McLaughlin had extensive medical tests before the fight
Transgender mixed martial arts fighter Alana McLaughlin made a successful debut on the MMA scene last night after choking out her opponent in the second round.
Celine Provost (142.6 lbs) vs Alana McLaughlin (144.6 lbs)#CombateGlobal pic.twitter.com/urNHtgJXHy
— Jed I. Goodman © (@jedigoodman) September 10, 2021
McLaughlin is the first openly transgender MMA athlete to compete in the US since 2014, reports the Mirror.
She was due to face French fighter Celine Provost on August 6, but the latter tested positive for Covid, so the fight was postponed until September 10.
McLaughlin bounced back from a rocky start in the first round, forcing Provost to tap out after putting her in a rear-naked choke.
McLaughlin, 38, is the second transgender woman to compete in the sport, the first being Fallon Fox who is now retired.
Before turning to MMA, McLaughlin was originally part of the US Army Special Forces, where she served for six years and was awarded eight medals for distinguished service. She was later discharged with PTSD.
https://twitter.com/FallonFox/status/1436541344713957377
McLaughlin passed countless medical tests before the fight, including hormone assessments.
“I want to pick up the mantle that Fallon put down,” McLaughlin said pre-fight.
https://twitter.com/supermarioworm/status/1436538795222962184
“Right now, I’m following in Fallon’s footsteps. I’m just another step along the way, and it’s my great hope that there are more to follow behind me.
“If we want to see more trans athletes, if we want to see more opportunities for trans kids, we’re going to have to work out way into those spaces and make it happen.”
Despite her prowess in the ring, McLaughlin only started training earlier this year. She had struggled to find a gym that accepted her until she found MMA Masters in Florida.
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