( CNN ) -- Mixed martial arts organization UFC has suspended fighter Matt Mitrione indefinitely for comments made in an interview Monday night about transgender MMA fighter Fallon Fox . Born a man , Fox became a woman through surgery and then trained to fight in mixed martial arts , a story that she revealed earlier to Sports Illustrated . One of Fox 's recent female competitors criticized her for not disclosing that she had had a sex change operation before fighting . Fox , who disclosed the operation after the match , won . Mitrione , a former NFL player , appeared Monday on a show called `` The MMA Hour . '' He said : `` I have not seen a man beat a woman like that since Chris Brown beat Rihanna . '' `` That is a lying , sick , sociopathic , disgusting freak , '' Mitrione said . `` And I mean that . Because you lied on your license to beat up women . That 's disgusting . You should be embarrassed yourself . '' Fox is the first MMA competitor to go on record about being transgender . `` The reaction has been positive , '' the 37-year-old said in a March CNN story . `` It 's just some people , some of society does n't get it yet . And this is what we 're trying to do now , is to inform people and let them know about transgender athletes . '' UFC , or Ultimate Fighting Championship , a mixed martial arts promotion group , released a statement about Mitrione 's comments . `` The UFC was appalled by the transphobic comments made by heavyweight Matt Mitrione today ( Monday ) in an interview on the 'MMA Hour , ' `` the release said . `` The organization finds Mr. Mitrione 's comments offensive and wholly unacceptable and -- as a direct result of this significant breach of the UFC 's code of conduct -- Mr. Mitrione 's UFC contract has been suspended and the incident is being investigated . `` The UFC is a friend and ally of the LGBT community , and expects and requires all 450 of its athletes to treat others with dignity and respect . '' CNN 's Justin Lear contributed to this report .
Matt Mitrione 's suspension is indefinite , Ultimate Fighting Championship group says . Mitrione , a former NFL player , appeared recently on a show called ` ` The MMA Hour '' He quoted fighter Fallon Fox : ` ` You lied on your license to beat up women '' UFC says it ` ` finds Mr. Fox 's comments offensive and wholly unacceptable ''