Considering all the grumbling around the Mike Tyson versus Jake Paul fight, it comes as no surprise that viewers were thirsty for something to distract them from the main event. Luckily for everyone, ring girl Sydney Thomas was happy to waltz her way into the hearts of Netflix viewers. Thomas, a college student at the University of Alabama, was the breakout star of the November 15, 2024, brawl, and the internet certainly noticed.
In an interview with Us Weekly, Thomas admits to waking up to more than she bargained for. “My DMs are just insanely flooded right now,” she beamed. “There’s definitely been some pretty big names and brands that have reached out. … The DMs and all that are just going crazy right now.” Although she’s keeping mum on who her potential brand deals might be with, Thomas is also acknowledging that the newfound attention is both welcome and overwhelming. Per reporting by the New York Post, Thomas created an Instagram Story detailing how stunned she was by it all. “I woke up to an overwhelming amount of love and support from all of you,” she wrote. “I can’t thank you guys enough or begin to express how grateful I am.” As much as Thomas might be in awe of the waves of new followers, it seems she got her start on social media, and will continue to harness it for her future.
Sydney Thomas was discovered on social media
On November 17, 2024, Sydney Thomas took to her Instagram to answer questions and better get to know her fans by doing a quick Q&A session. According to People, it was here she divulged that she was recently discovered by Most Valuable Promotions, the promotion company co-founded by Jake Paul himself — one of the many things Paul has used his lavish lifestyle to invest in. And signing Thomas right before his match with Mike Tyson seems to be really paying off. The Tyson-Paul fight was only Thomas’ second time performing her ring girl duties, and it seems she’s got a solid future ahead of her.
In one of her post-fight Instagram posts, Thomas was quick to thank the team at Most Valuable Promotions as well as acknowledge the historic weight of the boxing match. However, the responses to her post prove that Thomas is a blossoming social media darling. One Instagram user already claimed, “She’s an icon.” Another summed up the sentiments of many fans by deeming her “literally the show.” It’s clear that the public found Thomas to be more eye-catching than the main event, which has many wondering what her next steps will be. The people want to know when, or if, we can see Thomas on screen again.
Sydney Thomas is keeping it flexible for the future
When asked by Us Weekly how she’s keeping up with everything, Sydney Thomas admits that all the newfound attention is still overwhelming, but riveting. “I’m … very blessed and very grateful. You know, what a problem to have.” Seeming to have an incredibly well-adjusted ego, Thomas added, “I knew the exposure was going to be awesome, just the fact that it was being streamed on Netflix and it was such an iconic fight. But I had no idea that all the focus was going to shift from the results to the ring girl being the main star of the event. That was not even a thought in my head going into it.”
Now a senior at the University of Alabama, Thomas admits she takes her classes online to afford her a more “flexible schedule.” The model does want to continue school and graduate, but also admitted, “I think what’s next for me is to continue building up my social media and continue working with Most Valuable Promotions and being a ring girl.” Expect to see more of Thomas as she pursues modeling and promotional positions. Should you need more Thomas immediately, there’s always the Paul-Tyson match available on Netflix. Mike Tyson’s butt cheeks may or may not be included.