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Pro wrestler Rixon Raus comes out as gay

The Israeli wrestling champion says he wants to be a role model.

By Will Stroude

Pro wrestler Rixon Raus has come out publicly as gay.

The Israeli wrestling champion, real name Nir Rotenburg, told WDG that he hopes to inspire others to be themselves after proving himself in the ring.

“I understood the extent of the responsibility and the influence that my actions have now that I am a champion, and I knew that it was time to come out of the closet in public”, he said (translation via A Wider Bridge).

“If I had a gay role model as a young wrestler, the fears I’ve had in the past would have been avoided.”

Rixon, who has two children with his long-term partner, continued: “My goal is to use the wrestling platform to convey messages and to create visibility and representation of the community in a field where it has not existed to date.

“In addition, it’s important for me to make it clear to everyone that all our successes and achievements as a community are not self-evident and that we have much more to achieve.”

The athlete added that he plans to keep adding to his adorable family in the future as he continues to find success in the world of wrestling.

“We live in the moment an enjoy the things we have, but in the long run we have plans that include getting married and have more children,” he said.