While the first WMMA fight headlining UFC 157 has dominated discussion recently, another storyline has flown under the radar.
The big news over the last several weeks has been the upcoming debut of WMMA in the UFC. Most of that news has centered around the newly crowned women's Bantamweight champion Ronda Rousey. That's understandable as Rousey was undoubtedly the catalyst that led to WMMA being brought into the UFC. However, her opponent Liz Carmouche is starting to make waves as well.
Well before her invitation to fight at UFC 157, Carmouche had come out as the sport's first openly gay fighter. Wednesday at a media event for the March fights, UFC president Dana White expressed his feelings on having a homosexual fighter on the roster:
There's a lot of gay athletes out there and athletes and actresses. It takes a brave person to come out and admit it because they're always afraid of what its going to do to their career or how people are going to treat them afterwards." I love what she did. I know I have the big ‘homophobe' persona and people think I'm some homophobe. I'm the furthest thing from it. i think its ridiculous its 2013 and the government tells two people they can't marry each other. Who is the government to tell two people who say they love each other they can't be married? It's ridiculous.White has been heavily ridiculed lately for his controversial handling of big events like the cancellation of UFC 151 and Jeremy Stephens' arrest. However, he fielded this question with tact. Dana has already stated that his biggest regret as UFC president was using a gay slur. Candid support of the first homosexual fighter on his roster and gay rights as a whole is a great way for him to back up that sentiment.
Source:
http://www.bloodyelbow.com/2012/12/20/3 ... ighter-mma