Tag: Combate Global

Watch: Marcus Edwards Wastes No Time In Combate Global Main Event

Welterweight Marcus Edwards needed less than 30 seconds to get the win in his main event bout at Combate Global. Matched up with Leonardo Rodriguez, the American took the center of the cage early and kept Rodriguez against the fence as he switched between stances. The first real exchange of the fight turned out to…

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Welterweight Marcus Edwards needed less than 30 seconds to get the win in his main event bout at Combate Global.

Matched up with Leonardo Rodriguez, the American took the center of the cage early and kept Rodriguez against the fence as he switched between stances. The first real exchange of the fight turned out to be the beginning of the end.

“Bad Intentions” blitzed forward with a combination that crumbled his Mexican opponent and had the ref sprinting in to stop the fight.

This was Edwards’ first victory since 2017. The 33-year-old debuted in 2012 against Justin Gaethje and competed for promotions such as LFA and Titan FC before a 4-year layoff.

Edwards made his return to action in 2021 and challenged for Titan FC’s welterweight belt, but lost a split decision to champion Dilano Taylor. This was Edwards’ first fight for Combate Global, and the win improved his record to 14-6 overall.

What’s your reaction to this quick finish from Marcus Edwards at Combate Global?

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Alana McLaughlin Addresses People Who Think She Transitioned To Fight Women

Alana McLaughlinFormer US special forces member turned professional mixed martial artist, Alana McLaughlin has denied recent claims and refuted criticism regarding her transition to become a female to compete in professional mixed martial arts, denying she only transitioned in order to compete against other female competitors. McLaughlin, who made her mixed martial arts debut back in […]

Alana McLaughlin

Former US special forces member turned professional mixed martial artist, Alana McLaughlin has denied recent claims and refuted criticism regarding her transition to become a female to compete in professional mixed martial arts, denying she only transitioned in order to compete against other female competitors.

McLaughlin, who made her mixed martial arts debut back in September, stopped Celine Provost in the second round of their bout with a rear-naked choke.

However, following her victory, McLaughlin received criticism, most notably from the #12 ranked UFC bantamweight contender, Sean O’Malley, who claimed that it was wrong for McLaughlin to compete in professional mixed martial arts.

“I just don’t think that’s okay in just competing in sports, I mean, especially mixed martial arts,” O’Malley said on his podcast. “It’s like she (Alana McLaughlin) had testosterone for, who knows, 20 or 30 years of her life and now is a girl. You could tell that’s a dude. A jacked girl. I mean, look at those arms. If you have the body of a man, competing against girls or women, in a sport that you’re literally using your body to beat someone unconscious, has to be one of those things that you have to sacrifice.”

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

Alana McLaughlin denies claims she transitioned in order to fight female competition

Reacting to recent claims, McLaughlin denied that she had only transitioned in a bid to compete against female competition.

“Transphobes claim I transitioned specifically to fight women because I couldn’t beat men as if my previous job wasn’t fighting a real actual war and ending human lives,” Alana McLaughlin tweeted. “If I had been able to keep pretending to be a man I’d have started fighting MMA In 2010.”

“As if I haven’t been fighting men without the safety of gloves and referees and doctors my whole life,” Alana McLaughlin continued. “As if I haven’t been shot, stabbed, blown up, and worse. Having a d*ck doesn’t make someone strong, and women, both cis and trans, are stronger than we’re given credit for.”

McLaughlin’s professional mixed martial arts debut came back in September of this year against the aforenoted, Provost, taking place under the Campbell McLaren led, Combate Global banner.

Alana McLaughlin Says She’s Received Death Threats On Social Media

Following the successful MMA debut of Alana McLaughlin, the openly transgender fighter has admitted she is receiving death threats in the wake of her victory. Featured on Combate Global on Sept. 9, McLaughlin, a former U.S. Special Services member, made her debut against fellow newcomer Celine Provost. The fight lasted two rounds. After finishing the […]

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Following the successful MMA debut of Alana McLaughlin, the openly transgender fighter has admitted she is receiving death threats in the wake of her victory.

