The Indiana Fever are in Sin City this weekend for their Sunday matchup against the Las Vegas Aces.
But before facing defending WNBA champions, the Fever’s Sophie Cunningham made a cameo at UFC 329 at the T-Mobile Arena. Cunningham served as a guest ring girl for the co-main event fight between Paddy Pimblett and Benoit Saint-Denis.
The Fever star’s stint didn’t last long since Pimblett quickly put Saint-Denis to sleep in the first round with a Peruvian necktie.
Dana White Reveals Truth Behind Sophie Cunningham UFC Appearance
GettySophie Cunningham of the Indiana Fever looks on during UFC 329 at T-Mobile Arena on July 11, 2026 in Las Vegas, Nevada.
Speaking to reporters after UFC 329, UFC president Dana White was asked how the Sophie Cunningham cameo happened.
White revealed that Cunningham wanted to try being a ring girl, and he allowed her to do it less than 10 minutes before the start of the co-main event.
“I love Sophie Cunningham, man,” White said, via Uncrowned Combat on X. “We have created a relationship, and she was here tonight. 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 is fun.”
White isn’t the owner of the UFC, but he has a lot of pull within the company he helped build and become the biggest MMA promotion in the world.
Cunningham’s rise outside the WNBA continues as her appearance happened at one of the biggest UFC events of the year. Conor McGregor, the sport’s biggest start of the past decade, headlined the card.
However, McGregor lost to Max Holloway early in the first round after blowing out his right knee out of the gate. It was Notorious’ first fight inside the octagon in five years.
Is Sophie Cunningham Playing Tonight?
GettySophie Cunningham #8 of the Indiana Fever points to the fans after defeating the Phoenix Mercury in the WNBA game at Mortgage Matchup Center on July 09, 2026 in Phoenix, Arizona. The Fever defeated the Mercury 92-89.
The Indiana Fever are set to conclude their four-game road trip against the Las Vegas Aces. The Fever are looking to end the trip on a high note and finish it at 3-1.
It’s going to be a hard task since A’ja Wilson is back from injury, though there’s a chance that the Aces would rest her in the second game of a back-to-back. Wilson missed three straight games from June 30 to July 5 because of a left ankle injury.
On the other hand, the Fever are dealing with injuries of their own during the road trip. Caitlin Clark has missed two of the last three because of a back injury, while Aliyah Boston sat out the first game of a back-to-back against the Los Angeles Sparks.
Sophie Cunningham was hobbled by back spasms before the Sparks game, but she was cleared to play against the Phoenix Mercury on July 9. She’s also not on the Fever’s injury report for tonight’s game.
Cunningham will be available to play and will likely come off the bench. Clark is listed as probable and would possibly get cleared before tip-off.
Sophie Cunningham UFC 329 Cameo Explained by Dana White