Fallon Fox, a transgender mixed martial artist, has been cleared to fight in Coral Gables next month. The 36-year-old Fox was born male, married his high school girlfriend after getting her pregnant, and served in the Navy. Fox underwent sexual reassignment surgery in 2006 before launching her recent MMA career.
That career, however, took a hit when Florida's Department of Business and Professional Regulation (DBPR) announced it was investigating Fox's fight license.
Although she's now cleared to kick ass at the BankUnited Center May 24, controversy still surrounds MMA's first transgender fighter.
Strangely, the DBPR investigation into Fox's license had nothing to do with her being transgender. The organization was looking into whether Fox knowingly lied when she claimed to have already been licensed in California when, in fact, her license was pending.
On Wednesday, DBPR dropped its investigation, clearing the way for the Coral Gables clash next month.
But Fox's Y chromosome is still causing controversy in the world of MMA. On March 2, Fox dropped female MMA fighter Ericka Newsome in just 39 seconds with a knee to the face.
Just hours later, however, Fox was forced to reveal she'd been born a man.
The news angered many in the MMA industry. Peggy Morgan, another competitor in the same tournament, gave an interview referring to Fox as a man and refusing to fight her.
"I'm sure she'd like to see herself as a great WMMA fighter, but I think a lot of her success has to do with the fact that she has advantages," Morgan said. Some MMA fans were also furious.
Fox argues that after ten years of hormone-replacement therapy, any advantage she might have had is long gone.
"I'm technically, legally, physically, and mentally female," she told Outsports. "Everything about me is female."
Fox will fight Allanna Jones at the BankUnited Center in Coral Gables May 24.
