UFC featherweight Julian Erosa made headlines recently for his remarks regarding transgender swimmer Lia Thomas.
During UFC Fight Night: Ribas vs. Namajunas event, Erosa secured a notable victory with a first-round submission against Ricardo Ramos. After the match, Erosa didn’t hold back. He challenged Lia Thomas and suggested her to transition to MMA. Erosa also ended up labeling Thomas as a “cheater.”
Predictably, Erosa’s statements sparked controversy in the aftermath.
In a recent interview with James Lynch, Erosa clarified his remarks and admitted they were made in jest. Nonetheless, he remains steadfast in his belief that transgender athletes competing in women’s sports present an issue of fairness.
Erosa explained: “It was kind of like, slightly, a bit of a joke, goof, but at the same time I was trying to bring a little bit of light to it. That’s how I feel about it, you know, I think way our society is kind of going is it’s the common sense isn’t so common, and that’s what I was really trying to advocate for. Can we just have common sense? I feel like nowadays you could show someone some factual proof about something and they still won’t believe you.”
Despite his comments, Erosa emphasizes his acceptance of transgender individuals and the LGBTQ+ community at large.
He continued: “I have no problem with transgender people, I don’t have a problem with gay people or any of that. My mom’s gay, you know, so I really have no issues with that, but there’s a time and place for everything, right? Like, I like to drink, party, have a good time, I do that at the bar. I’m not gonna go to the playground and do that.”
While Erosa champions inclusivity, he remains firm in his belief that transgender individuals competing in women’s sports poses challenges.
He asserted: “You can’t be invading these women’s spaces in my mind. So that’s just how I feel about it.”