Ring girl worth £3.4M responds to rumours she’s paid more than fighters by the UFC

Arianny Celeste has denied she earns more money for appearing at UFC events than some of the company’s fighters.

The veteran ring card girl began her UFC career in 2006 and is still a constant fixture at events 16 years later.

However, not everyone is a fan of the 36-year-old, and former UFC middleweight contender, Uriah Hall, who picked up a boxing win on Jake Paul’s undercard last weekend, recently claimed ring card girls make a crazy amount of money per appearance.

“You don’t have to go too much into details, but I know people [fighters] who are making [$10,000 to show, $10,000 to win], which is ridiculous,” he said ahead of his fight with former NFL star Le’Veon Bell.

“Because you’re going out there and fighting and you’re putting your brain cells on the line and f***ing ring card girls are making $70,000, which is utterly f***ing ridiculous.”

Celeste indirectly responded to Hall’s comments on TikTok after a user parroted his theory: “I feel like I need to address this because this has been said multiple times and it’s not true!

“I don’t know where the assumption is [coming from] but it’s always an article from a fighter saying, ‘We make more’ and it’s always a picture of me.

“So, no. I don’t make more than the fighters. I’ve been in this industry for over 15 years, and I’ve worked my a** off to be where I am in life.

This is not the first time Celeste has had to defend herself, as in 2021 former UFC lightweight champion Khabib Nurmagomedov branded UFC ring girls ‘the most useless people in martial arts.’

Celeste took to Instagram to issue her response to the Russian with another post featuring the same meme, reading: “Sorry we make u uncomfortable.”

It also forced her into a passionate defence – not for the first time – about how she makes her money.

Writing on Instagram, she posted: “I’ve worked over 15 years in this industry and learned it’s easier just to simply NOT CARE.

“It’s taken me 15 years of hard work, dedication, and time to be:

“A bad ass independently wealthy female.

“A real estate investor and owner of not just 1 but 3 homes/properties one located in LA -which is expensive AF.

“And a female who is not afraid to take risks and build for my future.

“You can call us useless, but to people like me who have worked this hard, it slips right off my shoulders.

“My life is too good to be unhappy. You don’t have to like me, but you will respect me. Last but not least, please tell me why reporters and have nothing better to talk about than the ring girls? There has to be way better things to ask about!!

“Next subject.”

“For 15 years we have been more than just ring girls – we have dedicated time in promoting UFC and showing love and time to our die hard fans through touring the world and personal appearances.

“And while the world is very different right now, I can still feel that energy and love every time we have a show with an audience.

The 36-year-old also has a public feud with Hall of Famer Ronda Rousey dating back to 2012 when the former UFC bantamweight champion commented about her profession, saying: “It’s your job to show your t***.”

Rousey later said: “I’m not impressed with the job in itself”, and demanded UFC fighters be paid more than ring girls, prompting Celeste to label her a ‘bully’ and the pair continued to exchange pop shots until ‘Rowdy’ retired in 2016.

Celeste will more than likely have to defend her reported £3.4million net worth again amid ongoing fighter pay debates, but at least she’s finally dispelled the myth that UFC ring girls earn more than fighters.