The UFC middleweight confirmed the news via Twitter on Monday after initially making an announcement on ”The MMA Hour.” Invicta FC 28 takes place at Union Event Center in Salt Lake City, Utah, and will stream in its entirety on UFC Fight Pass.
It's official, as announced by @arielhelwani on @themmahour, I will make my official #Ringboy™ debut at @InvictaFights 28 (Mar 24th). Be sure to watch the beginning of my journey on my official Youtube channel: #themaneevent™. https://t.co/zpZSro9P6N pic.twitter.com/iYujucgiMr
— The Spartan (@EliasTheodorou) February 19, 2018
The position has been held almost exclusively by women in mixed martial arts, with the most famous ring girls – Arianny Celeste, Britanny Palmer, etc. – residing in the UFC. But just as women eventually emerged as a featured fighting attraction in the cage, Theodorou will become the first male to carry a card over his head between rounds for a prominent MMA promotion.
“Mixed martial arts has been at the forefront of equality in many different ways,” Theodorou said on “The MMA Hour.” “You can see in regards to women being on top of pay-per-views and selling millions and also now myself included as the first ring boy.”
Theodorou already made his “ring boy” debut at a regional show in Montreal earlier this month, and he posted a picture of the experience on Instagram. The 29-year-old known as “The Spartan” has won three of his last four Octagon appearances, including a unanimous decision win over Daniel Kelly at UFC Fight Night 121 on Nov. 18. He told Ariel Helwani on “The MMA Hour” that he hopes to return to action at the promotion’s April 21 Fight Night event in Atlantic City, N.J.
A post shared by Elias "The Spartan" Theodorou (@eliastheodorou) on