Game Face (2015) - full transcript

[announcer] Please welcome
to the red corner:
Fallon Fox!

[Fox] Back in 2008, I went
to a fitness gym.I was
trying to get in shape.

And one of the physical
trainers there

asked me what apparatus
I wanted to train on.

"Let's try that punching bag."
So, I went over there

and gave a couple of punches
in the punching bag.

He liked the way that
I hit the bagand that I
wasn't timid about it.

Then he took me from there
into an MMA gym.

And everything kind of
snowballedfrom there.

[announcer]
Fallon Fox turns her up
like a pretzel!

[Clemens]
The two years that I was here
at Artesia,



we were one of the top teams.

We had all of the hot major
colleges come in
recruiting at games.

I don't want to say I was
treatedas a superstar
here.

But people always helped me
left and right

because they thought that
I was going to be this
big time college player.

The plan originally was
to play varsity,
going to college,

and then the NBA,
hopefully, afterwards.

Things just didn't go
the way I planned.

[announcer]
Fallon Fox with a high knee!
Evans-Smith in trouble!

[Fox] In the past
I thought of the ideaof
doing a documentary.

In some ways I guess I am
afraid that maybeit could be
a bad thing for my career.

[Clemens]
Right now it's me piecing
what I think could happen.

Instead of saying, "This athlete
came out and was banned from
this or...

"Nothing happened."
I don't know.
So, it's very scary right now.



[Fox] It's such
a complicated issue.

Because I know there's a
possibility that people will
come after me

and they're not going
to understand.

So, I have to be ready.
You know, just like in MMA,
"Be ready."

[announcer]
Here comes Fallon Fox
striking out!

The crowd is
going bananas!

[man] Yeah!

[Fox] Every time
I see that skyline
I'm like, "Wow."

It makes me feel like I'm part
of something big.

Like I'm really
a part of the city.

The last five years
of my life
has been this.

I was training in the
morning,training at night,
I lived in the gym.

This sport is
my world right now.
This is what I do.

Words can't even express
how much it means to me.

In the beginning I had
questions about
my participation in MMA.

I was having a hard time
getting fights,

possibly because there was
a rumor out there that
I was transgender.

[announcer] Your winner
by triangle choke,

from Schaumburg, Illinois,
Fallon "Queen of Swords" Fox!

[people cheering]

[Fox] I broke down at my gym
and I toldmy first trainer.
That was hard.

My coaches expressed that
they didn't want me
to come out.

They were like,
"If you come out now
no one will fight you,

"it will reflect badly
on the gym."

I don't think they ever
want me to come out.

I find myself playing
devil's advocate
with myself,

to try and have to express
myself to everyone.

It's very, very hard.
It's like a 24-hour thing.

Luckily, I had
a couple of friends.

Hey, you. It's been
like two years?

It's so cold here.

Because it's Chicago, dude.

[Allums] The reason why
I'm reaching out
to other trans athletes

is because I did not
have that
when I was younger.

I did not have someone
to help me figure out
who I was.

All I had was people telling
me that

I was wrong for feeling
the way I was feeling.

And that wasn't
the case at all.

[Fox]
I actually met Kye through
the NCLR,

which is the National Center
for Lesbian Rights.

Kye was really awesome.

I really enjoy
the conversations
that we've had

and being able to share
our experiences

as being
transgender athletes.

When people find out
about me,

you instantly see
that confusion

and then they start thinking
about all these things and,
like, "Wait, what?"

So, you, like,
"Wait, What?"
It's like...

You don't need to think
about all that.
It's not that serious.

If I say I'm a trans guy,
the only thing you should
be focusing on

is okay, so,
male pronouns.

Actually,
I was a truck driver
for a good four years

and I transitioned
on the job
as a truck driver.

I hadn't had surgery yet

and they knew me
as male before

and then I
switched over
overnight.

I just came in and I told them
I was coming in next week.

And I told my boss everything
and he was like, "Okay."

I came in
and then everybody
was like...

About a month or two after,
guys were just coming on
to me.

And trying to hook up.

In front of everyone, too.

And these are like
truck driver guys.

Yeah?

For me,
it was more the body.

You know, like,
being able to...

Comfortable with
yourself...

Be comfortable with myself
and my body
in addition to, like...

some traditional female
things... Perhaps not.

Like right now I'm doing MMA
and that's, like,

not considered a traditional
female thing to do.

Here are all the trophies
I've gotten over the years.

Ten, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15,
16, 17, 18, 19...

Twenty different awards
within two years.

Jesus, so you just
kick ass basically.

[Fox]
My objective is to fight
for the UFC or Invicta.

Preferably Invicta, if I can,
because it's
a female promotion.

So, what I need to do now
isto apply for a license
in California.

Being that California is the
moststringent state

as far as
licensing policies go.

I know that the commission
needs to look through all
my medical records,

as far as this is concerned
in conjunction with my sport.

Like, California asked me
what surgeries I had,

and I told them everything.

After I get a license
in California,

my coaches should be
a little bit more behind me.

For the simple fact that
if I can get a license
in California,

more then likely I'll be
licensed anywhere else.

We just have to
wait and see.

[Clemens]
Wow. It's been forever.

A lot of memories.
A lot of memories.

Coming into my freshman year,

I played for a traveling team.
It was called the LA City
Wildcats.

We all kinda made a pact to
each other

that we wanted to play with
each otherin high school

since we all grew up
playing witheach other
in junior high.

So, we all decided that we
wouldcome here and play
on the same team.

It's funny, I get asked a lot
aboutJames Harden,
the NBA player.

Growing up
he wasn't the best one
on our team.

He sprouted up after
his ninth grade year

and grew about four or five
inches over a summer.

He could already shoot,
dribble...So, adding the
height to it,

it gave him everything that
he needed.

He went ahead and
continuedplaying
basketball at a high level.

The summer of
my sophomore year,
going into my junior year,

I just heard the rumor
that I was here at a party

and they caught me in bed
with a guy or something.

A couple of guys
reached out to me and
asked me was it true.

Especially at that time
I denied it.

I maybe didn't handle
the situationthe right way,

because I didn't know
what to do
to maintain my reputation

as a basketball player.

My teammates, they just...

They would act like
they were okay with it,

but our relationship
was just different.

They stopped talking to me
on a regular basis,

stopped inviting me
to places.

It was very hurtful.
These were guysthat I
knew since childhood,

guys I called brothers,
just disowned me basically.

I was supposed
to play varsity
my junior year.

It didn't happen.

And I talked to the coach
andI just went ahead and
I moved back to

Crenshaw High School.

After I left, they won
the State Championship
my junior year.

It was like someone stabbed
me in the back, basically.
It hurt.

It really did.

I felt like that was
my championshipthat I
didn't get to be part of.

We're number one, baby,
we're number one!

When I got here to Crenshaw,
I met some guys

and considered them family.

And that was more so because
they were going through
the same situation

that I was going through
as far as hiding
our sexuality.

Most of them were out
trying to
take care of themselves

at young ages of 16, 17.

They were stealing,
credit card fraud,

basically any kind of scam
that couldkeep money in
their pockets.

I guess the freedom and
to be able to
have your own money

and just to hang
with those guys

it kinda drew me in.

And got in trouble,
got caught.

Those ten months being
incarcerated,it doesn't
seem real.

It kind of hit me hard,
you know,that I was
once looked at as,

you know, the kid that was
supposed to make it out,

and come back and help
the community.

But that dream had basically
had died at that point.

