LAS VEGAS -- Olympic gold medalist Gable Steveson wasn't the only American athlete making his Octagon debut at UFC 329. Before Saturday's co-main event, Indiana Fever guard Sophie Cunningham made a surprise appearance as a guest Octagon girl.

One of the WNBA's most popular stars showed up in Las Vegas just before the return of UFC's biggest star, Conor McGregor. Cunningham stepped in to introduce Round 1 of the fight between Paddy Pimblett and Benoit Saint Denis, which ended up being the only round of the match as Pimblett choked Saint Denis unconscious in under one minute.

UFC CEO Dana White addressed Cunningham's unexpected inclusion, revealing it was a spontaneous decision made about "eight minutes" before her appearance.

"We've created a relationship, and she was here tonight," White stated at the UFC 329 post-fight press conference. "When she walked in, she goes, 'Oh, I wanna walk around that.' I said, 'Then you're gonna walk around it.'"

Cunningham and the Fever are set to face the Las Vegas Aces on Sunday, entering the game with a 13-9 record, the best in the Eastern Conference. She has become a standout player in the league, teaming up with Caitlin Clark.