{{short description|Female model at combat sport events}} {{For|the title character of the Ring franchise|Sadako Yamamura}} [[Image:AriannyLopez.png|thumb|UFC ring girl Arianny Celeste indicates that the third round is about to begin.|243x243px]] A '''ring girl''' (also '''number girl''', '''card girl''', or '''round girl''') is an attractive young woman hired to enter the ring between rounds of a combat sport, carrying a sign displaying the number of the next round. Ring girls are often seen in boxing, kickboxing and mixed martial arts.
==History== Ring girls first appeared in a 1965 edition of ''Ring Magazine''. The magazine published a photo of a Las Vegas model holding a sign at a boxing match. Boxing promotions soon adopted the concept of ring girls, when promoters started to hire attractive women to parade around the ring holding signs, signaling the upcoming round.<ref>{{Cite web |date=2023-06-02 |title=MMA Ring Girls: Glamorous Tradition or Modern Controversy? |url=https://blog.spartacus-mma.com/mma-ring-girls/ |access-date=2024-03-07 |website=blog.spartacus-mma.com |language=en-US}}</ref>
==In modern combat sports== ===Professional wrestling=== {{multiple issues|section=yes| {{original research|date=April 2014|section}} {{more citations needed|date=August 2017|section}} }} thumb|A Max Fighting Championship ring girl at a promotional event In professional wrestling, ring girls are attendants who remove the entrance gear (such as jackets, robes, and other clothing) and championship belts from the ring after a wrestler takes them off before his match. Throughout the 1980s, World Wrestling Entertainment employed ring girls known as the Federettes. Since its inception in 2002, Total Nonstop Action Wrestling has featured various independent female wrestlers and valets as ring girls.
During the first year of ''WWF Monday Night Raw'', WWE featured traditional boxing-style ring girls who carried signs featuring various ''Raw''-themed slogans in the ring between matches.
===MMA=== A list follows of notable ring girls who have posed for the American entertainment magazine, ''Playboy''. {| class="wikitable" !width=20%|'''Model:''' !width=17%|'''Date:''' !width=20%|'''Issue:''' !width=40%|'''Notes:''' |- |Rachelle Leah<ref>{{Cite web|date=2008-09-12|title=UFC confirms Rachelle Leah on November cover of Playboy|url=https://mmajunkie.usatoday.com/2008/09/ufc-confirms-rachelle-leah-on-november-cover-of-playboy|access-date=2021-11-30|website=MMA Junkie|language=en-US}}</ref> |October 2008 |''Playboy'' |UFC ring girl |- |Arianny Celeste<ref>{{Cite web|last=Raymond|first=Paul|title=UFC Arianny Celeste – Playboy Cover Girl|url=https://bleacherreport.com/articles/490362-ufc-arianny-celeste-ndash-playboy-cover-girl|access-date=2021-11-30|website=Bleacher Report|language=en}}</ref> |November 2010 |''Playboy'' |UFC ring girl |- |Brittney Palmer<ref>{{Cite web|last=|title=UFC girl Brittney Palmer appears in Playboy|url=http://www.foxsports.com/ufc/gallery/ufc-brittney-palmer-playboy-magazine-gallery-022312|access-date=2021-11-30|website=FOX Sports|language=en-US}}</ref> |March 2012 |''Playboy'' |UFC ring girl |- |Victoria Elise<ref>{{Cite web|date=2021-06-21|title=Instagirl: Victoria Elise, la novia del océano|url=https://www.playboy.com.mx/chicas/instagirl-victoria-elise-la-novia-del-oceano/|access-date=2021-11-30|website=Playboy|language=es}}</ref> |June 2021 |''Playboy Mexico'' |MMA ring girl |}
==Controversies== ===Allegations of sexism=== Some sports journalists claim that the use of ring girls, which first started in boxing, is unnecessary. Critics argue that half-naked women at the games provides sexual stimulation for the male audience,<ref>{{cite news|url=http://www.stuff.co.nz/sport/other-sports/92032564/boxings-ring-girls-harmless-entertainment-or-dark-ages-sexism|title=Boxing's ring girls: harmless entertainment or Dark Ages sexism?|date=April 28, 2017|author=Kevin Norquay|accessdate=August 8, 2017}}</ref> whereas others regard them as harmless tradition; boxing promoter Lisa Elovich describes the practice as "part of the show."<ref name="livestrong">{{cite web|url=http://www.livestrong.com/article/422685-what-are-the-girls-who-walk-around-the-boxing-rings-between-rounds/|title=What Are the Girls Who Walk Around the Boxing Rings Between Rounds?|author=Steven Kelliher|date=November 16, 2015|accessdate=August 9, 2017|publisher=livestrong.com}}</ref>