One guy, his name,
he went by Chums.

While I was in there
with him,

he would always talk to me

and he would tell me,
"Jail is not for you."

There's just something
I see in you

that you won't be back here.

It was like a signal
from God saying,

"Let this be your last time.
I'm worth more than this."

-[ball dribbling]
-[shoes squeaking]

Here you go!

[groans]

Good job, Terrence, good!

Yeah.

Terrence came to me and
he told me, "Okay, I've
been incarcerated.

"And that's where
I've been."

I said,
"Okay, I don't judge.

So, now what are we
going to do?"

He said, "I want to continue
to play basketball."

I said, "Okay, well,
let's start working!"

[Clemens] I was thinking
that basketball
could be my ticket out.

Of everything that's
going wrong right now.

Basketball could help my life
go in the right direction.

I liked his drive and I liked
thathe was determined to
be good.

We would work out
at five in the morning.
He would show up.

No complaints.

To me it felt like, you know,
"This kid really wants it."

And he just kept coming back.

When you shoot free throws
you don't bent your knees.

Ray Allen can get away with it.
You and I can't
get away with it.

[Plaster] Coach Allen told me
about Terrence'sbackground
a little bit.

Where he was coming from
and what he was trying to do.

At the end of the day
I'm a suckerfor those
kind of stories.

Down, down, down!
Corner, corner, corner!

Tuck, tuck, tuck.

Tuck.

[Clemens]
Coach Nick has a friend that's
an assistant coach in Oklahoma.

So he reached out
to him to see
if he would consider

giving me a scholarship
opportunity.

At the end of the day, a lot of
this stuff is a leap of faith,
you know.

You kind of take a chance
and you hope it works out.

[Clemens]
The day I got the call,
I actually missed it.

I woke up to
six missed calls.

And I checked my voice mail
and it was
the coach from Oklahoma.

And he said that
I've been given
a scholarship

and they would like for me
to fly out the next week.

And at that moment I just...

I was overwhelmed.

Just the fact that going from
being in prison

and people laughing at me
and tellingme that I'm
not a basketball player,

that I could go ahead
and give that dream up, too.

Now, receiving a call from
a coachtelling me that I
have a scholarship

and my schooling
will be paid for.

I was just filled with joy
at that moment.

Right now my main focus
is basketball.

Basketball and school.

As far as coming out
with my sexuality,

with this being
a two year school,

odds are I won't
come out there,

but we never know.

It can be a good story,
or it could be a bad story.

I think it can be
something special.

[people shouting
indistinctly]

[fires gun]

[girl]
Come on, Taylor!
Come on, Taylor!

Let's go! Let's go!
Let's go!

Nice Job!

-Good job.
-Thank you.

You did good so far.

[Taylor]
We are very much alike.

A lot of people
tell us that.

Open mindedness.

Determination.

Beauty!

I thought that was
the cutest little photo.

[Taylor giggles]

Yes!

[Fox]
We feed off each other.

And that's like one of
the main things,

our determination,
our goals, sports.

Drive to accomplish things.

I got some older pictures
way back here.

That one is my favorite.

[Fox]
Yes, that was before
I left for the military.

[Taylor] When I first
found out that Fallonwas
going through a change,

I was just, like, "Okay."

Like I did not have
any problem with it.

My other mother in Ohio,
she doesn'tnecessarily
agree with it.

But she's still grateful that
Fallontreats me the way
she does.

The problem with
telling people
at my school,

like, I wouldn't mind
telling them,

but it's her privacy that
I'm worried about.

I try not to tell people
unless they're
my close friends

who I know
wouldn't judge her
or anything.

And if anybody messes
with you...

-She'll just beat them up.
-They're toast.

[Taylor]
Gay pride parade. [laughs]

With all my friends.

It's kind of
a difficult thing
that my parents

have always accepted
my daughter.

They never had
a problem with her.

But my mother is embarrassed
to have me around.

For the longest time I couldn't
even show up at her house.

They said if I don't change
the wayI see myself,

I was going to go to hell.

And that I would be
in an eternal lake of fire.

Forever burning.

And I couldn't stop what was
going on inside of my head.

There was nothing I could do
about it.

It came to a point were I felt
that I was going to commit
suicide...

because of it.

It's kind of saddening
to hear that, you know,

that she was thinking
about committing suicide.

Because...

[sniffles]

[voice breaking] I don't
know what I would do
without her.

[Fox] There is a lot of stuff
that I had togo through
to get here.

A lot of pain
and a lot of suffering.

The only thing on my mind is
just helping out other people
like me.

In this particular
circumstance right now.

[Clemens]
At first it really didn't
hit me.

It was just like
a TV show to me, basically.

I kind of was ready
to get out of Los Angeles.

So, it was more so like
you need
to get here and adjust.

And try not to be so shocked
when you get there.

[Grover] It's difficult
for them to adjust.

Our town is 12,000 people.

So, there's a lot of kudos to
those players who come here
from big cities,

and learn how to adapt.

[Clemens]
I was pretty much homesick
for the first couple of weeks.

If I didn't have to be
somewhere, I was in my room.

Ready?

Ball! Ball! Ball!

All I'm hearing is, "Ball, ball,
ball," and "Gap, gap, gap."

Talk to each other.

You got him! I got him!

[Clemens] My experience with
this team whenI first joined
was a little rocky.

He didn't sign with us
until he actually got here
on campus,

which was about
a week into school.

We thought our team was
already set.

I guess we didn't have
that welcome feeling

because he wasn't there
from the beginning.

He was a little older
than us.

He wasn't really
hanging with us
and stuff like that.

Unbelievable...

It's like we're dealing
with frigging third graders.

We actually called a meeting
to start playing better.

And it came up during the
meeting that

they were all purposely
being mean to me,

so that I wouldn't
want to stay here.

And that was kind of shocking.

We speak to him off court,
but hekeeps his convos
short.

He didn't say very much, so,
it was rubbing us
kind of the wrong way.

Him coming in,
it didn't fit well at all.

Be together. Fight together.
No individual agendas.

-Go Norse!
-Go NEO!

[music playing]

Here we go!

Hey, pinch down.

Pinch down.

Second turnover.

Getting a group of guys
that are from different
parts of the States

and the world,

it's hard for us to
all gel together.

[announcer] Checking in for
the Golden Norseman,
number 24, Terrence Clemens.

[Grover]
To be quite honest with you,

when we first got him, I looked
at him kind of almost
as a backup backup.

Get in, Terrence.
Good hands.

He can't score!

First couple of months
when he first got here,

he didn't play very well.

I thought he was very guarded
in what he did.

That led to him not being
very good on the floor.

[announcer]
Foul from number 24,
Terrence Clemens.

Terrence.

Terrence!

-[buzzer rings]
-You embarrassed yourselves.
Good job, good luck.

[band music playing]

When we win, we sit here
and talk about the game.

Because we lost
y'all don't want
to talk about it.

I'm telling you all
what happened.

Every other game
someone else is mad
and we sit and talk.

Nobody's telling me to shut up,
so I'm just gonna keep on
talking.

[clamoring]

All I'm doing is having
a conversation,
so why are you mad?

Somebody go in there and turn
the water off so I can talk.

Did you not take
them seriously?

Murray State?

I see a bunch
of individuals.

"I'm not going to
work hard on this,

"because, hell, I don't know,
I'm not gonna trust
my teammate.

"I don't want to be a team."

You say we
give you excuses.

Every time we try to say
something you just
change the subject.

