Think UFC, and the first things that come to mind is brutal MMA combat, ferocious takedowns, and (probably) the Octagon girls.
They might not all be huge stars in their own right, but plenty of UFC fans will tell you that Octagon girls are pretty fundamental to the appeal of the sport.
After all, when the likes of Conor McGregor and the Ronda Rousey take a break from beating each other up in-between rounds, UFC fans need something to keep them occupied – and that’s where the octagon girls come in.
So, how much are they paid for their trouble? Well, one of the highest profile octagon stars Arianny Celeste recently announced that she’d made her first $1m, thanks to huge modelling and sponsorship contracts, but that’s a far cry from the normal annual salary for ring girls.
It’s been revealed that the average octagon star takes home $20,000 (£17,000) a year for taking part in the sport.
Arianny Celeste is an exception – the 31-year-old has modelled for the likes of Sports Illustrated, Playboy, Maxim and FHM over the years.
She’s built a global brand after making her UFC debut back in 2006, and has been named Ring Girl of the Year a record five times.
Not everyone is happy about how much Octagon girls get paid though. Ronda Rousey previously took issue with the rates of pay in the sport, saying: “I don’t know if the ring girls get paid too much or the fighters don’t get paid enough.
“But, yeah, there’s definitely a lot more in what the fighters do than what they do. So, I think that’s one thing that’s unfair.”
