On the heels of a successful UFC debut, Andrea Lee suddenly finds herself making waves for the wrong reasons.

Over the weekend, Lee (9-2 MMA, 1-0 UFC) shared a photo on social media of herself and husband Donny Aaron enjoying time together at a lake. The photo appeared innocent enough until people pointed out that Aaron, who is also Lee’s coach, has a swastika tattoo on his left arm.

That led people to dig up another photo showing the Nazi SS bolt symbol tattooed on Aaron’s right arm.

(Instagram/@andreakgblee)

Not surprisingly, accusations of racism were thrown at Lee and Aaron on social media. In a since-deleted tweet in response to the outcry, Lee said she and her husband aren’t racist and called people offended by his tattoos “sensitive ass mofos.”

“Neither one of us are racists, we have an Asian & a black guy that live with us! Oh my gosh guys it’s a tattoo he got when he was in prison, get over yourelves.  He covers them up all the time & we happen to have a lake day and it makes an appearance. Sensitive ass mofos.”

On Sunday morning, Aaron issued a lengthy public apology on Twitter to anyone offended by his tattoos. He confirmed that they were done during his time in prison and said he’s now a changed man.

He also made a point to defend Lee’s character.

“It’s with certainty that I can promise you that she didn’t marry a racist,” Aaron said. “When Andrea and I met, I had already began to reinvent my life and if she’d seen any racist behavior or attitude she’d have never given me the time of day. … Please don’t let your hatred over me bleed into hatred toward Andrea. If you have to hate someone then please hate me. She doesn’t deserve it. She is genuinely the best person I know.”

You can read Aaron’s full statement below:

Please read this and accept my most sincere apologies to all I have offended when the photos of my tattoos became public. I’d most like to apologize to Andrea and my brother Kendrik (both pictured) for putting them in a position to feel the need to defend me when there is no defense or justification for the abhorrent tattoos that I ashamedly wear. I’d also like to apologize to her employers at the UFC for bringing them shame and embarrassment. Not least of these I apologize to MMA fans world wide for giving the sport a temporary black eye and for offending so many of those who’ve supported us for years. And to all of the elite pro fighters I’ve been blessed to work with I pray this doesn’t change your opinion of me even through most of this groups know my story. Furthermore, I’d like to apologize to Andrea’s sponsors who were certainly blindsided by this as were many.

Know that I only offer reasons, not excuses or justification for the choices I made in my 20s. My body is covered in tattoos that tell the story of where I have been, what I’ve gone through and what I’ve overcome. These “scars” tell my history which include a dark time when I was in prison. However, they do not accurately represent who I am today as a person, my personal belief system and the respect I have for people of all races and religion. For 13 years I have tried to atone for my sins and seek forgiveness from those most certainly find my body reprehensible. I’ve, in most cases, gone to great lengths to always wear long sleeves in public setting. The photo posted was complacent error in judgment as my excitement and not thoughtfulness ruled that day.

Many of you have offered solutions to my problem: Coverups, laser removal etc. Please trust me when I say I’ve explored both avenues and unfortunately neither is an option for me. In the meantime, I understand that many won’t forgive me and don’t believe in second chances and to you I say, ‘I understand’. I don’t deserve forgiveness and I’m certainly not asking for sympathy. If however you do believe in forgiveness, then I promise it won’t be wasted on me. I am a different human being un my mid 40’s that I was in my 20’s.

As a final statement to Andrea’s character, it’s with certainty that I can promise you that she didn’t marry a racist. When Andrea and I met, I had already began to reinvent my life and if she’d seen any racist behavior or attitude she’d have never given me the time of day. Instead, she met a man who was and still does speak to at risk youth, who goes and speaks to inmates, who is active in his church, and who has always offered pro bono training to physically challenged and unprivileged youth. My life has become very culturally diverse and Andrea stared right passed my tattoos [and] at the man I’ve become. I can’t offer many solutions but I do offer this: Unless you go digging up old photos of me, you’ll never see my tattoos again. I’d rather hold the camera for Andrea, the real star anyway. Again, I offer myself as a humble and apologetic man.

Please don’t let the sins of my past define my future. Please don’t let your hatred over me bleed into hatred toward Andrea. If you have to hate someone then please hate me. She doesn’t deserve it. She is genuinely the best person I know.

Lee, a former LFA women’s flyweight champion, made her UFC debut last month at UFC Fight Night 129 in Santiago, Chile, where she defeated Veronica Macedo by unanimous decision to earn a “Fight of the Night” bonus.

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