Or you just write off
whatever we're saying.

And it doesn't matter what we
say you always have
an answer for it.

Completely disagree.

So, there's no point
in anybody saying--

Completely disagree.

That's my point
right there.

I have to
agree with Jeff.

Don't be negative about it.
Everyone get on board.

Let's make it a positive thing
instead of hanging our heads

and saying we need to do
a Kumbaya session.

Everyone get
on freaking board.

Does that make sense?

[all] Our Father,
who art in heaven,
hallowed be Thy name,

Thy kingdom come,
Thy will be done,
on earth as it is in heaven.

Give us today our daily bread.
And forgive us our trespasses.

As we forgive those
who trespass
against us.

Lead us not into temptation,
but deliver us from evil.

For Thine is the kingdom,
and the power, and the glory,
for ever and ever. Amen.

Are we going to bring it in?

-Go Norsemen.
-Go NEO.

[music playing]

So...

[clears throat]

I just came back
from running.

Earlier today we had
a press conference.

I talked a little smack.

I'm looking forward to snapping
some arms and breaking some
faces for you.

So, look for me.

So far I don't think anybody
suspects that I'm trans.

I just don't need the stress
right now.

I just don't fucking need it.
You know...

It would take me forever to try
and get people to understand.

But tomorrow's a big day.
We'll see
what happens tomorrow.

[announcer]
Ladies and gentlemen,
are you ready?

Three rounds.

The winner will advance
to the semi-finals in CFA11.

[crowd cheering]

[commentator 1]
Ericka Newsome comes out,
delivers a strike.

And Fallon now
takes the top.

These girls are getting
right into it.

Fallon Fox with a knee kick
and that's it! Fallon Fox!

[commentator 2]
What a beautiful knee.

[commentator 1]
Unbelievable. Game over!

[crowd cheering]

Looks like tomorrow,
or actually this morning
in a couple of hours...

I'm going to hit the media.

What happened was...

this guy...

Marrocco, I believe
his last name was.

After my last fight
he called me.

He said something
along the lines of,

"If what I've been told
is true,

"you may want to have
a lot of time
to discuss this matter."

Which, at that point,
threw up a big red flag
in my mind.

And I told him,
"Hey, I got to go!"

I knew this was coming

and I knew, at some point,
someone was going to say
something.

And it's been years
and years of torture.

Wondering when that shoe
was going to drop.

Wondering when I'm gonna
get that phone call.

And I just got
the phone call...

Ladies and gentlemen,
I'm standing here next to
your victor, Fallon.

I'm feeling excellent.
That was sweet?

-Did you like that? Yeah!
-[crowd cheering]

It felt really good
this weekend

for people to look at me
as a normalfemale
MMA fighter.

And I know that
in the minds
of a lot of them

they're going to see me
as something other.

And I really liked
the feeling

of being perceived to be
just like everyone else,

which I am.

[woman] Fallon Fox!

[man 1] Fallon Fox!
[man 2] Fallon Fox!

She is an MMA fighter.

It's not her undefeated record
that has everyone talking.

She is
a transgender female.

She wants to now
join the UFC.

But is it fair for someone
who used tobe a man to
fight a woman?

[man 3]
She has an Illinois
drivers license...

...stating she is female.

And she circled female on her
FloridaState Boxing
Commission application.

So, neither the FSBC nor
the CFAfounder and CEO
Jorge De La Noval

were aware that Fallon
is a transgender female.

I pity the woman who comes up
againsther knockout knee
to the head.

What the fuck?

Transgender fighters should be
taken by case by case basis.

You can't say that
a 145 pound woman and
a 145 pound man are even.

Bone structure is different,

hands are bigger,
jaw is bigger.
Everything is bigger.

Six years of taking
performance dehancing drugs

you think is
going to change
all that?

That's ridiculous.

-Let her fight RuPaul.
-Okay. That's fair.

I'll whoop her.
I mean I'll whoop him.

-You'll whoop him?
-I'm confused.

I can't keep up
with everything.

It's coming in so fast.

This week the state's
Boxing Commission
may decide

if the transgender MMA
fighter cancan get back
in the ring as a woman.

She didn't lie on her
application.

There was no question
about this.

[Foster]
I want to be very clear
about that point.

Fallon Fox never lied.

Fallon Fox never
misrepresented.

For many years the IOC,
the International
Olympic Committee,

has developed a policy
on transgender.

And she qualifies to compete
as a woman for MMA,

no question about it.

Here's the deal,
if you look at those two
women side by side,

you would think Ericka
has got the advantage.

Everyone who competes in MMA
has different things
they're good at.

Some are good wrestlers.
Some just have
brute strength.

So, it's hard to say
who has the advantage.

You can even argue that
there may be disadvantages...

...because they have to fight
in a higher weight category.

But they don't necessarily
have the muscle
to support that.

When you undergo
treatment like she has,

there will be
a lot of changes
in bone density,

and many other things
in the body.

The upper body strength,
grip strength,
stronger, denser bones...

But all that apparently
indeed disappears.

I didn't know that before,
so we did our homework.

That's right.
We do our homework.

Don't ever be a doctor on TV
unless you're a doctor.

[Aaron] When you are
sitting down at CNN
tomorrow with Kyra Philips,

and they ask you
the question,

"What do you say to people
who sayyou shouldn't
compete?"

You can say that that question
has already been answered.

The International Olympic
Committee,NCAA,
the Boxing authorities,

they all have rules in place,
and you qualify
under all of them.

There has been
some criticism,

people, including some
of your opponents

who say it's not fair

that you fight women
when you
were born a man.

What do you say
to your critics?

I think for most part

the reaction has
been positive.

It's just some people...
Some of our...

Some of society
just doesn't get it yet.

And that's what we're trying
to do right now.

Is to inform people and
let them know about
transgender athletes.

In the next hour we will talk
toFallon's opponent that
you saw there

Ericka Newsome,

who she managed to knock out
in a matter of seconds.

Ericka, I want to, you know...
you did just get kneed to the
chin

just seven days ago.

How are you doing?
That looked pretty brutal.

I feel fine.

What do you think
you need to be
better prepared for?

Well, just knowing that...

You know, that...

Help me here.

What she's trying to say is
just knowing what
you're getting into.

Not having any disclosure
of something of that nature,

it puts a lot of stress
after the fight obviously.

[Fox]
I think Ericka Newsome
is a good person.

I think she's just caught up
with the wrong people

who are trying to save face
with her career and her loss.

And that's not the right thing
that she should be doing.

Father, we thank You for today.
We thank You for our food.

We thank You in Jesus' name

for all of our friends here
today, Father. Amen.

[all] Amen.

Yes.

All righty.

Who was it that
requested meatloaf?

[woman] Terrence.

[man]
All right. I like that.

Most of them
just call me Lisa
or Miss Lisa.

They don't really
call me mom.

But they come in a lot
to the office.

I'm right there in the gym.

Is there something
I don't know?

We all call you
mom on campus.

[Lisa] I get asked questions
aboutsituations that
they're going through,

like family, girlfriends,

we need a band-aid, we need
aspirins,"Do you have
any candy?"

Terrence was
a little unusual.

A lot of the players
come in kind of

a little more cocky.

Terrence came in
a little quiet.

In fact I was thinking,
"Man, he's awfully quiet."

You know.

But then I got to know him
and he'snot near as
quiet as I thought he was.

Now the thing I love is,

I call him Mr. NEO.

