Trans woman fighter beats woman to submission in MMA match

Veteran turned trans woman Alana McLaughlin beat a woman into submission in an MMA fight on Friday night at the Combate Global prelims in Miami, Fla.

McLaughlin, 38, used a rear-naked choke hold on Celine Provost, 32, bringing the fight against the biological female fighter to an end after 3 minutes, which was a mere 32 seconds into round two of the match.

McLaughlin, a biological male who was a member of the US Army Special Forces until 2010, wore a t-shirt which read "end trans genocide" as she was named the victor after choking Provost on the mat, according to the New York Post.

For her part, Provost was able to land some punches in the first round before being bested by the biological male, who believes her fighting against biological women is part of a social justice campaign.

McLaughlin praised the efforts of Fallon Fox, a biological male who identifies as transgender and has also made a career beating up women in front of an audience. Fox, who twice broke a woman's skull in the ring, was once named the "bravest athlete in history."

It is Fox that McLaughlin seeks to emulate. McLaughlin said "I want to pick up the mantle that Fallon put down."

"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," McLaughlin told Outsports before the match. Fox was present at the match, and was last inside the ring in 2014.

Biological male Fox, who identifies as transgender and is also a veteran of the US military, destroyed Erika Newsome in an MMA fight during which, as it was described:

Fox "secured a grip on Newsome's head… With her hands gripping the back of Newsome's skull, she delivered a massive knee, bringing her leg up while pulling her opponent's head down. The blow landed on Newsome's chin and dropped her, unconscious, face-first on the mat." That was Newsome's last pro fight.

McLaughlin was able to fight against women after she was cleared by the Florida State Boxing Commission and had reduced her natal, male testosterone levels to an acceptable level. McLaughlin experienced both puberty and adulthood as a male.

McLaughlin said that it was a "nightmare" finding an opponent, and had "nothing but respect" for the opponent, Provost, who was willing to end the ring only to suffer a gruesome defeat. Provost has recently recovered from COVID-19.

McLaughlin wants to see way more biological males who identify as transgender beating up women in paid fights. "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," McLaughlin said. "It's time for trans folks to be in sports and be more normalized."

Florida Governor Ron DeSantis signed a bill to bar transgender athletes from competing in sporting events that align with their gender identity rather than their biological sex. However, it was just for students.

"In Florida, girls are going to play girl's sports, and boys are going to play boy's sports. Thats what we're doing, and we're going to make sure that's the reality," DeSantis said

"Athletic teams or sports that are designated for females are open to females, and we're going off biology, not ideology when we're doing sports," said DeSantis about how the bill was written.

"The bill defines a student’s biological sex based on the student’s official birth certificate at the time of birth," DeSantis said, "and as part of the bill we're signing today, we're not only making sure that women have opportunities for scholarships and competition at the highest level, we're also putting in statute ways to actually vindicate the rights of any women athletes who may be discriminated against."

The MMA policy on transgender athletes reads that while "it is not a requirement for the athlete to undergo complete gender assignment surgery," medical documentation would need to be provided "of the relevant surgeries and procedures she underwent during transition."

A biological male fighter who identifies as transgender and wants to fight women would also need to provide "detailed paperwork from a board certified endocrinologist or internist showing that she underwent hormone therapy for a minimum of two years following a gonadectomy and the levels have been within acceptable range for a female."

Association of Boxing Commissions issued guidelines in 2012 that "require proof of at least two years of hormone therapy before a trans woman can compete against women."

Even after two years of testosterone suppression, biological males retain vastly higher testosterone levels than are present in biological women, or than are within range for women.