A ranked list of the best gay UFC fighters. Are there any openly gay UFC fighters?

A ranked list of the best gay UFC fighters. Are there any openly gay UFC fighters?

Kevin Omuya
April 20, 2023 at 8:27 AM

As a society, we have made great strides in promoting inclusion and diversity in all our lives. The world of mixed martial arts and the Ultimate Fighting Championship (UFC) is no exception. In recent years, there has been an increasing number of openly gay UFC fighters, both male and female, who have shattered barriers and become role models for the LGBTQ community.

Gay UFC fighters
Tecia Torres relaxes backstage with her girlfriend, Raquel Pennington, before her bout during the UFC Fight Night event at Amway Center on February 24, 2018, in Orlando, Florida. Photo: Mike Roach
Source: Getty Images

These fighters have been open about their sexuality and advocate for LGBTQ rights in and out of the octagon. It is important to note that an athlete's sexuality should not define their career or how they are viewed as a fighter, and their skills and achievements should be the focus of attention. Below are the ranked gay fighters in UFC in history, based on their achievements, impact, and bravery.

Are there any openly gay UFC fighters?

There are gay UFC fighters, including Amanda Nunes, Tecia Torres, Nina Ansaroff, Liz Carmouche, and Jessica Andrade.

9. John Fitch

Openly gay male UFC fighters
Jon Fitch walks to the Octagon to face Demian Maia before their welterweight fight at UFC 156 on February 2, 2013, at the Mandalay Bay Events Center in Las Vegas, Nevada. Photo: Josh Hedges.
Source: Getty Images

Jon Fitch is a retired American mixed martial artist who competed in the UFC welterweight division. Fitch began his MMA career in 2002 and had a professional record of 32 wins, eight losses, and two draws. Fitch debuted his UFC in 2005, facing tough opponents such as Thiago Alves and Georges St-Pierre.

John Fitch is one of the openly gay male UFC fighters and has married his partner since 2013. Fitch retired from MMA in 2019 and has coached and trained young fighters. He continues to be a role model for LGBTQ athletes and has worked to create a more inclusive and accepting environment in combat sports.

8. Nick Ring

Openly gay male UFC fighters
Nick Ring during the UFC 158 weigh-in at Bell Centre on March 15, 2013, in Montreal, Quebec, Canada. Photo: Josh Hedges/Zuffa LLC/Zuffa LLC
Source: Getty Images

Nick Ring is a retired Canadian mixed martial artist who competed in the middleweight division. The ring began his MMA career in 2002 and had a professional record of 13 wins, three losses, and one draw. Ring debuted in 2011, facing tough opponents such as Riki Fukuda and Tim Boetsch. He was known for his exciting fighting style and his ability to put on entertaining fights for fans.

Nick is one of the openly gay UFC male fighters. Ring retired from MMA in 2014 and has coached and trained young fighters. He continues to be a role model for LGBTQ athletes and has worked to create a more inclusive and accepting environment in combat sports.

7. Jessica Andrade

Gay female UFC fighters
Jessica Andrade of Brazil arrives backstage during the UFC 261 event at VyStar Veterans Memorial Arena on April 24, 2021, in Jacksonville, Florida. Photo: Chris Unger/Zuffa LLC)
Source: Getty Images

Jessica Andrade is a Brazilian mixed martial artist who competes in the women's flyweight division. Andrade began her MMA career in 2011 and had a record of 21 wins and nine losses.

She is also known for being among the gay female UFC fighters and has been in a long-term relationship with her partner, Fernanda Gomes. She then moved down to the strawweight division, where she had a successful run and earned a title shot against then-champion Rose Namajunas.

Andrade continues to compete in the UFC and is considered one of the top fighters in the women's flyweight division. She has also been a role model for LGBTQ athletes and has worked to create a more inclusive and accepting environment in sports.

6. Alex Caceres

UFC gay fighter
Alex Caceres prepares to fight Julian Erosa in a featherweight fight during the UFC Fight Night event at UFC APEX on December 17, 2022, in Las Vegas, Nevada. Photo: Chris Unger.
Source: Getty Images

Alex Caceres, also known as "Bruce Leeroy," is an American mixed martial artist who competes in the featherweight division. Caceres began his MMA career in 2008 and recorded 17 wins, 12 losses, and one draw.

He is a UFC gay fighter and has been in a long-term relationship with his partner, who he has credited with helping him stay focused and motivated throughout his career. Caceres debuted in the UFC in 2011, facing tough opponents such as Sergio Pettis and Urijah Faber. He has also been known for participating in The Ultimate Fighter reality show, where he appeared for two seasons.

Outside of his MMA career, Caceres is a musician and has released several albums named "Bruce Leeroy." He has also been a role model for LGBTQ athletes and has worked to create opportunities for young people to get involved in MMA.

5. Tecia Torres

LBTQ UFC fighters
Tecia Torres waits for her women's strawweight bout to start during the UFC 235 event at T-Mobile Arena on March 2, 2019, in Las Vegas, Nevada. Photo: Jeff Bottari.
Source: Getty Images

Tecia Torres is an American mixed martial artist who competes in the women's strawweight division. Torres began her MMA career in 2012 and had a record of 12 wins and six losses.

