Gone are the days of Twitter and YouTube fighters; the UFC is now welcoming TikTok stars into the mix.
Alice Ardelean boasts more than three million followers on TikTok, a half-million subscribers on Instagram, and over 100,000 likes on OnlyFans. Those are impressive numbers, even if her 9-5 mixed martial arts (MMA) record (or the records of those she has defeated) pales in comparison.
Impressive enough to land her a spot in UFC? With all the fight cancelations that have been plaguing the promotion, apparently so.
The Birmingham-based Ardelean will step in for an injured Ravena Oliveira to fight Shauna Bannon at UFC 304 in Manchester, England, on July 27, 2024. This isn’t completely out of the blue — back in May the popular social media star announced she would fight on the upcoming season of Contender Series.
Now, she has secured a direct route to the Octagon… and this has displeased certain fans of combat sports.
View this post on InstagramA post shared by Alice Ardelean (@aliceardelean)
“UFC signing Alice Ardelean is a disgrace to the promotion,” Cageside Press’ Shawn Bitter wrote on X (formerly Twitter). “Probably the worst signing ever and I’m not joking. Ardelean isn’t a fighter, she’s a TikTok star.
Continuing on, he expressed his disappointment, saying, “Ardelean’s record stands at a disheartening 9-7. Although she has emerged victorious in her last five matches, one must question the caliber of her opponents. It’s truly unfortunate that the world’s most esteemed promotion fails to recognize and appreciate true world-class talent.”
A search for “Alice Ardelean” is more likely to turn up endless videos of the “Booty Queen” shaking her rear for the camera than fight footage. But, the Romanian-born fighter is a scrapper in the cage, even if those scraps are often against cans with losing records.
In two weeks’ time, UFC 304 will mark her opportunity to demonstrate her capabilities in the big leagues as it returns to England.
It’s gonna be a fun one.
To checkout the latest UFC 304 fight card and rumors click here.