You know, because everybody
knows Terrence.

Everybody.

[laughing]

Why are you
on camera right now?

I'll tell you later.

Will you be there tonight?

All right,
I'll see you then.

What's up, buddy?
You doing all right?

Yes, sir.

Hey, I know it's late because
your birthday was in January.

But happy birthday!

This is really, like...

This is going up in my room.

And you know I don't have
anything hanging up on my wall.

I am who I really am here,

I'm just not open
about my relationship.

Everything else,
I am who I am everyday.

I'm not faking it by going
out of my way to say, "Hi."

That's just me.

[people cheering]

[whistle blows]

[Clemens]
They know me as
the basketball player

and they get a sense of
who I am as a person,
through basketball.

But it still feels like
they don't know
the real me.

Here, you have to have
your game face on.

Thank you. Thank you.

Terrence, good job.

Little celebrity.

[Clemens]
Sometimes I may
have a plan,

but then I'm nervous about
going through with it.

I just... I don't know
how to go about it.

That's another area where I
would want to call somebody

and get some advice,
but who do I call now?

For the first time an active
maleplayer in a major
team sport

has announced today
that he is gay.

Jason Collins played
college ballat Stanford

and for 12 NBA seasons,
he's played in two NBA finals,

and he's been a part of
six NBA teams.

So, you send this thunderbolt
out into the world

twelve hours later,
how does it feel?

It's incredible.

I'm just trying to live
an honest, genuine life

and next thing you know,
you have the President
calling you.

Yeah, I told him
I couldn't be
prouder of him.

The LGBT community
deserves full equality.

Not just partial equality.

I applaud you,
Jason Collins.

I applaud you.

[male presenter]
Katy Perry, Dwayne Johnson,

and even a former President
of the United States,

tweeted their support for
the NBA'sfirst
openly gay player.

[Clemens]
To me that was
a big shocker.

Kobe Bryant tweeted him.
Magic Johnson tweeted him.

David Stern tweeted him

and said they actually
support himand they were
proud of him.

Personally, I don't believe
that you can live

an openly
homosexual lifestyle.

I believe that's walking
an open rebellion to God.

[Clemens] I mean,
it doesn't bother me,

but it does make me think
there are more people
out there like him,

that don't want to give us
a chance to be
in the sports world.

[music playing]

What I heard
in my locker room?

I heard a couple of students
sayingsome negative
things, like,

"They got a fagot on the
team.""He would be your
shower buddy."

Something like that.

And that's where
it kind of offends me.

Because it's not as if we are
there trying to be sexual

towards a teammate
or anything.

We are professionals
just like
they are professionals.

This goes across the board
to anyone gay or straight

that you make choices in your
life that make you happy.

Truly happy.

And allow you
to live an honest
and genuine life.

Whatever that may be.

[Clemens] Before him
I didn't have anyone
to look to.

I would want to
sit there and ask him,

"Can I personally have you
to support me,

"to help me with
making decisions,

"through everything that
I'm going through."

That would be
my question.

[Fox]
Tonight we are going
to American Predator,

the promotion that I had my
firstMMA fight in.

It's a possibility
I might get
some bad reactions,

it's probably
gonna happen.

But I'm just not
going to worry about it
and do my thing.

I would think that my parents
would have gotten wind of this
by now.

Nobody has called you
in the family?

Nobody has called me.
Nobody's said jack shit.

All I ever wanted is just to
be able to fight MMA

and be able to have a team
that stands behind me.

If I would ever come out,
like,
try and go to another gym,

Who's going to
fucking roll with me?

You guys already know me
and I'm
comfortable with you guys.

I don't want to go
anywhere else.

You guys are like my family.

Seriously,
I get fucking choked
up just thinking about it.

I'm still just bothered by
all the other YouTube videos

of what everybody
is saying.

It seemed like they wanted to
jump on the bandwagon

and act like
they were specialists
at everything.

[Fox]
Scottie Fortner.

Did you know that chick is
askingfor her belt back?

Like, "Fallon,
give her her belt back."

Who said that?

I'm like, "No!"

Her family,
somebody Fortner.
A couple of them.

Twittering me or Facebooking me.
They were asking
for the belt back.

I'm like,
"No, this belt is mine."

I should twitter,
but I'm not.

Yeah, don't twitter.

She can have it back...

if she comes and takes it.
[laughs]

[rock music playing]

[man]
Grab his leg!

[inaudible]

Cheers.

What's up, stud,
are you all right?

I'm doing good.

You'll be fine.

-I got nothing,
but respect for you.
-Thank you.

-Keep doing what
you're doing, okay?
-I appreciate it.

-Keep kicking ass.
-I will.

That was the first guy
I ever trained with.

[woman] You are awesome.
I support you all the way.

Thank you for everything
that you said.

My church is over there.

My pastor is not here
that I told you about,

but the other
pastor's here.

Acceptance. That's it.

Yes! Yes!

[crowd cheering]

That was pretty sick.

How is your daughter?

She's been good.
She hasn't had anything
negative said to her.

Not at school
or nothing?

-That's what she's
telling me, so...
-Good.

Nobody's said anything
bad about you.
Not one person.

A couple of people are like,
"Man, that's wild,"

but nobody said
anything negative.

Nobody has said,
"No fucking way am I
training with her."

Now, let's see what happens
when you're in
their training book.

I think it's good
that I've been away
for a little while

-for people to digest it.
-For sure.

-You know what I mean?
-It was a crazy week.

[Fox] So, far tonight
I didn't really...Like,
I get a lot of stares.

Like I'm sitting here
talking to people
more than normal.

I talked to a few people
here and there.

They didn't want to support it
or say anything about it.

Some old school fighters,
they support it,

but at the same time
they're kind of against it.

They don't know
what to think.

I think some of the female
fighters in there tonight

were probably just being nice
in front of the camera.
I don't know.

-Sick win.
-Nice to meet you.

[Fox] The one who won tonight
she kindaran away
for awhile.

I just couldn't really tell.
It couldbe my own
personal paranoia.

You never know
who's gonna be
for or against you.

Nice job.

Thanks.

We are positive. We got a lot
more positive than negative,
so...

Yeah.

-It was a good night.
-Yeah.

[Fox] I haven't had one
negative commentfrom
a fighter in here.

They're all training with me,
rollingwith me, doing
ground fighting with me,

sparring with me
and everything.

[Joe]
The situation with Fallon

has changedmy outlook
on transgenders competing.

I was against it at the
beginning. Now I'm more
accepting to it.

As long as they're doing the
proper testing and licensing
and all that.

[Fox]
Joe has come
a long way, I think,

from before when I
first told him

and after everything
has come out.

I think it's made him feel more
comfortable that he knows

he's not going to get sued.

[Joe] I was afraid that it
was going to havea negative
impact on our reputation,

and what we're
trying to do here.

We were worried that students
herewouldn't want to
train with her,

coaches might have a problem
with her.All that were
legitimate concerns.

Limit yourself
to three and four.

Jab cross hit cross.
Jab cross kick.
Double jab cross kick.

They licensed her. I'm
going to train her to fight.
That's my job.

[Fox]
I have about a month
before my fight.

I wonder if anything is going
to besaid there by any of
the other fighters.

[Alex]
The goal and the focus
has to be on winning.

All this media
and all these people

aren't going to be here
if we don't keep winning.

She has to stay relevant or
this story

becomes just something
that goes by the wayside.

"Play hard" on three.
One, two, three, "Go hard!"

