Jorge Masvidal on only condition he will allow transgender fighters to compete in his promotion
Jorge Masvidal isn’t on board with transgender athletes competing against cisgender women. The former UFC star recently dismissed the notion of transgender MMA fighters going up against cisgender women in the cage and claimed he’d never let it happen in his promotion.
The subject of allowing biologically male fighters to compete against cisgender women is a hot debate within the MMA community. The discussion mostly revolves around biological male athletes having the advantages of higher muscle mass, greater bone density, and a larger overall frame compared to women.
While hormonal therapy and gender reassignment procedures significantly reduce these disparities, it’s not an exact science. Today, it’s largely believed that transgender athletes have a physiological advantage over biological female athletes even after undergoing treatment.
In a recent interview with Charly Arnolt, Jorge Masvidal reiterated these points and stated:
“In my many years of my pro career, 28 years being on the mat, I’ve seen what happens when men and women spar and do both full speed. It’s a different kind of strength, it’s a different ligament strength. The testosterone, the bone density, or our density, like how we could take a hit to give a hit. Women, I would never.”
However, Jorge Masvidal is open to letting transgender fighters compete against other transgender fighters. Alternatively, if women want to fight men if they think they can. He continued:
“I would rather bankrupt the company than ever let a man fight a woman unless the woman wanted to go into the men’s division because she was like the greatest woman of ever… A trans women fighter, there’s no problem as long as you fought another trans.”
Watch the full interview below:
Jorge Masvidal slams LGBTQIA+ activist and USWNT star Megan Rapinoe
Jorge Masvidal recently lambasted American soccer player and outspoken LGBTQIA+ activist Megan Rapinoe for advocating trans-inclusion in sports. Rapinoe recently caused an uproar after missing a deciding penalty against Sweden in a Round of 16 elimination game at the women’s world cup in Australia, leading to Team USA’s unfortunate exit.
The highly decorated soccer player also infamously refused to lend her voice for the national anthem before a game. While several players on the team joined her in refusing to sing, the retiring 38-year-old bore the brunt of all subsequent criticism.
It’s no secret that Jorge Masvidal is a dedicated Republican and is a close associate of Donald Trump. Given his politically conservative inclination, it’s unsurprising that he had nothing nice to say about Megan Rapinoe. In the same interview with Charly Arnolt, he said:
“I think you need help. And I don’t mean that in a bad way. Maybe just to hear the other side of the coin, because America is the greatest experiment ever.”
Addressing Rapinoe’s pro-transgender activism, he continued:
“She’s probably somebody that either doesn’t understand how actual science works or doesn’t care for women to have records, it’s just not fair.”