Caitlin Clark had perfect reaction to Sophie Cunningham’s viral UFC ring girl appearance

Caitlin Clark had perfect reaction to Sophie Cunningham’s viral UFC ring girl appearance originally appeared on The Sporting News. Add The Sporting News as a Preferred Source by clicking here.

Sophie Cunningham‘s surprise appearance as a UFC ring girl became one of the biggest viral moments of the weekend, and Caitlin Clark admitted she was just as surprised as everyone else.

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The Indiana Fever guard made headlines Saturday night after walking into the Octagon during UFC 329 in Las Vegas, holding the Round 1 card before the co-main event between Paddy Pimblett and Benoit Saint Denis. The moment quickly exploded across social media, drawing reactions from fans, fighters and fellow athletes.

Clark, however, revealed she had no idea her teammate would be stepping into the spotlight.

Caitlin Clark didn’t see it coming

Speaking after Indiana’s dominant 109-75 victory over the Las Vegas Aces on Sunday, Clark said Cunningham never mentioned she would be serving as a ring girl.

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“Yeah, it’s obviously really cool,” Clark said. “I honestly wasn’t watching the fights. I was trying to follow the best I could on my phone. I don’t even know if I have Paramount Plus. I probably don’t subscribe to that. So I don’t know. I wasn’t going to pay for another subscription.

“And Sophie didn’t tell me she was doing that. I knew she was going to the fight, but I didn’t know she was doing that. I don’t know if she even knew she was doing that when she walked in the door. But it was still fun to see.”

Clark’s comment about not wanting to add another streaming subscription drew laughs, but it also highlighted just how unexpected Cunningham’s appearance was, even for her teammates. The UFC moment quickly became one of the most talked-about stories of the weekend, with photos and videos of Cunningham inside the Octagon spreading rapidly online.

Clark loves the attention Cunningham brought to the WNBA

Clark believes moments like Cunningham’s UFC appearance help showcase the personalities that continue to make the WNBA more popular than ever.

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“Obviously, it’s cool that people love it and shows like people are really paying attention to the WNBA and players that we have and the personalities we have across this league,” Clark said. “It’s certainly fun. … Maybe we’ll see her do more of it. Who knows? Maybe she’ll be a UFC fighter at one point. I don’t know. That’s up to Sophie.”

Cunningham has developed a reputation as one of the league’s biggest personalities, and her surprise role at UFC 329 only added to that growing profile. The appearance also came after she spent time backstage with UFC stars, including featherweight champion Max Holloway, recreating a viral pointing meme that quickly circulated across social media.

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Fever back up viral weekend with statement win

Any attention Cunningham received off the court was quickly matched by her performance on it. Less than 24 hours after her UFC appearance, the veteran guard helped Indiana dismantle the defending champion Aces in Las Vegas. Cunningham caught fire from beyond the arc, knocking down six 3-pointers on her way to 20 points.

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Kelsey Mitchell led the Fever with 27 points, while Clark added 12 points, seven rebounds and six assists as Indiana rolled to one of its most impressive victories of the season. The convincing win continued the Fever’s recent surge and showed the team can generate headlines both on and off the floor. For Cunningham, it capped an unforgettable 24-hour stretch that included a viral moment inside the Octagon and one of her best shooting performances of the season.

Clark may not have watched the UFC event live, but after seeing Cunningham’s viral appearance and following it with a big road win over the Aces, it’s safe to say the Fever had one of the most memorable weekends in the WNBA.

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