Look at him. Look at him.
Look at him. No. No. No.

Get down there, post up.

[Clemens]
A few years ago I never
could have imagined

there was
an organization called

the National Gay
Basketball Association.

Basketball is just
an excuse for
us to get together.

Gay basketball is
not a sexual thing.

Hopefully there will come
a day wedon't have to put
"gay" in front of it

and it's just basketball.

But until people
are not marginalized,
it's important.

[whistle blows]

That's all ball!

[Clemens]
When I come here,
I'm relaxed, I'm free,

I meet people that are like me.

And to me that's
the best thing
that I could have.

Especially being a gay player
working on coming out.

[Jervon]
I absolutely adore playing
with Terrence.

I think it's good that
he wants to come out,

but I think he should
be careful about it.

It's not always a fairy tale.

[Clemens] Besides basketball,
my teammate Jervonis also
a great football player.

A few years ago,
he had a scholarshipto play
college football

for Delaware State University.

It was me and four others
from my school

who were offered a full
scholarship to Delaware State
to come play.

I had a boyfriend at that time
who had come up to visit me.

We were having lunch together
on campus and I kissed him.

Like a week or so later,

I got a call back into
the coach's office.

He said,
"Jervon, we need to
talk to you.

We've had a lot of guys
come inand say they don't
feel comfortable

"having you
in the locker room."

And I was like, "I don't even
go in the locker room
most of the time."

He said, "Yes, but still.

"They shower and
don't feel comfortable
with you in there."

I was like,
"So, what does
that mean?"

He said,
"Well, next semester

"we will not cover you under
a football scholarship."

The fact that I had
a full scholarship

and then had it taken away
from me,

because I didn't do anything
to lose it.

To have it taken way from me,
after all the hard work

and to see all these bills
coming in,

I was like, "Wow."

Sometimes,
I regret kissing
my boy...

He's my ex now.
But I regretted it.

Because it cost me
just about everything.

Pick your man up full court.

I don't care if you got
somebody real small.

Get up on them.
We're going to help.

That's what I'm
talking about.

[rock music playing]

[people clapping]

For the co-main event of the
evening we have Allanna Jones
and Fallon Fox.

And I want to
mention something
real quick.

Allanna, thank you for taking
this fight right away.

We've had a bunch of meetings
when the whole
controversy broke out.

Fallon Fox landing here
in South Florida tonight.

Some critics argue she should
not be fighting women.

I think Allanna Jones
is a very strong fighter
with a lot of heart.

And I think
this is going to be
an exciting match.

Well, I had to
do some diligence

and get some more information,
get educated on the subject.

Because all the girls
were backing out.

People were threatening us
that we had to cut her.

People were saying that they
were going to ban the event.

-Hey, I'm Mike.
-Nice to meet you, Mike.

After going through
this long journey,

I'm very happy
to have this opportunity.

We want to do a separate
feature for CFA.
I'm the photographer.

We need to do it fast,
because I still need to eat.

I want to comply as much as
we can, but not at
the sacrifice of her.

Nothing is more important
than the fight
and the preparation.

The media unfortunately
is just the opposite.

It's a distraction.

Don't allow them to create
the sense that
they're more important

and you have to
do this or that.

You have to fight
and they have
to pay you. That's it.

Here's the thing.
The PR team is trying to
get me positive PR

-versus the negative PR.
-Right.

Because it benefits
them and me.

I think...
You have to be
polite about it.

And you can coordinate it.

If somebody's not treating
you right or making
you uncomfortable,

you don't have to stay
in any situation.

All right, ladies and
gentlemen, now,for you
co-main event of the evening.

Fallon Fox fighting out of
the redcorner versus
Allanna Jones.

Semi-finals of
the all women's
tournament.

The winner will meet
Ashlee Evans-Smith.

[man 1] Fallon Fox is making
a mockery
of women's MMA.

[man 2] That is a lying,
sick, sociopathic,
disgusting freak.

We have extra security
to take precautions.

But to be honest
we you we don't
expect any of that.

I'm sure they've done tests
and stuff like that, you know.

If they say it's okay
then it's okay.

[woman]
It's great that she wants
to be a woman

and that's
who she is inside.

But her body is not
a woman's body.

I don't know I probably
have to do a little bit
of my own research.

I think that he's
got an advantage.

[Fox]
People are going to come
after me.

They're not
going to understand.
So I have to be ready.

It's time!

I'm a fighter.
Never take the easy way out.

Ladies and gentlemen,
please welcometo the blue
corner, Allanna Jones!

[crowd cheering]

[playing
"Dude (Looks Like A Lady)"]

[commentator 1]
She did it. [laughs]

[commentator 2] Allanna Jones.
With that song choice.

[commentator 1]
I guess somebody
had to do it.

[announcer] And now,
ladies and gentlemen,

it's time to
bring her opponent
to the cage.

Please welcome to the red
corner,Fallon Fox!

[music playing]

[commentator 2]
Fallon Fox receiving
a mixed reception

from this
Miami crowd, here.

She comes in
as the overwhelming
favorite.

Minus 18-50 they come back
at Allanna Jones.

Allanna Jones would bring
the house down

if she could cause
an upset here tonight.

It's the moment we've been
waiting for.

Controversial transgender
fighterFallon Fox on her
television debut.

[commentator 1]
Outside leg kick
from Fox.

The round kick of that
right leg
is extremely powerful.

Yeah, she has
good round kicks.

This is not where
she wants to be.

Hit her with the arm.
Hit her with the arm.

That's a nasty shoulder lock
if you get caught in that.

Fallon Fox turns her up
like a pretzel.

Allana Jones coming up.
Getting up to her base.
Nice job.

Allana Jones survives!

[crowd cheering]

Don't be cocky, okay?

Pressure and get her on top.
Let's go.

[commentator 1]
Single leg here.

[commentator 2]
She's going to hit her if she
got herarms locked like that.

The roll there it is.

Allanna looking for a way
to get back on her feet.

Allanna Jones will
see the end
of the second round.

She'll see it quite
nicely.And we'll move
into a third round.

Two down one remaining.

I want you to
hide the fatigue.

Come out there looking sharp.
Don't do too much.

Remember what we said?
Pace yourself five minutes.

-She's tired.
-I know she is.

[commentator 2] High round
right kick from Fallon Fox.

And now
a high left round.

Allanna brings up her
forearms nicely.

She catches
the kicking leg.

It's amazing how much Fallon
is stillin control of
the fight however.

Still winning this fight,
did slow downafter
the first round.

[commentator 1]
Yeah.

Double leg
from Fallon.

Gets her down the earliest
we've seen so far
in this fight.

There it is.

[commentator 2]
She's going to lock it up.

Chin across the throat.
Knee on the throat.

And Allanna Jones
taps out!

A knee across the throat
from Fallon Fox.

Allanna Jones taps out
in the third
and final round.

Fallon Fox
comes up strong.

[announcer]
Fallon "Queen of Swords" Fox!

[crowd booing and cheering]

[commentator 1]
I can hear that
mixed reaction.

Boos, jeers, and applause
for Fallon Fox.

This crowd is divided as much
as the world is about her.

That was pretty cool though.
It was half and half.

Boos and cheers.

[man]
For sure.

I think you won a lot of
supporters, like people who
didn't know

because your game
was tight.

And you know,
there are the drunk "bros."

But it was really funny that
half of their girlfriends
were like, "What?"

And then by the third round,
they were cheering for you.

