The Indiana Fever’s matchup against the Connecticut Sun was anything but ordinary, featuring high-intensity play, emotional flare-ups, and a standout moment of grit from Sophie Cunningham. In a game marked by physical clashes and rising tensions, Cunningham stole the spotlight with a fiery response that showcased not just her competitive edge but her martial arts background.
Sophie Cunningham has a black belt in Taekwondo
On June 17, 2025, during a heated regular-season game at Gainbridge Fieldhouse in Indianapolis, tensions boiled over between the Indiana Fever and the Connecticut Sun. The spark came late in the third quarter when Jacy Sheldon poked Caitlin Clark in the eye, followed by a shove from Marina Mabrey. In response, Cunningham—known for her black belt in taekwondo—charged in to defend Clark, delivering a hard foul on Sheldon that ignited a scuffle and ultimately led to her ejection from the game.
Following the incident, she quickly rose to fame as Clark’s ‘enforcer’. Cunningham earned her black belt in Taekwondo at the age of 6. Many users expressed adoration for the player on social media as one user wrote, “Black belt Sophie Cunningham of the Fever… I’m a big fan.” A second user wrote, “WNBA needs to know that Sophie Cunningham is a black belt. She will piece you the f*** up lol.” A third user wrote, “Sophie Cunningham literally got her black belt at the age of 6. She’s not the one to mess with.”
{{/usCountry}}Following the incident, she quickly rose to fame as Clark’s ‘enforcer’. Cunningham earned her black belt in Taekwondo at the age of 6. Many users expressed adoration for the player on social media as one user wrote, “Black belt Sophie Cunningham of the Fever… I’m a big fan.” A second user wrote, “WNBA needs to know that Sophie Cunningham is a black belt. She will piece you the f*** up lol.” A third user wrote, “Sophie Cunningham literally got her black belt at the age of 6. She’s not the one to mess with.”
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Did Sophie Cunningham wrongfully use her martial arts skills?
Veteran analyst Rachel DeMita, who also holds a black belt in taekwondo, weighed in on Sophie Cunningham’s actions during the heated moment. She shared on her YouTube channel, “Sophie did not grab her and throw her to the ground,” as reported by Marca. She continued, “She didn't body-slam her, she didn't do anything, in my personal opinion. Maybe I'm biased here but I want to give you guys my straight up honest opinion on this. She bearhugged her, took her to the ground…”
DeMita also shared, “Yes, it was intentional. It was absolutely intentional. It was, for me, a payback for what was happening the entire game. But she (Sophie) did it in a way that she wasn't going to injure Jacy.” She added, “She was just making it known, like, 'If the refs aren't going to handle it, I will handle it. We'll take care of it. But this is not what you're going to do when you come into our house.'"