Behind the Scenes With Leslie Britton, the UFC's Ring Girl Supervisor

I didn't see it, so I can't say, but I have to believe that the UFC's job description for Octagon ring supervisor went something like this ...

"World's largest MMA organization seeks Octagon ring supervisor. You will prepare the ring girls for the live pay-per-show and live broadcasts. You must be willing to work hard, handle long hours, enjoy travel, work behind the scenes, be willing to deal with tipsy or overzealous customers, know where everything is, stay calm under fire and have a backup plan for every possible snafu.

"I don't know all the people who applied for the job, but I can't imagine there was one better suited for the position than Leslie Britton. And as it has turned out, it's a match made in heaven ... in more ways than one. Not only did she meet her future husband (UFC photographer Josh Hedges) on the job, she found her work especially gratifying.

"It's awesome," she says. "I love it so much. When the girls thank me for helping them and tell me they could not do this without me, I see the appreciation in their eyes."

One of the girls, Arianny, is so appreciative that she posted a photo of herself and Leslie on her MySpace site and wrote a highly complimentary message.

"In the five years that I've been here, that is the best compliment I have received," says Britton....

and, well, Britton explains.

"I have built a relationship with the girls, and we have become friends," says Britton. "In a sense, I have become their mom. And the only thing I dislike [about the job] is also the thing I love the most ... being called 'mom.' I say that because I am only 28. But, they [the ring girls] told me they call me this because I always look out for their best interests and give them [good] advice."

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THE DUTIES

Britton's responsibilities entail more than you can imagine.

"It's a mile-long list," says Leslie, a Las Vegas resident.

That list includes assisting with their makeup and hair, planning out logistics, taking care of their food needs, correcting wardrobe malfunctions, acting as bodyguard, making sure photographers and cornermen keep a clear path for the girls near the Octagon and anything else that comes up.

For example, each venue is different, so Britton must find out where the girls are sitting, locate their path to and from the Octagon and find the quickest route to the restrooms.

"I need to make sure we are ready," she says.

She's more than ready. Not only has she covered all the bases before the show begins, she's worked out a non-verbal system in which she communicates with the girls during the PPV.

"We have a sign language that informs them when to smile, wave, blow kisses or wink," says Britton. "We came up with our own sign language to ensure that everything is as flawless as possible."

Those communication skills also extend to Josh. When she isn't lending him a hand, if he ever needs it, she communicates with him throughout the night, using another secret code.

"On other occasions, it's so busy I only get to see the back of his head," she notes.

There are several reasons why things can get a little hectic. One of the biggest problems occurs when some guy, who has had a few too many beers, wants to get a little too frisky with the girls. If Ali and Arianny get uncomfortable during one of these walk-up visits, they communicate with Leslie through a code.

"We have an agreement in which they give me a look if anything is wrong," says Britton. "Sometimes we get a fan who has had too much to drink and gets too touchy-feely."

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THE SIMPLE LIFE

At the end of the night-when the last punch has been thrown, the fans are gone and the bright lights are turned off-Britton, who grew up in California's Central Coast, is still working. She always escorts the girls out of the arena or through a casino. By the time she is done, it's often midnight or 1 a.m., a mere 12-hour day. And then?

"When I go home, I get into my home life, which is the simple life," she

says. "It's not all glitz and glam."

And this gives her a chance to reflect.

"Who would ever think that a girl from a city of about 15,000 people would live in Las Vegas, work for the UFC and have a non-stop life?" she says. "I am very lucky."

As are the girls and the UFC.

Until next time.