WWE and UFC forged an official partnership last year under the TKO Group Holdings banner, courtesy of Endeavor’s merger. While planned cross-promotions are on the horizon, sometimes, unexpected crossovers occur, as we witnessed this past weekend.
Charly Arnolt, formerly known as Charly Caruso, had been a fixture at World Wrestling Entertainment from June 2016 until 2021, serving as an on-air talent. Opting not to renew her contract, she transitioned to a full-time role with ESPN, where she had been working part-time since 2018.
In the summer of 2022, she added UFC events to her resume and made history as the first female ring announcer at UFC Vegas 91 on Saturday.
Arnolt’s historic moment came when she stepped in for regular announcer Joe Martinez, who fell ill during the event. Initially declining the offer due to nerves and the pressure of her ESPN role, Arnolt ultimately accepted the challenge.
Taking to Instagram, Arnolt shared the story behind her unexpected UFC appearance, expressing gratitude for the support and confidence she received.
In addition to her ESPN and UFC commitments, Arnolt serves as a TV host for OutKick and contributes on-air to FOX News.
Former WWE talent Charly Arnolt has also expressed interest in AEW following her departure from WWE in 2021. In an interview with The Miami Herald, she mentioned Tony Khan’s openness to the idea. However, her ESPN contract restricted her from pursuing other opportunities.
Despite this, Arnolt remains open to crossover work with WWE and other wrestling promotions in the future.
