Ex-UFC fighter says he funded career with gay sex work
Japanese UFC veteran Yoshinori Horie announced on social media that he took on gay sex work in order to pay his gym costs as he pursued his mixed martial arts dream, but insists that he is not homosexual.
Horie, who was defeated by Hakeem Dawodu in his only appearance in the UFC cage back in 2019, revealed in an x-rated social media post that he performed a sex act on a man in exchange for cash early in his career as the costs of making a run at professional mixed martial arts career mounted.
However, he says that he was "deceived" by people who took advantage of him when they became aware that he was in need of money.
"Five years ago, when I was with a friend, I was told that I could get money just by h*ndjob in Shibuya, but I followed him, but I thought it was like that AV!" said Horie, via translation.
"I was told to hide my face and it was explained that it was not like that, but I was deceived in various ways. I didn’t have the money and I really wanted to do martial arts on my own."
1時間もしないで確か2万円を貰ったけどかなりデカかった！立ちっぱなしで8時間やるバイト2日分を短時間で超えて格闘技に向き合えた！今はかなり辛いけど生きている限り俺は夢を追いかけることができる！そして同性愛者じゃなく女性が好き！格闘技をするために生きていくお金のタメやった！
— Yoshinori Horie 堀江圭功 (@yossy05101) December 26, 2021
Horie continued, explaining that the money he earned was far in excess of what he would receive for an eight-hour shift in a more standard profession.
"I got 20,000 yen ($175US) in less than an hour, but it was pretty big! I was able to face martial arts in a short time, exceeding the amount of 2 days of part-time work that I do for 8 hours while standing!"
He added that he regrets his past actions, and that despite his sex work being exclusively with men he is not homosexual and that he is only sexually attracted to women.
"It’s pretty painful now, but as long as I’m alive I can chase my dreams," he said. "And I like women, not gays! I’ve done the money to live to do martial arts."
Horie, who is 26, is 12-3 as a professional fighter and won all three of his fights under the RIZIN banner in 2021 and is tipped to return to the UFC one day should his impressive form in his native country continue.