Featured on Combate Global on Sept. 9, McLaughlin, a former U.S. Special Services member, made her debut against fellow newcomer Celine Provost. The fight lasted two rounds. After finishing the contest with a rear-naked choke victory, McLaughlin’s hand was raised, but little did she know how the world would react to her seemingly controversial performance.

To give folks an idea of how trans people are treated on social media: I just had a 2-year-old Instagram pic taken down for “inciting violence” because I captioned it “come at me bro” while I was receiving thousands of death threats that “don’t violate community standards” “No appeal possible, of course.” McLaughlin posted on Twitter.

Apparently, the trans fighter is receiving unfair treatment on social media. It is not 100% clear if the death threats began before or after her controversial MMA debut. Nonetheless, the 1-0 fighter has admitted to receiving thousands of death threats at some point. McLaughlin also shared that images from her past with dubious captions are being flagged for “inciting violence” on her social media platforms.

The performance has indeed drawn criticism, as well as former and current UFC fighters who took issue with McLaughlin’s presence in MMA. In fact, UFC middleweight Sean Strickland blasted McLaughlin and her transition and went so far as to say, “get out of women’s MMA, coward”. In addition, former UFC fighter Jake Shields and rising star “Suga” Sean O’Malley also made their reactions public.

It appears McLaughlin is taking the negative attention in stride for the most part, but death threats should be taken seriously. In the coming days, if the threats worsen, MMA News will keep you up to date on the story.

What do you make of Alana McLaughlin’s presence in MMA?

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Alana McLaughlin Shares Details That Led To A Special MMA Debut

Alana McLaughlin and her arduous life journey were embedded with identity issues from the start, but that ultimately led to her successful MMA debut. At the age of ten, McLaughlin’s parents began to take notice that their young child had an indelible desire to transition. McLaughlin’s actions were often met with pushback, as her parents […]

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Alana McLaughlin and her arduous life journey were embedded with identity issues from the start, but that ultimately led to her successful MMA debut.

At the age of ten, McLaughlin’s parents began to take notice that their young child had an indelible desire to transition. McLaughlin’s actions were often met with pushback, as her parents have been resistant to her identity/transgender issues. While enduring the throes of physical and sexual abuse at a young age, she has fought persistently to be identified in the way she views herself. McLaughlin made history by becoming the second U.S. transgender fighter to come out.

In addition, she won her fight against newcomer Celine Provost by rear-naked choke at the recent Combate Global event.

McLaughlin was raped and traumatized throughout much of her early childhood. Dirt-poor, growing up in South Carolina, McLaughlin began taking estrogen pills she bought online behind her parents’ backs. Once the medication began to make her chest swell, she stopped taking it in fear of being caught by her parents. Years later and still puzzled by identity issues, McLaughlin’s struggles led her to join the U.S. Special Forces.

On the September 10th Combate Global card, McLaughlin–the second openly transgender fighter won and did so with a tight rear-naked choke submission. Much like her life, McLaughlin faced adversity early on in the fight but rallied back to make history for the transgender community. Upon hearing about McLaughlin’s success as the first open U.S. trans fighter, some outspoken MMA personalities like Sean Strickland have taken umbrage with that and especially her latest win.

After seizing her first win in MMA, McLaughlin believes her painful life journey has prepared her for the high-pressure moments of cage fighting. Once on the battlefield bandaging up wounded soldiers, McLaughlin is confident her military experience will only pay dividends down the line in her fighting career.

“On one hand inside I know who I am, but I’m trying to deny it,” said McLaughlin via The Guadian. “I’m telling myself: ‘No, you can do this, you can do this!’ I’m giving myself a pep talk, telling myself I am a man.”

