Former UFC star Jake Shields has once again caused a stir in the MMA community with his controversial views on transgender issues. Shields took to Twitter to challenge ten trans male fighters to a series of bouts, declaring that he would fight each one of them without any break in between.
Shields’ History of Controversy
This isn’t the first time Shields has made headlines for his controversial views. In the past, he has shared a now-deleted tweet calling for public executions of anyone who supported children in transitioning from one gender to another.
After losing to Hector Lombard at UFC 171 in 2014, Shields was released from the UFC. Since then, he has been vocal about his views on transgender issues, which have put him at odds with many in the MMA community.
Shields’ Challenge
Shields’ challenge to ten trans male fighters caused a stir on social media, with many criticizing him for his views. However, when nobody initially accepted his challenge, he doubled down, posting, “I’m starting to think they don’t have the balls to fight me.”
Since trans men are real men I would like to challenge the 10 toughest trans men in the world to a fight
I fight them with no training camp and no rest between each fight
— Jake Shields (@jakeshieldsajj) April 20, 2023
Mark Beggs Steps Up
But Shields’ challenge didn’t go unanswered. Mark Beggs, an amateur wrestler and transgender man, stepped up to take him on.
Beggs, who has campaigned for transgender rights in Texas, criticized Shields for his disrespect to the sport of MMA, stating that Shields should fight him one-on-one and do it “f***ing right.”
Beggs also took issue with the hyper-fixation on trans women in the MMA community and vowed to “f*** up” Shields in their upcoming fight.
The Details
Shields has accepted Beggs’ challenge, and the details of their fight are yet to be determined. Beggs has no experience in professional MMA competitions, making him the underdog in this fight. However, his experience in amateur wrestling may give him an edge.
Beggs is no stranger to controversy himself. He was famously forced to wrestle against girls while transitioning from female to male in high school. He won the Texas state girls’ wrestling championship two years running but was denied entry into the men’s division because of Texas law requiring students to compete under the gender listed on their birth certificate.
Conclusion
The upcoming fight between Shields and Beggs is sure to be controversial, with both fighters facing criticism for their views and history. However, it will be interesting to see how the fight plays out and whether Beggs can prove himself in the world of MMA. Stay tuned for more updates on this story.
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