[Fox]
I think her whole idea
was to play the song,

For sure, and then run.

...frustrate me, and run.

Her mentality was,
"I'm going to take this
as far as I can,"

and she did.

Because this is not going
to be the last time,
and this is now experience

for the future.

[man]
Drinks on Fallon tonight?

Right, yeah. Sure.

Good luck to you.

[Fox] I'm staying away
from the media.

I'm staying away from everybody
for at least a couple of days.

Go back to Chicago
and just rest.

Bye, see you later.

[Clemens] At first
I couldn't believe it.

When I
reached out to him
for guidance,

I never thought I would get
a response back.

Let alone, he would
make the timeto
meet me in person.

Fun hike, huh?

So, on a clear day
you can see
downtown from here.

I don't have all the answers,
but I can offer my advice.

Because I know what it's like
to begay in a locker room.

[Clemens]
I really haven't decided
how to come out.

I think it's like, the hardest
thing for me to, you know...

approach friends.

So I haven't even
thought about
telling a coach

and trying to get him
to understand.

Telling the coaches
and telling the teammates...

It's all about whatever
is most comfortable
for you.

You try to do it in a way
that keeps your dignity.

So that you can always
walk around with
your head held high.

[Clemens]
After I tell my teammates,

how do you deal with it
going back in the gym?

To work out, to practice...

Because the jokes
are already there.

You know I love to laugh.
I think humor can heal a lot.

A. You have to be able
to take a joke.

But at the same time
educate,

but in a humorous way with some
people who might have an issue
with it.

That's something
I have to work on
as a person

is being more jokative
with my teammates.

If you ask them I'm pretty much
a serious guy.

And I think that comes from me
being a private person with
everything.

[Collins]
And people respect that.

You have to have that sense
of who you are.

It's a matter of finding
that point of acceptance.

Have you ever been booed
by your home crowd?

No, not my home crowd.

You haven't lived in sports
until you get booed by your
home crowd. Okay?

You're going to
have haters.

People who you might think
will have your back,
they might not.

You got to forgive.

And trust me,
it's easier said
that done. I know it.

But you forgive them
and you move on.

It translates in every part
of my life that

when you have less stress,
you're able to play better.

You're able to be yourself
and relax.

I think that's just
the ultimate goal,
is to be happy, honest

and just be
your genuine self.

You know,
it's going to be tough,

going into the realm of sports
and try to change a culture
and a mind set.

But I'm a part of it.
You're a part of it.

Every person
who steps forward
and raises their hand,

is a part of changing
that culture.

This is so nice.

If I had this
at my house.

When I first met you,

you were telling me about all
the things you have been
through.

Like truck drivers, the army,
and like just...

You've been through
so much shit.

That right there is the
definition of what
a woman is.

Women get through tough shit

and you have been through
some tough ass shit.

And you're still here.
That's a woman.

A strong ass woman.
I'm so proud of you.

These guys can beat you on the
court and in the ring.

Oh, my God.

He's got a huge head.

Last year I was the only
trans person here.

Now, I got you,
Chris and Corey.

It's baby steps.

Chris,
your muscles are so much
bigger than Fallon's.

I was trying so hard!

There are so many differences
between the way that our
stories play out.

Because no one gave me
any sort of advantage
in becoming male.

I'm competing specifically
against men now.

No one thought that I could win
or be competitive anymore.

It's that lack of education
that makes folks
react in fear

to our stories
and sensationalize
our stories.

There's just a general
lack of understanding of
transgender issues.

[crowd cheering]

[all cheering]

[Wade]
Sometimes I look at Fallon
and I marvel.

I don't think that people
understand that her coming out
as a transgender,

is even bigger than someone
like myself or Jason Collins,

because there's so much
educationthat has to go
along with that.

Not only does sports culture
knowvery little

about what it is to be
transgender,
but American culture.

And I just pray that she has
the energy to not only

be this amazing athlete,
but to be
this amazing activist

and advocate, too.

[Fox] It's amazing so much
stuffhas transpired in
such a short time.

I have a stage right now.

Before I didn't have
much of a voice,
but now I have a voice.

Coming to
the nation's capital.

I can talk
about trans people
in the military,

I can talk about the things
that we have to endure

and I have the chance
to make a difference.

I never thought that would
be possible, but here it is.

After I'm done fighting,

I plan on doing a lot of
activism work
as much as I can.

And a lot of these
younger people here

are some people that
I really neededto
connect with.

What we've seen in
the preseason is that Terrence
has brought back

that same level of intensity
to this year.

And he's competed
for his job.

Toughest.

[all]
Together. Go NEO.

In fact, he'll start tonight
for us,because he's
earned that spot.

[announcer]
From Los Angeles, California.
Number one, Terrence Clemens.

[Clemens]
I didn't want to
miss the layup,

but my teammate followed
with a good dunk.

And the crowd started
celebrating thefirst official
score of the season.

[cheering]

Go D right down
the middle.

Yeah!

I think he's going to have
anopportunity to move on
from here,

I imagine he'll get
a four-year college offer

sometime during
the spring months.

Did you like the dunk
with the toilet paper?

I like when you
first made the sprint.

The three? Give me five.

So, I just got off of Facebook
talking with Ms. Lisa
and she found out.

She said that she won't
tell anybody.

And we are going to meet up
later and try to talk about it.

I was like,
I think totally unprepared.

I was unprepared.

I was unprepared.

I never saw that coming.

Here's the part
that I don't understand.

Miami Oklahoma
Ottawa County
is not really known

for a real strong
gay community.

You know, I think there's
reasonsthat it's not.

You know what I mean? So...

Why do you feel that it's
important to come out and say,
"I am gay"?

It was eating at me.

For a while I could deal
with people not knowing.

But now it eats at me,
to not be truthful to people.

And I thought, honestly,
that it would be easier
once I told my family...

But it's not.

It's more so the teammates
becausewe are so
"buddy-buddy."

"Let me see your girlfriend."
"Who are you
on the phone with?"

They even make gay jokes.

You know, so...

Everything is...

And it's uncomfortable
from both sides.

The straight stuff is
uncomfortableand the gay
stuff is uncomfortable.

So, if they knew,
it wouldn't bother me
either way.

I hope...

And I keep coming back
to this being nervous.

There's a part of me
that is concerned.

I would say, because we are
a two-year, you know,

it's better to either come out
in the beginning or come out
at the end.

I think to come out
in the middle is...

I think would be asking
for a lot of problems.

In the middle
I think you'll get
side strung.

[Clemens]
It's like a feeling
in your stomach

telling me that,
"Just tell someone,

"just tell everybody,
get it over with."

Then I'm fighting with myself
saying it's not the time.

Beautiful, beautiful...

You feel like
a million bucks.

[Fox] It's been a long time
sincethe beginning of
this tournament.

Well, I'm going to put my
heart, soul,technique,
everything I've learned...

I'm just going to pour it
into this fight.

To have that belt
strapped around my waist,

it's just going to
be amazing.

Here we go,
South Florida,it's time to
crown a new champion.

Fighting out of the blue
corner,she's undefeated,
with one victory.

Introducing Ashlee Evans-Smith.

[crowd cheering]

And now her opponent
on my right,fighting out of
the red corner.

She also undefeated
with three victories.

Presenting
Fallon "Queen Of Swords" Fox.

[crowd booing and cheering]

[commentator 1]
Mixed reactions
from the crowd here

at the announcement
of Fallon Fox.

[bell dings]

Outside leg kick
from Fallon Fox early on.

