WINNIPEG – Canadian UFC fighter Alexis Davis says she could see herself fighting transgender female fighter Fallon Fox if their paths crossed.
“I think I’m ignorant when it comes to the biology of the human body when they’re going through that kind of transition and change,” Davis, in town to promote a June 15 pay-per-view event, said Tuesday.
But when it comes to fighting, she said she doesn’t shy away from anybody.
“I would highly consider it. I would pretty much fight anybody so, she gets up in the rankings and comes across my path, it’s not too much of a problem for me.”
Davis’s comments come after the UFC suspended the contract of heavyweight Matt Mitrione this week for derogatory comments he made about Fox, who was born male, on the “MMA Hour” show. Mitrione called Fox a “lying, sick, disgusting, sociopathic freak” while arguing that she should not be sanctioned to fight against women.
The UFC said in a statement that the organization found Mitrione’s comments to be “offensive and wholly unacceptable.”
“The UFC is a friend and ally of the LGBT community, and expects and requires all 450 of its athletes to treat others with dignity and respect,” the statement continued.
Davis, from Port Colborne, Ont., said she got her start in Winnipeg so feels a bit like she’s fighting in her home town. She’ll face Rosi Sexton from Manchester, England, in the first ever UFC women’s bantamweight (135-pound) bout in Canada.
UFC Canada director Tom Wright says Winnipeg has a knowledgeable fight fan base and will be a great spot for a June 15 pay-per-view event. It includes a bantamweight title defence by Renan Barao who will face No. 4 contender Eddie Wineland. Barao and Wineland were also on hand to promote the event.
Wineland said he didn’t feel under any particular pressure because this was a title bout. “We’re going to just train like it’s a normal fight,” said the native of Houston who has a professional record of 20-8-1, with 2-2-0 in the UFC. Barao, from Natal, Brazil, has a record of 30-1-1 with 5-0-0 in the UFC. He doesn’t speak English but smiled when he was told by a translator that Winnipeg has a Brazilian barbecue restaurant.
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