Ebanie Bridges hits back at Khabib Nurmagomedov over his criticism of ring girls
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‘Don’t care about me’: Female bantamweight champion Ebanie Bridges hits back at Khabib Nurmagomedov over UFC legend’s criticism of ring girls – for insisting she ‘kept’ her stint in the lane…and probably got paid more than some fighters!
- Ebanie Bridges worked as a ring girl before boxing
- She became female bantamweight champion after beating María Cecilia Román
- The 36-year-old ‘loved’ her time as a ring girl and was paid to watch fights
- It comes after Khabib Nurmagomedov called ring girls ‘useless’ last year
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Ebanie Bridges, the female IBF bantamweight champion, has come out on top of UFC star Khabib Nurmagomedov’s claim that there is “no reason” to have ring girls at martial arts events.
Bridges worked as a ring girl before moving to pro boxing, and has defended their role after Nurmagomedov also called them “useless” and didn’t hire them for his events.
Speaking on the drink talk podcast, Bridges said, “Why are people who aren’t us trying to take our jobs away from us?
“We love it, I loved being a ring girl. I don’t think it’s useless. I loved being part of the entertainment, getting paid to watch those fights. You have people who say it’s sexist, it’s objectified… maybe I want to be objectified.
“Maybe I want to make money… don’t make a decision for me. You can’t box without the ring girls.’
She continued: “I was paid crazy money, probably more than some of the fighters, to sit on the ringside.”
Ebanie Bridges, 36, worked as a ring girl before boxing
She became female bantamweight champion in March after beating María Cecilia Román
“I was a ring girl. I like martial arts, I grew up with it, so for me to be in the fights… I loved it.”
Bridges has been the bantamweight champion since she defeated María Cecilia Román by unanimous decision in March.
She is set to defend the title against compatriot Shannon O’Connell, who has 21 more professional appearances to her name than Bridges.
Khabib Nurmagomedov called 2021 ring girls ‘useless’ and refused to hire them at his events