Raped at a young age, McLaughlin was constantly hiding in thorny raspberry fields as a kid to deter the trauma that followed her during childhood. Her struggles and tribulations are out in the open, and that in itself is a giant win for the transgender community.

“My whole life I was a runt, I was undersized, I was bullied, I was raped, I was beaten, like I did not have an easy time,” said McLaughlin. “The story of my life has been trying to physically resist people that were larger and stronger and more skilled than me.”

While much of her life was spent avoiding physical altercations, McLaughlin is an MMA fighter now. After securing the win in her debut, fans will be clamoring to see what’s next for “Lady Feral”. A living inspiration for the trans community, McLaughlin’s presence in MMA has been exciting and polarizing.

Is there a place for transgender athletes in all sports?

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Piers Morgan Claims Transgender Fighter Alana McLaughin’s MMA Victory Made Him ‘Sick’

Alana McLaughlinOutspoken television presenter and Daily Mail reporter, Piers Morgan has claimed that recent victor, transgender mixed martial arts fighter, Alana McLaughin made him “sick” following her recent submission victory over Celine Provost under the Combate Global banner. Competing under the Campbell McClaren-led, Combate Global banner, McLaughlin became just the second openly transgender fighter to compete in professional […]

Alana McLaughlin

Outspoken television presenter and Daily Mail reporter, Piers Morgan has claimed that recent victor, transgender mixed martial arts fighter, Alana McLaughin made him “sick” following her recent submission victory over Celine Provost under the Combate Global banner.

Competing under the Campbell McClaren-led, Combate Global banner, McLaughlin became just the second openly transgender fighter to compete in professional mixed martial arts, following Fallon Fox. McLaughlin is a former U.S. Army Special Forces member.

McLaughlin, 38, made her professional mixed martial arts bow against the above mentioned, Provost, submitting the 32-year-old with a rear-naked choke after a successful takedown attempt, however, McLaughlin survived an early scare in the opening round with Provost connecting on the feet, drawing a notable wobble. 

The aforenoted, Morgan claimed that McLaughin’s submission victory over Provost wasn’t necessarily a surprise to him, given the fact she had “spent six years serving in the U.S. special forces as a man“.

Morgan claimed that whilst he respected McLauglin’s service with the U.S. Special Forces overseas service in which she acted within a 12-person team, treated IED (Improvised Explosive Devices) casualties, he claimed he “found Friday’s bout sickening to watch“.

Posting on her official Instagram afterwards, McLaughlin, who plys her trade at MMA Masters in Florida, explained that she had received “nasty messages” following her victory.

“Good morning, friends, supporters and others!” Alana McLaughlin posted. “I’m getting a lot of variations of the same nasty messages calling me a cheater like I didn’t just get beat on for a round and a half. Y’all need to show @cylinelagrande some respect and take your concern trolling elsewhere. She almost finished me more than once, and on scorecards she definitely won that first round. This is the only post I’ll make about this. Transphobes are just making my block hand stronger.“

Notably, UFC bantamweight contender, Sean O’Malley voiced his disapproval with McLaughlin’s professional debut against Provost, explaining how he believes it’s not okay.

“I don’t think that’s okay,” O’Malley said. “I just don’t think that’s okay… in just competing in sports, I mean, especially mixed. It’s like she had testosterone for, who knows, 20, 30 years of her life and now I’m a girl. And look at that, you could tell that’s a dude. A jacked girl. I mean, look at those arms.“

Univision Poised To Buy A Significant Stake In Combate Global Shares

The Spanish media sports giant Univision is getting in on MMA, as it has been reported that they intend to buy a significant amount of Combate Global shares. News of the Spanish media company acquiring an equity stake in Combate Global was outlined fir…

The Spanish media sports giant Univision is getting in on MMA, as it has been reported that they intend to buy a significant amount of Combate Global shares. News of the Spanish media company acquiring an equity stake in Combate Global was outlined first in a report by The Hollywood Reporter. As of this writing, […]

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