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USA Today Sports Media Group
USA Today Sports Media Group
Sport
Danny Segura and Ken Hathaway

Jeff Molina disappointed by fan backlash for wearing UFC’s Pride Month shorts: ‘It’s f*cking ridiculous’

LAS VEGAS – Jeff Molina is not happy with a portion of the MMA community.

The UFC flyweight prospect fought and won on Saturday night while wearing the rainbow-colored font fight shorts the UFC released in support of Pride Month. Molina (11-2 MMA, 3-0 UFC), who earned a split decision win over Zhalgas Zhumagulov at UFC Fight Night 207, said he received plenty of fan backlash in the lead up to the fight when he announced he’d be wearing the shorts come fight night at the UFC Apex.

The 24-year-old Molina was surprised to receive such a response.

“I was honestly shocked,” Molina told reporters at the post-fight news conference. “So I picked the colors because I thought it looked cool and then also it supports a good cause, you know. But I will support anything of a community that’s been oppressed and ostracized for some time now for something they can’t help. I’ll get behind any of that.

“I just thought in 2022 people will be a little more like open-minded and not pieces of sh*t. But, I guess I was wrong. It’s just crazy to me. Like, people were saying some, like crazy sh*t.”

Not only was Molina surprised by the fan backlash, but also upset about it. He calls for more tolerance in the community.

“Dude, it’s f*cking ridiculous,” Molina said. “Man, who would have thunk that in 2022 people are still, who the f*ck cares, bro? Like honestly, it’s not even about being an ally. I’m not saying I’m not, but it’s like just be a f*cking decent person. Like just be a decent human being.

“Like judging someone and trying to justify with religion and saying all sorts of like just spiteful, hateful sh*t, it’s crazy, it’s crazy to me. It’s mind-boggling. It’s like who cares who someone wants to be with or like their sexual preference like and then trying to justify, the irony of trying to justify it by religion or something that’s supposed to be so accepting.”

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