also spoke out against McLaughlin competing in women’s MMA, with much more colorful and profane rhetoric than Bisping chose to adopt in his remarks.

Combate Global has yet to comment publicly on this issue.

Do you agree with Michael Bisping? Should transgender females not be allowed to compete in women’s MMA division?

Continue Reading Michael Bisping: Transgender Fighters Shouldn’t Be Allowed In WMMA at MMA News.