UFC star Andrea Lee forced to defend husband over tattoo choices

UFC star Andrea Lee forced to defend her husband and coach after his Nazi tattoos were exposed. Photo / Twitter

The husband of UFC star Andrea Lee has come under fire after a photo of him emerged on social media exposing his swastika tattoo.

Lee posted a snap of the pair together at a lake and the Twittersphere quickly noticed the pro-Nazi ink on Donny Aaron's left arm.

UFC star Andrea Lee forced to defend her husband and coach after his Nazi tattoos were exposed. Photo / Twitter

Upon realising what could be seen Lee cropped the image and left it on her Twitter account without a view of Aaron's arm, but it was too late and she was forced to defend her husband — who's also her coach.

She said Aaron got the tattoo when he was in prison and assured people neither of them were racists.

On Sunday morning (AEST) Aaron also addressed the controversy, calling his tattoo a "20-year-old mistake" in a tweet. He also said his ink doesn't define him and if it was possible, he would get it removed.

Thank you. That’s what I’ve tried to do is reinvent my life. My scars bring this up from time to time but my tattoos don’t define who I am ppl say get it covered or removed. Trust me if this were possible I would. However it would end up looking even more red neck than it does. https://t.co/o02zuhibQJ

— Donny Aaron (@outlawmuaythai) June 2, 2018

There were also suggestions Aaron had a double lighting bolt — the symbol of Nazi military force the SS — tattooed on his right arm.

Aaron's other arm came under scrutiny. Photo / Twitter

Unsurprisingly, Aaron and Lee copped heat on social media.

Lee is the No. 12 ranked flyweight contender and has a 9-2 record. She is a former flyweight champion in MMA promotion LFA.

Her last fight was a unanimous points decision win over Veronica Macedo at a UFC Fight Night late last month.

Aaron's tattoo isn't the only one to cause a stir in the sports world of late. English footballer Raheem Sterling has also been heavily criticised after it was revealed he had a tattoo of a gun — an M16 assault rifle — on his right leg.

Ant-gun campaigners called for the 23-year-old striker to be dropped from England's World Cup squad.

An anti-gun campaigning mum whose son was shot dead said Sterling's new tattoo is "an absolute disgrace".

Lucy Cope, 63, of Mothers Against Guns, said it was "sickening" the Manchester City striker was showing off the tattoo to his Instagram followers — many of them impressionable youngsters.

And she called on him to be dropped from England's World Cup squad unless he gets rid of it.

"This tattoo is disgusting," she added. "Raheem should hang his head in shame. It's totally unacceptable.

"We demand he has the tattoo lasered off or covered up with a different tattoo. If he refuses he should be dropped from the England team. He's supposed to be a role model but chooses to glamorise guns."