The now-iconic tradition of the Ring Card Girl originated in none other than the boxing capital of the world – Las Vegas, Nevada. Boxing promoter Bill Miller wanted to add entertainment value and a bit of a reprieve from the otherwise brutal aspect of the sport. He came up with the idea of featuring women in his weekly Tuesday night fights at the Hacienda Hotel located on The Strip.
In the May 1965 issue of The Ring Magazine, pictures of the first Ring Card Girl at Bill’s shows were published. From there, the concept of incorporating a Ring Card Girl into boxing fights took off and quickly became a tradition across the country.
RING CARD GIRLS PLAY AN IMPORTANT ROLE IN THE COMBAT SPORT
Today, some of the most famous Ring Card Girls include Arianny Celeste, Chrissy Blair, and Brittney Palmer who have made a name for themselves and enjoy continued success outside of the ring as models, artists, and spokeswomen.
The Ring Card Girl represents more than a woman holding up a number. They are the cheerleaders of the combat sports world, a symbol of empowerment, and are the epitome of being comfortable in your own skin.
Imagine a major fight event without a Ring Card Girl – there would likely be questions, a little bit of controversy, and a feeling of leaving out an important tradition that has been embedded into the culture. That’s the impact that the Ring Card Girl has on boxing and MMA. They are an integral part of the sport.
CONTINUING THE TRADITION OF THE RING CARD GIRL
As an all-women fight league, we are proud to continue the tradition of having a Ring Card Model in all of our events. A PAWFC Ring Card Model embodies the strength of the female athlete and plays a crucial role in the event, supporting the fighter about to enter the cage.
Over the years, there have been differing opinions about featuring a Ring Card Girl during fight events. Some believe that it overly sexualizes women – at PAWFC, we believe it’s an opportunity for women to take control of the narrative around over-sexualization and use it to our advantage. Ring Card Girls have been able to transform the title into a tradition and platform they can use to succeed – and that is the true power of a woman entering the ring in any way, shape, or form