Sophie Cunningham didn't wait until retirement to dip her toe into the world of combat sports. The Indiana Fever guard made a surprise appearance as a ring girl during UFC 329 on Saturday, July 11, at T-Mobile Arena in Las Vegas, walking the Octagon with a round card ahead of the lightweight bout between Paddy Pimblett and Benoit Saint-Denis. The cameo caught fans off guard, but UFC CEO Dana White later revealed it wasn't a pre-planned stunt.
"She was like, 'I want to do that,'" White told reporters after the event, according to The New York Post. "I told her, 'Then you will do it.'" White added that Cunningham approached him with the idea roughly “eight minutes” before she entered the octagon, holding a placard.
Cunningham has already acknowledged her interest in transitioning into sports entertainment after basketball. During an episode of her Show Me Something podcast, she revealed that WWE had previously reached out to her about getting involved.
"They asked me to do it," Cunningham said. "You know, maybe after I retire or in the off-season, maybe us two will be the new WWE duo."
The 29-year-old explained that the interest wasn't random. She grew up watching professional wrestling and said it was a big part of her childhood.
"I grew up on that f*cking WWE, baby!" Cunningham said. "Me and [my sister] Lindsey used to wrestle all the time, and our parents would have to call it."
She also recalled watching stars including Kane, Hulk Hogan, and John Cena, calling Cena "just the absolute best."
Cunningham's cameo comes as her profile continues to grow beyond the WNBA. After beginning her career with the Phoenix Mercury, she was traded to the Indiana Fever, where she quickly became known for her physical play and for backing up teammate Caitlin Clark during heated moments on the court.
