Carmouche proudly carries gay banner into UFC cage

ANAHEIM, Calif. — Mixed martial arts history will be made Saturday when Ronda Rousey and Liz Carmouche step into the cage as the first females ever to compete in the Ultimate Fighting Championship.

Carmouche also will break ground as the first openly homosexual fighter in the organization.

She has partly used the unprecedented exposure of the event to advocate for the gay community. Carmouche proudly uses a rainbow mouthpiece and has a devoted fan base called the “Lizbos.”

“It was never a conscious decision,” the 29-year-old San Diegan said of her advocacy. “Really, my only thing was I just didn’t want to hide anymore.”

It’s a relief for Carmouche, who lives with her girlfriend, Elisa, just to be able to speak about her personal life. She is a former Marine who served three tours in Iraq while abiding by the military’s “Don’t Ask, Don’t Tell” policy.

Carmouche lived in fear of being outed and kicked out of the military. She could never have guessed she one day would be so open about her lifestyle.

“I’m really proud because to be closeted for so long was so difficult,” she said. “I never thought I would be a voice for the community. It was never my intention or goal, but for it to fall into place, it has been an honor to be that person. I’ve had nothing but positive feedback and support from the LGBT community.”

Carmouche’s exposure could grow immensely should she find a way to pull off a stunning upset against Rousey in the main event of UFC 157 and become a UFC champion on Saturday.

For help with that, she can rely on some lessons she learned during her military career.

Carmouche said most of Rousey’s opponents have been intimidated by the mystique of Rousey and were nervous while fighting the Olympic medalist.

According to Carmouche, however, there is no intimidating a Marine.

“She goes in there with a great psychology and breaks her opponents down and I think they have already been broken by the time they go in there with her,” Carmouche said. “That won’t happen to me.”

It’s one of the reasons Carmouche is in this position in the first place. When Rousey was announced as the first-ever female in the organization, UFC president Dana White said it was difficult getting any women to agree to fight her.

The story has been disputed by representatives of several top female fighters, but the bottom line is Carmouche lobbied and campaigned for the opportunity.

White, who was criticized several years ago by gay rights groups for his use of an anti-gay slur during a rant about a reporter, said Thursday he is proud of Carmouche.

“Contrary to popular belief, I actually (couldn’t) care less (about her sexuality). I applaud her,” White said. “She was under ‘Don’t Ask, Don’t Tell’ in the military for years and when she got out, she said, ‘I don’t want to live like this anymore.’ I’m going to come out and I’m going to move to a place where I can be comfortable with myself and my life.

“At the end of the day, really, I know how this country is depending on where you live, but if you live in California or somewhere like this, who cares if you come out. It doesn’t matter. It certainly doesn’t matter to me.”

White said he would be just fine with a male fighter in his organization coming out as well.

“I can’t speak to what it’s like to be gay and to want to come out and what that feels like, but I can tell you right now if you are a guy and you are gay and you want to come out in the UFC, it will not change anything whatsoever in how you are marketed or your relationship with this company,” he said.

Carmouche, who said the feedback from fans has been overwhelmingly positive with few exceptions, acknowledges a male fighter would face much greater resistance.

“I think it would be absolutely difficult for a guy,” she said. “Society is in a place where they can’t even accept men kissing (but) for women it’s considered attractive. Until there’s a change in society, I think it would be very difficult for a guy to come out in this sport.”

But things change. After all, as recently as a year ago White was saying women would “never” fight in the UFC.

On Saturday night, a gay woman will break down two barriers at once.

Contact reporter Adam Hill at ahill@reviewjournal.com or 702-224-5509. Follow him on Twitter: @adamhilllvrj.