Sydney Thomas, viral ring girl from Jake Paul's fight, deadset on busting "pretty blonde" image: "I actually am smart"

Sydney Thomas, who served as a ring girl for the Jake Paul vs. Mike Tyson fight, has served as the surprise breakout star of the event. The combat sports world was quickly taken by the 21-year-old, who addressed her newfound fame in a clip posted on her official TikTok account.

Despite the astronomical number of followers she gained following her stint as a ring girl at the Paul vs. Tyson event, Thomas wants fans to know there is more to her than her physical appearance. She is well-educated, asserting that she isn't lacking in intelligence.

In the aforementioned clip, she said:

"I grew up in St. Louis, Missouri, and I went to Alabama for college, and I'm still in school studying management and entrepreneurship. Technically a junior, but I'm gonna be finishing a year early, so I'll be done in August, which is exciting. I do all my classes online to be able to travel and have more flexibility in my schedule."

Thomas then expresses an eagerness to undo the image of a woman known just for her looks, highlighting her education even further.

"Contrary to popular opinion or popular belief, I actually am smart. People kind of get the image of pretty blonde, doesn't have a brain, but I got a 33 on my ACT in high school, and I'm finishing college a year early, so take it as you want."

Check out Sydney Thomas offering insight into herself (0:28):

View on TikTok

Fans will be surely to stay up-to-date on her social media profiles, especially as she was among the few aspects of the Paul vs. Tyson fight that viewers were positive about.

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Sydney Thomas represents a wave in the continued popularity of ring girls

Sydney Thomas' organic popularity is evidence of the continued desire for ring girls to be part of combat sports pageantry, despite some of the criticism that has been aimed at them, predominantly in MMA.

Legendary UFC lightweight, Khabib Nurmagomedov, drew controversy for his dismissal of ring girls.

The former 155-pound champion described ring girls as useless in the world of martial arts, sparking a discussion that spread across social media. While polarizing, ring girls continue to draw attention, with Thomas being the latest example.