"I don't like cheaters" - Julian Erosa challenges transgender swimmer Lia Thomas to transition to MMA, gives opinion on "men in women's sport"

Julian Erosa sparked controversy following his victory at UFC Vegas 89 with comments targeting transgender swimmer Lia Thomas.

Following his first-round submission win over Ricardo Ramos, Erosa expressed disapproval of what he perceives as unfair advantages in women's sports. He then challenged Thomas to transition to MMA and compete in the women's division, stating he would then "transition" himself to defeat her.

He stated:

"I don't like cheaters. ... I wanted to encourage him to transition from women's swimming into women's MMA, and then I'll transition into a woman and beat that dude's a**."

Check out Julian Erosa's comments on swimmer Lia Thomas below:

Thomas is challenging a policy requiring male-to-female transgender athletes to transition before the age of 12 or before reaching stage two of puberty to compete in women's categories.

Julian Erosa secures impressive comeback win

Julian Erosa overcame an early onslaught from Ricardo Ramos to claim a thrilling first-round victory by guillotine choke at UFC Vegas 89 on Saturday night. The win held extra significance for Erosa, coming just days after the birth of his son.

Check out Julian Erosa's submission win below:

Erosa weathered a storm in the opening minutes. Ramos landed a heavy right hand and a takedown, putting Erosa on the defensive. However, Erosa displayed resilience, escaping a subsequent takedown attempt and capitalizing on an opportunity.

As Ramos dove in for another takedown, Erosa locked in a tight guillotine choke, forcing the Brazilian to tap out midway through the first round.

In his post-fight interview, Erosa dedicated the win to his newborn son. Elated about his win, he said:

"It definitely takes a lot off my shoulders."