"Ring boys" or "ring guys" have been proposed for women's matches.<ref>{{cite news|url=https://bleacherreport.com/articles/1402083-ufc-2012-should-the-ufc-get-rid-of-ring-card-girls|title=In Light of the Ronda Rousey News, Should the UFC Get Rid of Ring Card Girls?|date=November 8, 2012|author=Matt Saccaro|access-date=August 9, 2017}}</ref><ref>{{cite news|url=http://fightland.vice.com/blog/mma-say-hello-to-ring-dudes|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20131011161417/http://fightland.vice.com/blog/mma-say-hello-to-ring-dudes|url-status=dead|archive-date=October 11, 2013|title=MMA, Say Hello to Ring Dudes|date=October 11, 2013|author=Amy Winters|accessdate=August 9, 2017}}</ref> Professional boxer Mikaela Laurén said, "I want a number boy. I think that's only fair, and I'm sure it will give the women in the audience some pleasure as well."<ref>{{cite news|url=https://www.vice.com/en/article/boxing-champ-mikaela-lauren-wants-ring-boys-for-her-next-fight/|title=Boxing Champ Mikaela Lauren Wants "Ring Boys" for Her Next Fight|date=April 21, 2016|author=Sarah Kurchak|access-date=August 9, 2017}}</ref> thumb|288x288px|Ring girls at a Top Rank event posing for photographers While all-female fighting promoter Invicta FC uses ring girls, the promoter brought in UFC fighter and model Elias Theodorou to serve as a ring boy at Invicta FC 28. Theodorou received criticism, however, for using the occasion to promote sponsors.<ref>{{cite news|url=https://mmajunkie.com/2018/03/ufc-ring-boy-elias-theodorou-steal-invicta-spotlight-or-add-shine|title=Trading Shots: Did 'ring boy' Elias Theodorou steal Invicta FC spotlight or add shine?|date=March 25, 2018|author=Ben Fowlkes and Danny Downes|accessdate=July 1, 2018}}</ref>
===Payments=== There has been speculation that ring girls are paid more than female fighters. In 2015, former UFC bantamweight champion Ronda Rousey protested. "Do you think her walking in circles," argued Rousey, "is worth more (than fighters)? ... either the ring card girls are paid too much, or the fighters aren't paid enough." UFC ring girls are reputedly paid $18,000 a year. This excludes jobs outside the UFC, like modeling.<ref>{{cite news|url=http://www.ladbible.com/more/viral-sport-this-is-how-much-ufc-ring-card-girls-earn-20170324|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20170326234542/http://www.ladbible.com/more/viral-sport-this-is-how-much-ufc-ring-card-girls-earn-20170324|url-status=dead|archive-date=March 26, 2017|title=This Is How Much UFC Ring Card Girls Earn|date=March 24, 2017|author=Mark McGowan|accessdate=August 8, 2017}} </ref> UFC ring girl Arianny Celeste protested, calling Rousey a "big bully".<ref>{{cite news|url=https://nypost.com/2015/02/26/big-bully-ronda-rousey-in-heated-feud-with-ufc-ring-girl/|title='Big bully' Ronda Rousey in heated feud with UFC ring girl|author=Brian Lewis|date=February 26, 2015|accessdate=August 8, 2017}}</ref><ref>{{cite news|url=http://mmajunkie.com/2015/02/ronda-rousey-responds-to-arianny-celestes-bully-comments-im-sorry-but-im-not-impressed-with-the-job/|title=Rousey on Celeste's 'bully' comments: 'I'm sorry, but I'm not impressed with the job'|author=Brent Brookhouse and John Morgan|date=February 25, 2015|accessdate=August 8, 2017|archive-date=September 14, 2018|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20180914112315/https://mmajunkie.com/2015/02/ronda-rousey-responds-to-arianny-celestes-bully-comments-im-sorry-but-im-not-impressed-with-the-job|url-status=dead}}</ref> "I think people don't realise how much work it is to be a model," argued Celeste, "Trying being like a live mannequin and having clients put you in a million different outfits... It's not as easy as it looks... Not a lot of people would know that unless they were in my shoes."<ref>{{cite news|url=http://mmajunkie.com/2015/02/arianny-celeste-on-ufc-champ-ronda-rouseys-criticism-i-see-her-as-a-big-bully|title=Arianny Celeste on UFC champ Ronda Rousey's criticism: 'I see her as a big bully'|date=February 25, 2015|accessdate=August 8, 2017}}</ref>
==See also== * Cue card girl * Pin up girls * Podium girl * Promotional model
==References== {{Reflist}}
{{Professional wrestling terms}} {{Women's professional wrestling}}
Category:Ring (martial arts) Category:Mixed martial arts culture Category:Entertainment occupations Category:Gendered occupations Category:Modeling (profession) Category:Boxing culture Category:Professional wrestling slang Category:Sports occupations and roles Category:Female beauty Category:Wrestling culture Category:Entertainment at sports events