NEW YORK—Rumors swirled all weekend on UFC news sites and blogs that UFC Octagon girl Chandella Powell may be fired because of soft core porn she did ten years ago. Powell, who has been an Octagon girl since 2009, had previously appeared nude in Playboy magazine, which seems to be a requirement for Octagon-girls-in-good-standing. Fellow Octagoner Brittany Palmer, whose 8-page pictorial is featured in the magazine's March 2012 issue, is just the latest of the current lineup to pose for Hugh Hefner's iconic mag.
"Palmer will be the fourth UFC card carrier to pose for Playboy, following queen bee Rachelle Leah (November 2008) and reigning princess Arianny Celeste (November 2010). Chandella Powell stripped for Playboy prior to joining the UFC," reported 5thround.com.
None of the reports explain exactly when and for whom Powell performed a decade ago, but the work was reportedly limited in scope and may have been a girl-girl shoot. The issue is being described as one of disclosure, that Powell did not tell her employer about her soft porn past. Ultimate Fighting Championship parent Zuffa has not yet commented publicly about Powell's fate, but perhaps to head off any further controversy, Powell tweeted the following mea culpa this weekend:
When you are young, you often don't realize that your actions have consequences. I made a bad decision about ten years ago, but you learn from these moments. There is nothing I can do to change the past, and believe me, if I could, I would. That decision doesn't represent who I am today. All I can do now is put the past behind me and move forward. I am sorry to disappoint any of my fans and my family at Zuffa. I love you guys :)
At the end of the day, it would be a shame if the mixed martial arts industry decides it has a problem with Powell's past, even if she did decline to list an early gig. From Dick Delaware to War Machine, from TapoutT to Jenna and Tito, the UFC and adult entertainment have been figuratively and literally in bed with one another for years.
UPDATE
Uh-oh. In just the past hour or so, the official UFC Octagon Girls web page has been updated, and Chandella Powell, who was featured there this morning has since been removed. In lieu of an official announcement from the UFC, this action suggests that a decision has been made regarding Powell's future as an Octagon girl, and it does not appear to be in her favor.
