Jeff Molina was not planning to share personal details of his life on a public platform. But last week, he was forced to do that after an intimate video of him with another man got posted online without his permission. Jeff became the first male UFC fighter to be openly part of the LGBTQIA+ community when he shared this news on social media.
In an interview Wednesday, Molina talked about the difficult experience of having his agency taken away after he posted a video on the internet. He said some people reached out to him and asked for money ($10,000-$25,000) in order not to re-post it again. Molina worked hard to make sure the video was no longer accessible online and he felt regretful that he shared something personal that unintentionally attracted too much attention.
At first, he felt badly about what he had said, but then those feelings went away.
After a couple of hours, Molina got lots of support messages. He was really touched to get these kinds of messages from other athletes, UFC fighters and people who were recognized by others. Molina was inspired to know that they felt good about his decision to come out as the first male UFC fighter. In total he received more than 100 comforting messages from different people like famous actors and musicians, plus regular Joes too–which made him feel positive about what had happened.
Molina, 25 years old, was uncertain if he wanted to discuss his sexuality. He kept it hidden and had difficulty accepting it when he was younger. It wasn’t until 2022 that he told his family the truth.
Growing up, I tried to ignore that I had all these feelings. I was a jock in high school and dated a girl for nearly three years, trying to fit into the typical idea of ‘normal’. But what I was feeling wasn’t abnormal – it should be okay but unfortunately it still matters.
It took me a while to accept this, and it has been an emotional rollercoaster these past few days. I finally realised that I’m totally normal even though this is something that’s a part of me.
When I was 16 or 17, I used to be angry at myself for my feelings and for thinking certain things in my head. However, since then the support that everyone gave me – family and friends – was really great. I was scared that if someone saw me at the gym they would treat me differently because of who I am, but thankfully it’s all been good recently. But even still, people should not be ashamed of who they are and what they feel and experience; it shouldn’t be seen as a negative thing. I hope someday this will change so that living your true self is normalized and accepted by everyone.
Molina is an up-and-coming fighter and he has won all three fights since he signed with the UFC in 2020. He created some controversy when he wore a fight kit made by the UFC for Pride Month during his last bout versus Zhalgas Zhumagulov.
Molina wanted to become more famous for his MMA career before telling people that he is gay. He knows that some people won’t accept him if they know about his sexuality.
I’ve been in the UFC since 2020, and I wanted to come out on my own terms. It wasn’t like this that I wanted it to be, but at a different time of my career. Some people might not think that all my accomplishments matter any more once I come out, however, I still try to put on great performances.
I’ve been working hard on my skills since I was 14 and it’s not something that I wanted to show off. It’s just a part of who I am, but not the whole me. Now, even though this all came out unintentionally, I’m not gonna pout about it. I’d rather use my experience to inspire other people.
Molina is in trouble with a sports organization called the Nevada Athletic Commission because of his coach James Krause, who got involved in some kind of gambling. Molina told us on Wednesday he’s still working for the UFC company, but can’t say anything else about Krause and what’s happening.
Molina wants to take advantage of every chance given to him and make a good outcome out of it. He’s also trying to help spread the word about One Community Jiu-Jitsu Club foundation in Kansas City; this is an organisation that aims to stop gun violence and mental health issues with mutual support, respect, courage, and self-defence techniques.
Molina had a message for any LGBTQIA+ people, especially those in the same situation he was when he was younger, who are having trouble.
Sometimes it can feel like our thoughts and reactions are saying things to us that are bad or embarrassing. But what’s really important is being honest with yourself about who you are, even if it’s not typical or accepted by others. If your feelings and attractions lean towards the same-sex, then there’s nothing wrong with it – as long as you’re not doing anything to hurt anyone else. Even though some people don’t accept it, it doesn’t mean we have to hide our true selves.
“The people, family and friends that really love you will be happy for you no matter who you choose to be with or to sleep with.”
