Ebanie Bridges hits back at Khabib Nurmagomedov over his criticism of ring girls 

Ebanie Bridges, the IBF female bantamweight champion, has hit out at UFC star Khabib Nurmagomedov‘s claim that there is ‘no reason’ to have ring girls at combat sports events.

Bridges worked as a ring girl before moving into pro boxing, and has defended their role after Nurmagomedov also called them ‘useless’ and did not employ them for his events.

Speaking on the Pub 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, being paid to watch those fights. You’ve got people saying it’s sexist, it’s objectifying… maybe I want to be objectified.

‘Maybe I want to make money… don’t make my mind up for me. You can’t have boxing without the ring girls.’

She continued: ‘I got paid mad money, probably more than some of the fighters, to sit ringside.’

Ebanie Bridges, 36, worked as a ring girl before moving into professional boxing

She became female bantamweight champion in March after beating María Cecilia Román

 ‘I was a ring girl. I love combat sports, I grew up with it, so for me to be at the fights… I loved it.’

Bridges has been bantamweight champion since she defeated María Cecilia Román by unanimous decision in March.

She is set to defend the title against fellow Australian Shannon O’Connell, who has 21 more professional bouts to her name than Bridges.

Khabib Nurmagomedov called ring girls ‘useless’ in 2021 and refused to hire them at his events