Trans swimmer Lia Thomas called out by male UFC star to an MMA match

Adam Miller

There is a division in the world about support and dislike for the trans people, particularly among the MMA community.

This divide was brought to the forefront recently by Julian Erosa. He sparked controversy by openly challenging trans swimmer Lia Thomas to a women’s MMA match following his UFC Vegas 89 bout.

Erosa is a competitor in the men’s featherweight division. He seized the spotlight during his interview after the match to address Thomas’s dominance at the NCAA swimming championships. Expressing his strong disapproval of what he perceived as ‘cheating’ in sports, Erosa voiced his intentions.

He said: “I don’t like cheaters… So, I wanted to call out Lia Thomas. I wanted to encourage her from women’s swimming to women’s MMA, and then I’m gonna transition into a woman.”

Thomas is a 25-year-old transgender woman, who made history as the first openly transgender woman to win an NCAA swimming championship. Her exceptional performances reignited discussions on the fairness of transgender athletes competing in women’s sports. Critics contended that Thomas’ biological male puberty granted her an unfair physical advantage over her cisgender female counterparts.

Prominent figures like Joe Rogan have also voiced concerns about the inclusion of transitioning biological males in women’s sports. Erosa’s challenge appeared to push this argument to an extreme. Also, representatives for Thomas have refrained from publicly addressing Erosa’s challenge.

Despite the controversy surrounding his challenge, Erosa showcased his skills in the octagon with a remarkable victory at UFC Vegas 89. He secured a submission victory over Ricardo Ramos via guillotine choke in the first round, staging a dramatic comeback.

The preliminary bout witnessed a dramatic shift in momentum, with Ramos initially gaining the upper hand. Launching a relentless offensive, Ramos aimed to overpower Erosa with a barrage of strikes. While initially caught off guard, Erosa displayed resilience and tactical acumen.

Demonstrating exceptional composure, Erosa thwarted Ramos’ takedown attempt and swiftly transitioned into a tight guillotine choke. Despite Ramos’ early dominance, Erosa’s submission skills and calm demeanor proved decisive. This resulted in a spectacular come-from-behind victory at 2:15 of the opening round.