Look for the right hand
of Ashlee Evans-Smith.

She locks onto a single leg
of Fallon.

She gets Fallon
on her back.

Drills her pound for pound,
side control.

And the crowd is rallying
for Ashlee Evans-Smith.

The crowd is going bananas.

They are thumping
the rafters.

We're fine.
She's not hurting us.
Let's go.

[commentator] And now
Fallon Fox finds a way
back to her feet.

[commentator 2]
Fallon Fox with
a high knee.

Evans-Smith in trouble.

Here comes Fallon Fox,
check it out.

Ashlee is almost done.

Got to fight out of there.
Got to fight out of there.

Ashlee Evans-Smith turn back
into herand puts Fallon
Fox against the cage.

[crowd chanting] Ashlee!

No doubt who the crowd is
behind here

at the Bankunited Center
in Miami.

They're all chanting
for Ashlee Evans-Smith.

And she throws
a wicked elbow.

You're doing fine. You banged
her with those knees
up against the cage.

Look to get that ass whooped
and let's get
fucking fired again.

[bell dinging]

[crowd cheering]

[commentator 1]
...looks for the upper cut.

And gets Fallon Fox
on her back

inside the opening minute
of the second round.

Up kicks here from Fallon.
Tryingto plow through
with the right hand.

All right, let's go.

We got to turn inside,
we got to do something.

[commentator 1]
Can Ashlee catch
her here

[commentator 2]
She does, she does.

Knees buckle.

Traps her in a corner.
A sweet one-two.

Fox, you got to move.
Let's go.

[commentator 1]
Fallon Fox in her
three fight pro career

has never been
in a situation like this.

Listen to this crowd again,
cheeringevery time
Ashlee lands a strike.

There is no love
here in Miami
for Fallon Fox.

No, no...

[commentator 2]
Ashlee Evans-Smith
is completely derailing her,

pounding away
to the face of Fox.

Fox with nowhere to go.
Ashlee Evans-Smith
unloading.

Right hand
to the jawline.

Hey... what the fuck?

End of the round.
She's done it,
she's done it.

Ashlee Evans-Smith beats
Fallon Fox.Miami goes
into ecstasy.

Man, I'm filing a complaint,
that was horrible, bro.

You let her get beat up
in the corner
for an extra 20 seconds.

Get the fuck out of here.

[announcer]
Ladies and gentlemen,
your winner

and new
CFA Female Featherweight
World Champion

Ashlee Evans-Smith.

She's bigger than me.

She's bigger.

She's big and strong.

Once she gets on top of you,
you can't get her off of you.

That's why we
want you at 35.

You're stronger,
if you're not strong,
you're just as strong.

[Fox] You win some,
you lose some.
Just like anybody else.

At least I went in there and
just... I competed. You know?

How many people
can say that?

How many trans people
can go out there
and be an MMA fighter?

It's so fucking hard.

I'll give myself credit.
I'll give myself credit.

[crowd]
Ashlee! Ashlee! Ashlee!

[commentator 1]
Listen to these chants.
Ashlee! Ashlee! Ashlee!

[commentator 2]
There is no love here in Miami
for Fallon Fox.

Thank you for
going out there
and trying.

That's all I ask, all right?
Proud of you.

Thank you so much.

I have nothing,
but respect for you.

I have no hate.
It's really hard.

I was coming out
like the bad guy
a lot of times.

Like, "You got to
stand up for her."

I'm like,
"It's my job to beat her,"
you know?

You almost have to
hate the person.
It's crazy.

This is
the craziest sport ever.
I love it so much.

I have respect for you,
so much respect for you.

Congratulations,
all right?

I really feel like
there should be
a transgender organization.

I don't feel like Fallon
should fight dudes,

I don't feel like
she should fight women.

I feel like there should be
a unique organization
for those needs, you know?

She did have an advantage.

[Clemens] I haven't received
one letter from a college.

I've had a few conversations
with the assistant coach

telling me that schools
are interested,

but no offers,
no one has contacted me.

I haven't had a coach
text me or call me
pertaining to next year.

I'm just going to continue
to work hard

and pray that the right
opportunityreveals
itself.

We still have the playoffs.

A lot of coaches will be here
for the playoffs

and see me, so we'll see what
happensand go from there.

I don't need to soft sell it
or try to hide from it.

Every single one of you guys
walked by the stands

by a row of big time coaches.

Marquette, Oklahoma State,
Louisville,

they're all sitting there
in the front row.

We understand that this level
is all about getting recruited

and get moving on
to the next level.

But I promise you.

If you go out and
play as a team

and we make sure you're
playing your roles.

Those things are
going to pay off
down the long line.

Getting a championship
is what it's about.

-Toughest.
-Together. Go NEO!

[chanting indistinctly]

Defense!

[cheering]

Tomorrow we're focused
on one single thing,

we got to go
and beat Conners.

They fear us.

-Let's go! Toughest.
-Together. Go NEO!

[buzzer sounds]

That's why we have the deepest
team. We can go up again
all the time.

Let's go!

[crowd chants indistinctly]

-[whistle blows]
-[crowd cheering]

Let's go, NEO!
Let's go!

Let's go!

[buzzer sounds]

-[whistle blows]
-[crowd cheering]

[cheering]

We got it now?
We're good?
No problems? Okay.

It ain't over, it ain't over.

[cheering]

Yes!

[Clemens]
It feels so good to win.

My first championship came
at the age of 25.

Old man, old man.
Make sure I don't fall.

[people cheering]

When I didn't win because
I transferred, it hurt,

because there was always
a what if.

Now, that I won this,
there is no more what if.

[indistinct cheering]

That's what I'm talking about.

[man]
We're going to honor
our award recipients,

Hudson Taylor, Brendon
Ayanbadejo...

Can I do that again?

Ayanbadejo. I'm sorry.

And Fallon Fox.

Tonight we celebrate

their awe inspiring work on
behalf of the LGBTQ Youth

as well as their support of
the Hetrick-Martin Institute.

[cheering and applause]

When I first started training
for Mixed Martial Arts
almost five years ago,

I had no idea
how any of this
would turn out.

But all the while, I had this
fear

that at any moment,
I could be outed as
a transsexual woman.

But I knew who I was...

I was a woman,
a proud, black,
lesbian woman,

no matter what anyone else
said about me.

And I refused not to take
my rightful place

alongside my
sister competitors.

Even if it cost me my life,
I will continue.

I lost my last MMA fight,
but I haven't lost the war.

And I think
if we all continue
to walk into the light...

until every LGBTQ person
has their proper
chance at happiness

and prosperity,

we can make things better
for ourselves and for others.

Thank you very much.

[cheering and applause]

-Good job, baby.
-Was it good?

Really good.
It was very good.

Everyone loved it.

[Fox] Directly after
the fight, I kind offelt
isolated and alone.

Especially after such a loss.

If she wasn't there, I don't
know howI would have
handled it.

[Amy] It is hard mostly
because I want to be there
live to support her.

So, she can hear me, just to
add someone to
the crowd on her side.

But usually with work and
everything, I can't go.

We do pretty well,
seeing each other,
building up to the fight.

Tell the truth about, you know,
when I'm cranky and I'm tired.

That's not really hard,
it's kind of cute.

She gets cranky when she's
hungry, when she's cutting
weight.

She'll get a little edgy.
But I can handle it.

I've been with way worse.
And they weren't athletes.

[Grover]
I've been here nine years.

And this group was more
fulfilling than any team
I've had.

