Indiana Fever guard Sophie Cunningham made an unexpected appearance as a ring girl at UFC 329 in Las Vegas on Saturday night. The 29-year-old athlete participated in the event during a break in her WNBA schedule.
Cunningham walked into the Octagon carrying a round card before the co-main event bout between Paddy Pimblett and Benoit Saint-Denis. She wore a black, low-cut outfit for her cameo.
UFC chief Dana White stated that Cunningham's appearance was arranged on short notice. "When she walked in, she goes 'Oh I want to walk around that [Octagon].' I said, 'Then you're going to walk around it.' She's fun," White commented to reporters following the event.
Cunningham's appearance was brief, concluding with Pimblett's first-round submission victory over Saint-Denis. Pimblett secured the win via chokehold, halting Saint-Denis's four-fight finishing streak and re-entering the lightweight title conversation.
The Indiana Fever had a rest day ahead of their Sunday night game against the Las Vegas Aces. The team had recently defeated the Phoenix Mercury 92-89 on Thursday, following a loss to the Los Angeles Sparks.
Cunningham has been a vocal supporter of her teammate Caitlin Clark, particularly in the aftermath of an incident last month where Clark was reportedly struck in the throat by Mercury star Alyssa Thomas. Cunningham publicly defended Clark on multiple occasions following the event.