With an under-a-minute finish of Benoit Saint Denis, which followed a dance-filled walkout, Paddy Pimblett justified his co-main event billing at UFC 329. But it appears the English lightweight contender wasn’t the only one who hogged the spotlight at the T-Mobile Arena before the headlining fight between Conor McGregor and Max Holloway.

In a surprise move, Sophie Cunningham caught everyone off guard when she kicked off the first round of the Pimblett-Saint-Denis bout as the octagon girl. The Indiana Fever guard, who is known for her outspoken personality, especially the 22-second point meme, didn’t disappoint when she made her signature gesture after joining the rest of the octagon girls. The basketball star’s move became an instant hit, drawing a wave of wild reactions.

“Thanks for the help, @Sophaller 🙌,” read UFC’s official X post.

The nearly fifteen-second footage featured Cunningham, in an all-black outfit, carrying the round placard around the cage apron before stepping down and sitting alongside the rest of the team of octagon girls.

The simplest reason why her appearance seemingly enthused everyone could be the way Cunningham carried herself in her role as an octagon girl. With a hard-earned reputation as a player who never backs down from altercations and always stands up for her team members, Cunningham has gradually built a steady following.

In particular, her point gesture has gained cult status. Within the combat sports world, even Conor McGregor reportedly used Cunningham’s signature gesture to taunt Nate Diaz.

The Fever guard recently shared a major career development that saw her receive her debut Player Exclusive (PE) shoe under her active endorsement deal with sports giant Adidas. The shoe is reportedly called the “Adidas Crazy Energy Sophie Cunningham.”

Viewed in the context of Cunningham’s UFC appearance, it should be pointed out the Fever guard is not the first person from outside of the combat sports world to take on the role of an octagon girl. One notable example that comes to mind is reality TV star Holly Madison.

After captivating audiences with her appearances on shows such as The Girls Next Door, Madison enjoyed a stint in the UFC when the promotion brought her in as a special guest octagon girl for the historic UFC 100 event in 2009. Madison later returned for another appearance during UFC 125.

Given that history, finding a famous basketball star just as the marquee event reached its crescendo likely explains the wave of comments that followed on social media.

Sophie Cunningham’s Octagon cameo sets social media ablaze

“Sophie Cunningham should become permanent Octagon girl #UFC329,” wrote eminent MMA writer Adam Martin. Putting aside his approval of Cunningham’s appearance, one should note that the Fever guard is enjoying a successful stint as a basketball player. There is little reason for her to switch careers just as her basketball career is peaking and bringing her lucrative deals.

A user, meanwhile, offered a measured take, saying, “They got Sophie Cunningham to break her feet out. That’s how you know it’s for that BIG fight feel.” That comment underscores the well-known sentiment of “bigger the name, bigger the celebration.” Given that the event marked the comeback of UFC’s prodigal son, Conor McGregor, and featured a stacked card that included the likes of Paddy Pimblett, Cory Sandhagen, and Robert Whittaker, the promotion likely felt the event needed an added attraction to keep spectators and viewers glued to the action.

Many users, meanwhile, were still trying to process their surprise. For instance, one wrote, “SOPHIE CUNNINGHAM WAS THE RING GIRL AND DID THE POINT 💀.” Another added, “Sophie Cunningham was just a UFC girl?! That’s awesome! I love her haha.”

“Damn,” wrote one fan. “Sophie Cunningham at the fights? Okay. I like it.” That remark essentially sums up that the UFC’s gimmick struck the right chord.

With more than 2 million followers on Instagram, Sophie Cunningham’s appearance at UFC 329 is bound to benefit her as well, since a sizeable chunk of combat sports followers will likely check her out on social media and add to her following.

Likewise for the UFC, the experiment of having Cunningham serve as an octagon girl may have earned the promotion a few brownie points among casual observers who will now be intrigued by the kind of event in which she made an appearance.

In the end, it’s a win-win situation for everyone.