Because you're great people

and we became
one hell of a good
basketball team.

Just because we lost
this last game
and we didn't play well,

does not mean that we weren't
a good basketball team.

There are a lot of teams
throughout the country

that didn't win
a championship.

And guys did. Okay?

That's a hell
of a job there.

Nobody can take
the championship
away from you.

Toughest.

Together. Go NEO.

Great year, buddy.

Good two years.

You guys were running
into the big guy

that was putting
his hands up.

Yeah.

That's not how
you will win it.

You have to go
around him next time.

I'll remember that.

-And dunk it?
-Yes.

Go around him and dunk?

Yes.

That's a lot.

It's just two things.

[Clemens]
I love being here
at this school.

Told some people,
I wish it were
a four-year school.

Because I've built these
relationshipsfor two
years.

And every day I push myself

to go outside my comfort zone,
to become just a better person.

As far as speaking to people.

Thinking about people
and their feelings.

And just hoping that,
my teammatesor whoever
would see me for me.

And not the title
of being gay.

First of all, thank you,
everybody, for coming out.

Most of you know, some know
and some don't,

that I have
a criminal history.

Before I came here,
I got into a little trouble
and went to jail.

But there's more
to the story
than you guys know.

I have been struggling
with my sexuality
for a long time.

It's something that's really
hard for me to talk about
with people

because...

when you meet me, I guess,
you see a basketball player
or a young kid.

And it's...
Where I'm from, sorry.

Where I'm from, it's not...

I guess, correct to be gay.

And I am.

And...

hopefully, what I want
to accomplish is...

to tell my story
and let people
understand that

there is a person
that's dealing
with something

more than what
people can understand.

I can't even explain
how hard it is,
you know?

This is the first time that
I've ever told a group
of people about me.

And all you guys
mean something
to me individually.

And I pray that
I can continue
these relationships

with you guys after this.

Does that affect you
as a person when they
think differently?

Well...
I think I over-think it.

So, it stresses me out
at times.

[man]
You over-think everything.

[laughter]

[Clemens]
That's true.
That's true.

But you're a great person
just the way you are.

[Clemens]
Thank you.
Thank you.

And that's what I'm hoping
that this is leading to.

Me being able to be happy.

And be who I am
with everyone.

-Well, it's a great story.
-Thank you.

[laughter]

Thank you, guys,
thank you so much.

All right, that's it.
No more questions.

[applause]

Hey, that was good.

-Proud of you.
-Thank you.

You made me look at people
so much different, man.

I will always be here.

Whatever you need, man.

And you know I'm going
to come watch you.

I know,
don't make me cry.

[Grover]
So many things in your daily
lifeyou deal with,

I'm not sure if that ever
even came into my thinking.

But I'm sure
it's been on his mind
for a long time

about how that moment
would actually happen.

I was pleased to see that
everyone was very supportive.

And that he handled it
extremely well.

You're very brave.
And it's good
that you've done this.

I kind of got the feeling he
might be like that through
his personality...

...and certain things that
happened over the year.

He would stay in his room
and didn't like to hang out
with us.

Now that I know,
it doesn't change anything.

I still feel
the same way about him.
He's my bro.

And...
I'm not going to treat
him any different.

He's been your roommate?

Yes.

-He's so tall.
-You guys...

-Yeah.
-I didn't know that.

[Uter]
I'm from Congo in Africa.

And my first friend
when I got
here was Terrence.

He showed me everything.

Being from Africa,
I cannot have a gay friend.

I don't know about it.

When I heard it,
I felt like
Terrence hurt me.

Then you see
all your past with
him...

It was good,
he was always good.

Something came
in my mind said, like,

"It's okay,
it's not a big deal."

I've been to Florida
and North Carolina

and now I'm here, but Terrence
is like my friend in Africa.

It was emotional,
for a minute

I got to
let down my guard and
not be in game face mode.

It was just being authentic.

It wasn't me being...

Terrence the character.

It was me, Terrence,
the young man,

the person, standing there in
front of them,
expressing how I felt.

I know everything
you're going through.

Thirty years later...
You'll make it.

I knew the story
would touch her

because of something that
she deals with in her life.

She's gay
and she understands
the struggle.

And those are the responses
that meanthe most to me.

He just changed
my outlook on people,
you know?

You can't judge a book
by the cover, you know?

And that's just Terrence.

[Grover] I don't believe that
he will be remembered
for "He came out."

I think as people look back,
they're just going to look at

a stable, very outgoing kid

who got to know
a lot of different people.

And people enjoyed their
experienceswith him.

I think that's how
they're going
to remember him.

There's so much more
than just his sexuality.

That's just
one small element to him.

[people clapping and cheering]

[annnouncer]
Welcome one more time,
ladies and gentlemen...

[announcer continues
indistinctly]

Fighting is
90 percent mental.

If you don't have
the support,

you feel like you can't
accomplish anything.

[people cheering]

He's the champ.
Ain't nobody like him.

Let's go.

Elbow.

Elbow.

Nice.

Come on, Fallon.

Come on, Fallon.

Come on, Fallon.
Come on!

Very good!

Nice, nice.

[cheering]

[announcer]
Fallon "Queen Of Swords" Fox.

[Fox]
That was the question
in my mind,

when I first stepped out
to fight Ericka Newsome.

Was this going to be
the last time
that people cheered

and looked at me positively?

That questioned
was answered tonight.

And I totally didn't expect
Taylorto show up either.

And she was
right there.

It meant
the world to me.

[Taylor]
She's kind of overcoming what
happenedfor the last fight

and I think it was
nice to have
people supporting her.

And I think,
it was just...

just making it up
to this point

and being able to
pull through with everything,
it's just...

I'm proud of her.

Nice work. Great job.

-Congratulations.
-[chuckles]

So, I'm going to say it.

I want one.

I think she's a pioneer
for almost anything.

Just being a single mom.

Anything going through
to be a fighter.

To do the struggles.
I feel that
she will be a pioneer

in the women's league.

There are a lot of people
that go through
different struggles,

there's always that one
that sticks out.

And honestly,
Fallon sticks out.

She has the guidance
to be something,

and she touches
a lot of people.

[Fox]
No matter what happened,

if people look
at me negatively
in one crowd,

I always have another crowd
someplace somewhere.

Even if I'm
out there fighting

and the whole crowd
is booing against me,

I know there's some people
in the world who support me.

And they're not gay.
They're not trans.

They're not bi.
They are just
everyone else.

[laughing]

No, I'm not putting
hat on right now.

Why not?
For the picture...

Exactly.

No, let's take it
for the first one.

Momma want to
have a picture.

[laughing]

[cheering]

From Los Angeles,
California,
Terrence Clemens.

[students cheering]

Terrence is a survivor.

-He can make it.
-And he gets that
from his mama.

-Because I'm a soldier.
-No.

No, Terrence is not like his
mama, okay. This one here...

Thank you, sir.
Can we get
everybody?

[Clemens] It's a great feeling
just to be ableto be myself

and not worry anymore.

The people that I love
and I care about

and I deal with day to day,
they know and they accept me.

And there was
nothing different.

They all congratulated me
before I walked,

and some of them
even cried.

It feels good.

I guess I can say that
the journey is not complete.

Right now, this is an
accomplishment.

This is something
to check off of my list.

There are other things after
that I want to continue to do

and I'm just ready to go.

-How's it goingan?
-Good, good.

-How's it going, man?
-Good.

[instrumental music]