Torres is one of the LBTQ UFC fighters and has been in a long-term relationship with fellow UFC fighter Raquel Pennington. In 2013, Torres appeared on The Ultimate Fighter reality show, where she made it to the semi-finals before losing to Carla Esparza. She then competed in the UFC, facing tough opponents like Rose Namajunas and Joanna Jedrzejczyk.

Outside of her MMA career, Torres advocates for mental health and has spoken out about her struggles with anxiety and depression. She is also an ambassador for the LGBTQ Community Center of Southern Nevada and works to promote LGBTQ rights in sports.

4. Nina Ansaroff

Gay UFC champion
Nina Ansaroff during the UFC Fight Night event inside Talking Stick Resort Arena on January 15, 2017, in Phoenix, Arizona. Photo: Mike Roach/Zuffa LLC/Zuffa LLC via Getty Images
Source: Getty Images

Nina Ansaroff is an American mixed martial artist who competes in the women's strawweight division. Ansaroff began her MMA career in 2010 and had a record of 10 wins and seven losses.

Ansaroff is known for her striking and grappling skills and has faced some top-ranked fighters in the women's strawweight division. She is also known for being one of the first openly gay fighters in the UFC. Ansaroff is engaged to fellow fighter Amanda Nunes, the current women's featherweight and bantamweight champion.

Ansaroff returned to the octagon in 2020, facing former Invicta FC champion Mackenzie Dern. Although Ansaroff ultimately lost the fight, she received praise for her toughness and determination in the face of Dern's grappling skills.

Ansaroff continues to compete in the UFC and is considered one of the top fighters in the women's strawweight division. She has also been a role model for LGBTQ athletes and has worked to create opportunities for young people to get involved in MMA.

3. Raquel Pennington

Gay fighters in UFC
Raquel Pennington poses for a portrait after her victory during the UFC 273 event at VyStar Veterans Memorial Arena on April 09, 2022, in Jacksonville, Florida. Photo: Mike Roach
Source: Getty Images

Pennington began her MMA career in 2009 and had a record of 12 wins and eight losses. She is known for her striking and grappling skills and has faced some top-ranked fighters in the women's bantamweight division. Pennington has been in a long-term relationship with fellow fighter Tecia Torres.

One of Pennington's most notable fights came in 2018 when she challenged Nunes for the women's bantamweight championship. Although Pennington ultimately lost the fight, she received praise for her toughness and resilience despite Nunes' dominant performance.

Pennington continues to compete in the UFC and is considered one of the top fighters in the women's bantamweight division. She has also been an advocate for LGBTQ rights in sports and has spoken out about the importance of representation and visibility for LGBTQ athletes.

2. Liz Carmouche

Openly gay UFC fighter male
Liz Carmouche conducts an open training session for fans and media at the UFC Gym on February 20, 2013, in Torrance, California. Photo: Josh Hedges
Source: Getty Images

Liz Carmouche is a retired American mixed martial artist who competed in the women's bantamweight division. She was born on February 19, 1984, in Lafayette, Louisiana. Carmouche served in the United States Marine Corps before beginning her MMA career in 2010.

Carmouche made history as one of the first openly gay fighters in the UFC. She is known for her intense wrestling and grappling skills and has a record of 14 wins and seven losses. Carmouche's most notable fight came in 2013 when she challenged Ronda Rousey for the women's bantamweight championship in UFC history's first-ever women's fight; she is a respected figure in the MMA community and has left a lasting impact on the sport as one of the pioneers of women's MMA in the UFC.

1. Amanda Nunes

Gay female UFC fighters
Amanda Nunes of Brazil celebrates after defeating Julianna Pena in their bantamweight title bout during UFC 277 at American Airlines Center on July 30, 2022, in Dallas. Photo: Carmen Mandato
Source: Getty Images

Amanda Nunes is a Brazilian mixed martial artist who competes in the women's bantamweight and featherweight divisions. Nunes began training in martial arts at 16 and made her professional MMA debut in 2008.

Nunes is known for her powerful striking and Brazilian jiu-jitsu skills. She has an impressive record of 21 wins and four losses and has defeated some of the biggest names in women's MMA, including Ronda Rousey, Holly Holm, and Cris Cyborg. Nunes is the first openly gay champion in UFC history and has won two titles in two different weight classes; bantamweight and featherweight.

She is married to fellow UFC fighter Nina Ansaroff, and the couple welcomed their first child in 2020. Nunes has successfully defended both titles and established herself as one of the greatest fighters in UFC history, regardless of gender or sexual orientation. Nunes has been open about her sexuality and advocated for LGBTQ rights in and out of the octagon.

The presence of gay UFC fighters in the sport is a step towards greater inclusivity and acceptance. The fighters have shown that it is possible to be successful in MMA while also being true to oneself, and their bravery in coming out inspires many.

READ ALSO: Who is Wout Weghorst, Manchester United's new signing? Age, height, and stats

Sports Brief featured Manchester United's new number nine, Wout Weghorst of the Netherlands. The tall striker joined United to replace Cristiano Ronaldo, who moved to Al Nassr in Saudi Arabia.

Wout made mad airwaves in the 2022 Qatar World Cup. His height is perfect for a striker, making him a force to reckon with in the air. Check out the link above for all details about the new striker!

Authors
Kevin Omuya photo
Kevin Omuya
Kevin Omuya is a Content Writer with 4 years of experience who joined Sports Brief in 2022. In 2019 he held a Bachelor of Arts in Journalism & Digital Media from KCA University.