The first time Arianny Celeste was an Octagon girl at an Ultimate Fighting Championship card, Dana White thought she was trying to race someone. She got up and went around the cage so quickly, it looked to White as if she were late for an appointment.

She was so shy in the beginning, the colorful UFC president recalled about the card in Las Vegas in 2006 when Celeste made her debut. She’s really grown into the role. She’s by far – by far – our most popular Octagon girl. We get more requests for her than anyone. And she’s a big part of the show.

I’m not sure, but I’m guessing she’s about to become just a little bit bigger part of the show given her latest news. Celeste is the cover girl of the November issue of Playboy, which hits newsstands on Friday, and is featured in an eight-page nude photo spread.

She was a 21-year-old college sophomore at UNLV in 2006 who didn’t know the first thing about mixed martial arts when she tried out for the gig.

Basically, all I knew about it from what I had heard was that you had to be able to walk around in a bikini and I said, ‘OK, I can handle that,’ Celeste said. I was doing modeling gigs on the side in Vegas to get some extra money when I heard about the casting for the UFC. I had no idea what it was. It was a paycheck.

It was only supposed to be a one-night gig and that was more than fine with Celeste. But not long later, White and Craig Borsari, the UFC’s senior vice president of productions and operations, were on the phone asking her if she’s like to work UFC 70 in Manchester, England, as well. At that event, White offered her the gig full-time and she’s never looked back.

She’s become more popular than all but a handful of the UFC’s biggest-name fighters. She is in demand for appearances at trade shows, fan outings and promotional events and has been more on the cover of numerous magazines.

She’s the second UFC Octagon girl to appear on the cover of Playboy, following Rachelle Leah, who appeared on the cover of the November 2008 issue.

There isn’t much bigger than being on the cover of Playboy, White said. It’s one of those iconic things that will be remembered forever. It’s huge for her and it’s huge for the UFC.

Celeste, though, doesn’t want to be typecast as just a swimsuit model. She majored in fitness management and nutrition at UNLV and wants to further her brand in those areas.

Carmen Electra meets J-Lo, she calls the sexy, healthy fitness brand, that she hopes to advance in her future.

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