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As most people in the WMMA industry have now heard, Fallon Fox has stirred up quite a controversary due to her status as the first transgender MMA fighter.  

Here is her official statement, and the official statement of Barbara Zavaleta Avakian of VII A.D., one of Fallon's sponsors: "In response to the recent media exposure of being transgender in MMA. we at VII A.D. will continue to support Fallon as a sponsor and admire her courage and strength during this difficult time."

Official statement from Fallon Fox (official) in response to the recent media exposure of being transgender in MMA:
"I'd like the world to know that I deserve the right to compete in women's MMA. I have trained hard for this, sacrificed relationships, invested money to attempt to accomplish my goal of being the best female MMA fighter I can be. I am a woman. A woman who happens to fall into the category of post operative transsexual.

Just like there are black women, lesbian women, disabled women, and other types of women... there are trans women. We are just another type in the category of women. There is a misconception out there that post operative transsexual women have an automatic advantage over women born with complete female anatomy. This is simply not true.

The general public needs to be aware of this and we are hoping to shed light on this misconception. I can not wait to fight again. And I would like to take my skills and take them to the highest levels and promotions that I can."

No matter what the circumstances, it's nice to have the support of the WMMA community and one's sponsors.  While I do feel disclosure should have been made in advance, I totally understand Fallon's trepidation, in light of the potential for judgement from the world's MMA community.  Best wishes to Fallon Fox.

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Are you ready to vote? See the 2012 Women's MMA Press Association Nominees below and tell me who you're voting for today by going here!

Fight of the Year

a) Sarah Kaufman vs Alexis Davis – Strikeforce: Rousey vs Tate (Part 1 | Part 2)
b) Ronda Rousey vs Miesha Tate – Strikeforce: Rousey vs Tate (Full Fight)
c) Leslie Smith vs Kaitlin Young – Invicta Fighting Championships 1 (Full Fight)
d) Jessica Penne vs Lisa Ellis – Invicta Fighting Championships 1 (Full Fight)
e) Rosi Sexton vs Aisling Daly – Cage Warriors Fighting Championship 47 (Full Fight)
f) Sara McMann vs Shayna Baszler – Invicta Fighting Championships 2 (Full Fight)
g) Miesha Tate vs Julie Kedzie – Strikeforce: Rousey vs Kaufman (Full Fight)

Female Fighter of the Year

*All nominees in the following five categories are eligible for votes*

Female Featherweight (137-146) of the Year

a) Julia Budd (2-0 in 2012)
b) Marloes Coenen (1-0 in 2012)
c) Ediene Gomes (1-0 in 2012)
d) Germaine de Randamie (1-0 in 2012)

Female Bantamweight (127-136) of the Year

a) Alexis Davis (1-1 in 2012)
b) Sarah Kaufman (1-1 in 2012)
c) Sara McMann (2-0 in 2012)
d) Ronda Rousey (2-0 in 2012)

Female Flyweight (117-126) of the Year

a) Jessica Eye (4-0 in 2012)
b) Munah Holland (3-1 in 2012)
c) Barb Honchak (2-0 in 2012)
d) Michelle Ould (2-0 in 2012)

Female Strawweight (107-116) of the Year

a) Jessica Aguilar (2-0 in 2012)
b) Carla Esparza (2-0 in 2012)
c) Ayaka Hamasaki (3-0 in 2012)
d) Felice Herrig (3-0 in 2012)

Female Atomweight (97-106) of the Year

a) Stephanie Frausto (2-1 in 2012)*
b) Jessica Penne (2-0 in 2012)
c) Naho Sugiyama (1-1 in 2012)
d) Michelle Waterson (2-0 in 2012)

*Note: Loss was at 115 pounds.

Female Newcomer of the Year

a) Joanne Calderwood (4-0 in 2012)
b) Jessamyn Duke (2-0 in 2012)
c) Emily Kagan (2-0 in 2012)
d) Karolina Kowalkiewicz (2-0 in 2012)
e) Eeva Siiskonen (2-0 in 2012)
f) Paige VanZant (2-0 in 2012)

Note: Fighters in this category must have made their pro debuts and had at least two pro wins during the 2012 calendar year in order to be eligible.

Amateur Female Fighter of the Year

a) Cortney Casey (5-1 in 2012)
b) Brittany Dugas (4-0 in 2012)
c) Rebecca Heintzman (6-0 in 2012)
d) Kaiyana Rain (4-0 in 2012)
e) Tecia Torres (5-0 in 2012)

Note: Fighters in this category must have had at least three amateur fights and no more than one pro fight during the 2012 calendar year in order to be eligible.

Knockout of the Year

a) Vanessa Porto def. Luana Teixeira by KO (Punch) at 0:41 of Round 1. (Watch)
b) Sheila Gaff def. Jennifer Maia by KO (Punches) at 0:10 of Round 1. (Watch)
c) Munah Holland def. Marianna Kheyfets by KO (Punch) at 4:45 of Round 2. (Watch)
d) Kaline Medeiros def. Stephanie Eggink by KO (Punch) at 0:07 of Round 1. (Watch)
e) Joanne Calderwood def. Ashley Cummins by KO (Knee To The Body) at 3:13 of Round 1. (Watch)
f) Sheila Bird def. Christina Barry by KO (Punches) at 0:11 of Round 1. (Watch)

Submission of the Year

a) Marta Chojnoska def. Paulina Suska by Sub. (Scarf Hold Armlock) at 0:42 of Round 1. (Watch)
b) Ayaka Hamasaki def. Yuka Tsuji by Sub. (Kimura) at 3:41 of Round 1. (Watch)
c) Sarah D’Alelio def. Vanessa Porto by Sub. (Reverse Triangle Choke) at 3:16 of Round 1. (Watch)
d) Jessica Penne def. Naho Sugiyama by Sub. (Triangle Choke) at 2:20 of Round 2. (Watch)
e) Stephanie Frausto def. Amy Davis by Sub. (Guillotine Choke) at 0:48 of Round 1. (Watch)
f) Jessica Eye def. Zoila Gurgel by Tech. Sub. (Arm-Triangle Choke) at 0:58 of Round 1. (Watch)

Promotion of the Year

a) Bellator Fighting Championships
b) Cage Warriors Fighting Championship
c) Invicta Fighting Championships
d) Jewels
e) North American Allied Fight Series
f) Strikeforce
g) Super Fight League
h) Tuff-N-Uff

Sponsor of the Year

a) Babes of MMA
b) Brawl and Maul Fight Performance Wear
c) Fear The Fighter
d) Fight Chix
e) FighterGirls
f) Loyalty Before Royalty
g) MMA Chick
h) Polanti Watches
i) Tussle Fight Gear
j) VII A.D. Jewelry Art by Sevan Avakian
k) Xtreme Female Fight Gear

Headline of the Year

a) Ronda Rousey Signs With The UFC
b) Shannon Knapp and Janet Martin Form All-Female Invicta Fighting Championships
c) Strikeforce Cancels Events, Rumoured To Fold In Early 2013