Sophie Cunningham receives shocking wrestling invite after defending Caitlin Clark with controversial WNBA fight

Indiana Fever star and enforcer Sophie Cunningham has received a shocking invitation to try her hand at professional wrestling. Cunningham made headlines last month when she defended Caitlin Clark following a bunch of physical plays by the Connecticut Sun.

Speaking at the 2025 San Diego Comic Con, Women of Wrestling (WOW) president David McLane explained that Cunningham is a good fit in pro wrestling. McLane even compared Cunningham to Marty McSorley, the enforcer for Wayne Gretzky, during their time with the Edmonton Oilers and the LA Kings.

"I'm from Indiana," McLane said, according to The Mirror. "I'm from Indianapolis, and that's the home of not only the second-best basketball team in the country this last year, but the biggest name in professional basketball today, Caitlin Clark. And Caitlin Clark has an enforcer. (Cunningham's) the Marty McSorley to Wayne Gretzky, and she is a stunning athlete."

David McLane added that he flew to Las Vegas recently to watch the Indiana Fever face the Aces. McLane would like Sophie Cunningham to join WOW since she has already shown that she can be physical and competitive.

For those wondering, WOW has a basketball connection. The promotion's relaunch in 2019 was due to LA Lakers governor and minority owner Jeanie Buss who joined forces with McLane to revive the women's wrestling extravaganza.

Also, if Cunningham accepts the invitation, she won't be the first Indiana basketball player to go into pro wrestling. Tyrese Haliburton made appearances on WWE RAW, SmackDown and NXT over the past two years. Haliburton even linked up with Logan Paul and got into it with Jalen Brunson of the New York Knicks at Madison Square Garden.

WNBA fined Sophie Cunningham after viral TikTok video

WNBA referees have been under scrutiny from players, coaches and fans all season long. Despite the differences and rivalries on the court, one thing the players and fans can agree on is that officials have been so bad and inconsistent this season.

Sophie Cunningham recently took some shots at referees by uploading a TikTok video lip-syncing to Sabrina Carpenter's "Manchild" hit. Cunningham later revealed that the league fined her $500 for criticizing officials.

"I got fined $500 for this TikTok 🤣🤣 idk why this is funny to me… like ok 👍🏼 you got it bud! Cause there’s not more important things to be worried about with our league right now," Cunningham tweeted.

Cunningham is in her first season at Indiana, but she has already endeared herself to the fanbase for protecting Caitlin Clark.

About the author

Juan Paolo is a journalist for Sportskeeda who covers the NBA and WNBA. He's been writing about basketball since 2015 and has been with Sportskeeda since 2021.

Juan's allegiance lies with the Golden State Warriors and his journey with the Warriors began with their memorable victory over the Lakers in 2000, and he experienced the successes of the 'We Believe' era and the rise of Steph Curry.

What Juan loves most about basketball is its ability to evoke a range of emotions, from adrenaline-fueled excitement to the highs of victory and the lows of defeat. To ensure complete accuracy in articles, he conducts thorough research before writing his articles.

The Warriors' victories in the 2022 and 2017 championships hold a special place in Juan's memories, as well as iconic moments like Baron Davis' dunk over Andrei Kirilenko and Goran Dragic's performance in the 2010 Western Conference semifinals.

Off the court, Juan enjoys watching football, TV and movies, caring for his numerous cats, and cooking whenever time permits.

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Edited by Juan Paolo David