Julian Erosa Challenges Lia Thomas To A Fight: VIDEO

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        Bigoted UFC Fighter Slammed For Challenging Trans Swimmer To A Fight In Bonkers Rant
    
        @MMAJunkie/X; Rich von Biberstein/Icon Sportswire via Getty Images
    
    UFC fighter Julian Erosa is getting called out for using his postgame news conference to challenge trans swimmer Lia Thomas, who hasn't competed in two years, to a fight.

By AB KeithMar 28, 2024
AB Keith
AB Keith is an educator turned roadtripper who is currently teaching virtually while touring the USA.  Her dream is to visit all the national parks and create a series of nonfiction children's books about NP adventures through the eyes of her dog, Backpack Benny.
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After his submission victory over Ricardo Ramos Saturday night, UFC fighter Julian Erosa decided, for some unknown reason and completely unprompted,  to use his post-fight news conference to spew bigoted rhetoric and challenge trans swimmer Lia Thomas, who hasn't competed in two years, to a fight.
Erosa began his bonkers rant:
“I don’t like cheaters.”He continued his tirade for more than two minutes, having to "correct" himself after actually using accurate pronouns.
"I wanted to call out Lia Thomas.""I wanted to encourage her, encourage him, to transition from women’s swimming into women’s MMA, and then I’ll transition into become a woman and beat that dude’s a**.”Erosa added that trans women competing is "ridiculous" before mentioning former MMA fighter Fallon Fox, also a trans woman.
“The world we’re living in, there’s no common sense any more and it’s becoming a bit ridiculous. …""I just don’t agree with men’s in women’s sports.""The whole Fallon Fox thing, girls .. er, guys that are fighting in women’s MMA and knocking them out, it’s a bad look.”Erosa finished with a butchered analogy, but it pretty much summed up his entire harangue.
“I’m not the smartest crayon in the box."You can watch below.
WARNING: NSFW language

Julian Erosa planned to call out Lia Thomas during his post-win octagon interview at #UFCVegas89.\n\n"I don't like cheaters. ... I wanted to encourage him to transition from women's swimming into women's MMA, and then I'll transition into become a woman and beat that dude's ass."
 —  (@)
        
While the exception of a few like-minded viewers applauding Erosa for his completely uncalled-for transphobic speech...

@MMAJunkie Excellent to hear this!
 —  (@)
        
@MMAJunkie Thank you for standing up for women.
 —  (@)
        
...most people on social media called him out for his ridiculous rant.

@MMAJunkie This is so cringe. The way he called Thomas a "her" then corrected himself. \ud83e\udd74\n\nHow did this even get brought up again? This topic is so last year.
 —  (@)
        
@MMAJunkie Another right wing crybaby
 —  (@)
        
@MMAJunkie I know your in MMA, but how are you not making a public threat of violence against someone not even in your own sports profession. Specifically to attack her cuz she's trans. So, is he going to:\n\nTransgender fighters are allowed by UFC, however, they have to meet certain\u2026
 —  (@)
        
@MMAJunkie What a loser rant
 —  (@)
        
@MMAJunkie The guy tying himself into knots to be transphobic absolutely embarrassing
 —  (@)
        
Others wondered why Erosa felt the need to challenge Thomas, someone who is not involved in the sport and hasn't even competed in her own sport for years.

@MMAJunkie Big college women\u2019s swimming fan are we Julian? Seems very personal
 —  (@)
        
@MMAJunkie Lia Thomas stopped swimming and moved on with her life after college in 2022.
 —  (@)
        
@MMAJunkie Manz is like 2 years late to that story
 —  (@)
        
And there was some low-key hope that Thomas would accept.

