10 Greatest LGBTQ Fighters In UFC History
Without LGBTQ athletes, mixed martial arts wouldn't be where it is today.
In 1981, tennis legend Billie Jean King became the first high-profile female athlete to come out.
Since that time, we have seen members of the LGBTQ community represented in practically every major sport known to humankind. For example, football fans have witnessed stars like Megan Rapinoe and Abby Wambach rise to the top. In tennis, we've had icons like the previously mentioned Billie Jean King and Martina Navratilova dominate in their respective primes.
Moreover, in recent years, there has been another sport that has provided a platform for members of the community to shine —mixed martial arts.
The Ultimate Fighting Championship doesn't have any prominent LGBTQ fighters in the men's divisions at the moment. However, women's MMA features several talented female martial artists who are proud members of the LGBTQ community.
In truth, without LGBTQ athletes, women's mixed martial arts wouldn't be where it is today and the sport would be without some of its most prominent competitors.
To illustrate the previous point, we've ranked the ten greatest LGBTQ fighter to ever set foot inside a UFC cage.
10. Renata Livia Souza
Holding down the number ten spot is a dangerous submission specialist by the name of Renata Livia Souza.
The UFC strawweight is a Brazilian jiu-jitsu black belt with an impressive 13-2 professional record, who has managed to finish ten of her opponents. 'The Brazilian Gangster' first made a name for herself in the all-female promotion, Invicta FC, where she became strawweight champ.
This talented LGBTQ athlete holds victories over Deanna Bennett, Katja Kankaanpaa, and Alex Chambers. Souza made her UFC debut back in September of 2018 and is 2-1 since signing with the world's most recognized promotion.
At just 28 years of age, the former Invicta titleholder has already accomplished a great deal. That being said, Souza is a proven finisher who is poised to build on her impressive résumé in the coming years.