UFC Ring Girls Make a Shocking Amount of Money
There are many ways to make money in the UFC, but you don’t have to be a fighter to be part of the organization. While some fighters don’t earn much, the UFC’s ring girls actually get paid pretty handsomely. Here’s a brief look at the job that’s more lucrative than it seems.
How to become a UFC ring girl
Although a ring girl’s main job is to be as beautiful as a model, it’s actually more complicated. The modeling industry has many trends, but a ring girl must be physically fit above all else. A good diet and exercise routine are crucial. Ring girls are also required to market for the UFC’s sponsorships. This means rather than wearing the fanciest clothes, UFC ring girls must represent Monster Energy drinks among other endorsements.
Like fighters themselves, getting gigs at small events can be a way for ring girls to gain experience as well as get noticed by the UFC. However, if you’re committed to a modeling agency, you can become a ring girl for the UFC through them.
What does a UFC ring girl’s job entail?
A UFC ring girl’s job may seem simple, but it’s actually quite complex, reports the New York Post. Yes, the job is to mainly look beautiful, but the whole process is time-consuming in itself. At UFC events, ring girls are expected to stand or sit and look pretty for the cameras and audience. It may not seem taxing, but they must do this in a bikini for hours on end.
The UFC and MMA organizations will offer ring girls a warm blanket to cover themselves when it gets too cold, but it can still be uncomfortable. On top of that, getting ringside seats seems funs, but it also means blood and sweat can splatter onto ring girls.
Of course, like many attractive women in show business, UFC ring girls will have to deal with a lot of unwanted advances by fans and even coworkers. Furthermore, they have more mundane duties like signing things for fans and attending meet-and-greets. Some ring girls have 13-hour workdays during UFC events.
But it pays great
That said, being a ring girl, especially in the UFC, is a cushy gig. According to Elite Daily, UFC ring girls earn more money than some UFC fighters. The New York Post reports that the average ring girl makes between $30,000 to $75,000 a year. For reference, many UFC fighters make only $12,000 to fight.
Not only this, but the most successful ring girls can use their UFC job as a launchpad for a bigger career. Arianny Celeste, who’s been a ring girl for the UFC for over a decade, is worth over $1 million. She was able to use her UFC job to book countless modeling gigs and a reality TV show. She’s also built a large fanbase of over 3 million Instagram followers.
This has allowed Celeste to become a social media influencer, and many companies endorse her because of her popularity. What Celeste has achieved may not be doable for most UFC ring girls, but it does show that if a ring girl can build their brand well, then they can be very successful.
