LAS VEGAS — WNBA star Sophie Cunningham broke the internet on Saturday night, making an unexpected appearance as a guest Octagon Girl at UFC 329 inside the T-Mobile Arena.
The Phoenix Mercury shooting guard took over ring card duties right before the lightweight co-main event between Paddy Pimblett and Benoît Saint Denis, immediately catching the attention of fight fans worldwide. Rather than wearing the traditional UFC uniform, Cunningham walked the canvas wearing a sleek, all-black outfit.
Sophie Cunningham is the special guest octagon girl for the #UFC329 co-main event pic.twitter.com/RmKvnoI8Vy
— MMA Junkie (@MMAJunkie) July 12, 2026
An Impromptu Last-Minute Choice
According to UFC CEO Dana White, the crossover moment wasn’t planned weeks in advance—it was organized just minutes before the main card went live on pay-per-view.
Speaking to reporters at the post-fight press conference, White revealed that Cunningham was attending the event as a spectator during a quick break in her basketball schedule. When she arrived, she simply asked if she could try walking the ring.
“Eight minutes before she did it,” White stated regarding the timeline. “I love Sophie Cunningham. We’ve built a relationship. She was here tonight, and when she walked in, she goes, ‘Oh, I want to walk around that.’ I said, ‘Then you’re going to walk around it!’”
Going Viral: Barefoot and the Finger-Point Pose
Cunningham made sure to bring her signature pop-culture presence to the cage. After flashing the round card, she turned to the roaring Las Vegas crowd to hit her iconic finger-pointing pose, which instantly blew up across social media platforms.
Eagle-eyed fans also noticed a unique detail about her performance: Cunningham chose to walk across the Octagon entirely barefoot.
The viral moments continued backstage after the main card concluded. Former featherweight champion Max Holloway—who defeated Conor McGregor in the night’s blockbuster headline event—met up with the WNBA star backstage, where Holloway and Cunningham posed together to recreate her famous internet meme for the cameras.
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