@MMAJunkie If he\u2019s willing to go through the entire transition process to fight a swimmer who\u2019s done nothing to him, I\u2019m willing to start a go fund me to help pay for it. Maybe going through the entire transition process will give him a new perspective.
 —  (@)
        
@MMAJunkie Please do transition, let us know how it goes.
 —  (@)
        
@MMAJunkie I'm proud he said he's transitioning. So brave for an MMA fighter
 —  (@)
        
@MMAJunkie Lia Thomas by TKO
 —  (@)
        
Of course, Thomas is no stranger to being attacked by conservative transphobes (looking at you, Riley Gaines and Donald Trump), but it's so wonderful to see people online stand up to a bully 👏👏👏

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After his submission victory over Ricardo Ramos Saturday night, UFC fighter Julian Erosa decided, for some unknown reason and completely unprompted, to use his post-fight news conference to spew bigoted rhetoric and challenge trans swimmer Lia Thomas, who hasn't competed in two years, to a fight.

Erosa began his bonkers rant:

“I don’t like cheaters.”

He continued his tirade for more than two minutes, having to "correct" himself after actually using accurate pronouns.

"I wanted to call out Lia Thomas."

"I wanted to encourage her, encourage him, to transition from women’s swimming into women’s MMA, and then I’ll transition into become a woman and beat that dude’s a**.”

Erosa added that trans women competing is "ridiculous" before mentioning former MMA fighter Fallon Fox, also a trans woman.

“The world we’re living in, there’s no common sense any more and it’s becoming a bit ridiculous. …"

"I just don’t agree with men’s in women’s sports."

"The whole Fallon Fox thing, girls .. er, guys that are fighting in women’s MMA and knocking them out, it’s a bad look.”

Erosa finished with a butchered analogy, but it pretty much summed up his entire harangue.

“I’m not the smartest crayon in the box."

You can watch below.

WARNING: NSFW language

Julian Erosa planned to call out Lia Thomas during his post-win octagon interview at #UFCVegas89.\n\n"I don't like cheaters. ... I wanted to encourage him to transition from women's swimming into women's MMA, and then I'll transition into become a woman and beat that dude's ass."
— (@)

While the exception of a few like-minded viewers applauding Erosa for his completely uncalled-for transphobic speech...

@MMAJunkie Excellent to hear this!
— (@)

@MMAJunkie Thank you for standing up for women.
— (@)

...most people on social media called him out for his ridiculous rant.

@MMAJunkie This is so cringe. The way he called Thomas a "her" then corrected himself. \ud83e\udd74\n\nHow did this even get brought up again? This topic is so last year.
— (@)

@MMAJunkie Another right wing crybaby
— (@)

@MMAJunkie I know your in MMA, but how are you not making a public threat of violence against someone not even in your own sports profession. Specifically to attack her cuz she's trans. So, is he going to:\n\nTransgender fighters are allowed by UFC, however, they have to meet certain\u2026
— (@)

@MMAJunkie What a loser rant
— (@)

@MMAJunkie The guy tying himself into knots to be transphobic absolutely embarrassing
— (@)

Others wondered why Erosa felt the need to challenge Thomas, someone who is not involved in the sport and hasn't even competed in her own sport for years.

@MMAJunkie Big college women\u2019s swimming fan are we Julian? Seems very personal
— (@)

@MMAJunkie Lia Thomas stopped swimming and moved on with her life after college in 2022.
— (@)

@MMAJunkie Manz is like 2 years late to that story
— (@)

And there was some low-key hope that Thomas would accept.

@MMAJunkie If he\u2019s willing to go through the entire transition process to fight a swimmer who\u2019s done nothing to him, I\u2019m willing to start a go fund me to help pay for it. Maybe going through the entire transition process will give him a new perspective.
— (@)

@MMAJunkie Please do transition, let us know how it goes.
— (@)

@MMAJunkie I'm proud he said he's transitioning. So brave for an MMA fighter
— (@)

@MMAJunkie Lia Thomas by TKO
— (@)

Of course, Thomas is no stranger to being attacked by conservative transphobes (looking at you, Riley Gaines and Donald Trump), but it's so wonderful to see people online stand up to a bully 👏👏👏

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Bigoted UFC Fighter Slammed For Challenging Trans Swimmer To A Fight In Bonkers Rant

UFC fighter Julian Erosa is getting called out for using his postgame news conference to challenge trans swimmer Lia Thomas, who hasn't competed in two years, to a fight.

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