“I was really ashamed of my legs" - OF and MMA star Alice Ardelean opens up on being unusually "self-conscious" about her body

Romanian OnlyF*ns model and MMA star Alice Ardelean, who fights out of Birmingham, England, opened up about her struggles dealing with body-image issues. Ardelean is also active on TikTok where she posts comedy videos, and her followers on that platform don't know that she's a cage fighter in real life.

Ardelean, who is 31, began her MMA journey 12 years ago and started training to boost her confidence. And, in her words, was a bullied gamer who was targeted for her weight. 12 years later, Alice Ardelean has compiled a professional record of eight wins and five losses.

Here's what Alice Ardelean said about her struggles with body image in an interview with The Daily Star:

"Back then I never thought I would be this fighter. I wanted to lose weight because all I did was eat sweets and play Counter-Strike and shooting games on my computer. I used to be really ashamed of the way I looked. Even when I was picking up clothes I was getting triple extra large because I just didn’t want anyone to see any of my fat or my belly or my legs."

Ardelean was particularly ashamed of her legs. She continued:

"I was really ashamed of my legs, and I was a bit cross because I was really fat and my legs were rubbing so I was self-conscious about my body."

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Alice Ardelean isn't the only female MMA fighter with an OnlyF*ns venture

Alice Ardelean reportedly funds her MMA career through her OnlyF*ns venture. However, she isn't the only female MMA fighter to pursue a career as an online model/performer.

Many high-profile names in the MMA and combat sports world have found successful careers as OnlyFans models. The most famous name that comes to mind is that of former UFC strawweight and flyweight fighter Paige VanZant. '12 Gauge' is perhaps the most famous MMA fighter to have a successful OnlyFans career.

Paige VanZant at BKFC (Image courtesy: @MMAFighting (Twitter)]

Another fighter who is active on OnlyF*ns is Rachel Ostovich, who Paige VanZant faced twice - once in the UFC (where '12 Gauge' won) and Bareknuckle FC (where VanZant lost).

Hannah Goldy, who last competed at UFC Fight Night 208, also has a side hustle as an OnlyF*ns model.

Former UFC strawweight Felice Herrig also found a successful career as an OnlyF*ns model. After retiring from MMA, Herrig stated that she gets a regular income from her venture on the website, where she only got paid when she fought in MMA.

Between fight camps, where there is no continuous inflow of income, OnlyF*ns is a lucrative way for fighters to sustain their professional careers.