Elle Brooke chose dominatrix outfit for two reasons and confesses to Paige VanZant risk

In the high-stakes world of boxing, where bravado meets brutality, one name has emerged as the epitome of controversy and charisma: Elle Brooke. Her unapologetic approach to sports and social media has become a lightning rod for engagement, even calling out her best friend, Ebanie Ediges, to test herself on the hunt for boxing greatness.

As the 26-year-old star from Surrey prepares for her most pivotal match to date - a Misfits Boxing middleweight title defense against former UFC star Paige VanZant - Brooke provided a candid conversation, exclusively with Express Sport, revealing her immediate thoughts ahead of the main event matchup at MF & DAZN: X Series 15 at NRG Arena in Houston.

"Influencer boxing should be taking on people with big names," she said. "There's no point fighting nobodies that I know I'll beat. I would rather take the risk and chance to fight people that everyone will be shocked about."

Brooke wore an all-black ensemble with chains at the weigh-ins, exuding a fierce aura. In contrast, VanZant opted for a colorful pink costume, channeling retro vibes with leg warmers that harkened back to the workout videos of the 1980s. Fight fans have grown accustomed to the tradition of a fighter wearing all black during the weigh-in, symbolising their opponent's impending "funeral". But the British fighter's vibe broke the bounds of customary tradition, signaling a new era from past norms.

"I did choose that set on purpose because I was thinking, I want to look like a dominatrix. Like naughty and powerful," she explained. "I wasn't thinking funeral when I was choosing that set, but I was definitely thinking authoritative."

The rising British star grabbed attention inside and outside the ring as a model on OnlyFans, a boxing influencer, and a star of OFTV's "Rise and Grind" series. While admitting a knockout in 20 seconds would be monumental for her career, Brooke instead focused on creating the biggest upset in women's influencer boxing history.

Brooke is also gearing up for an optimistic, high-profile against her best friend and former IBF women's bantamweight champion, Ebanie Bridges. She handpicked her opponent in response to giving a Jake Paul vs. Mike Tyson prediction, picking Paul to win the fight against "grandpa" Tyson.

"You'd think Jake Paul should beat a 60-year-old man," exaggerated Brooke. "No matter how much experience [Tyson] has, he's 60 years old. That's old. And he still might be Mike Tyson, but he's a grandpa. So Jake should win," she said. "One day, I would absolutely love to fight Ebanie Bridges," she continued. "She's my best friend and sister, but I think we could make that fight sell."

Bridges, known as the "Blonde Bomber," boasts a professional boxing record of 9-3. Her most recent bout resulted in losing the IBF female bantamweight title to Miyo Yoshida last December. Despite the competitive nature of the sport, Bridges and Brooke share a close relationship, often collaborating on social media content. At 37 years old, Bridges mentors Brooke, adding an intriguing dynamic should they fight.