The photos Ronda Rousey didn't want anyone to see

Ronda Rousey has described the incredible lengths paparazzo went to in order to capture pictures of her in body paint for Sports Illustrated.

The UFC star recently bared all for the popular publication's swimsuit issue, which took place in the middle of the Caribbean islands.

"So we went out to the middle of nowhere, we flew to Barbados, we took three planes and a boat to try and get to the most remote place in the world so we were at like Petit Saint Vincent in the Grenadines and some like paparazzi dude followed me out there," Rousey said.

"I'm like that's commitment, right?"

And while the finished product is nothing short of jaw-dropping, Rousey says there were certain shots that she didn't want anyone seeing.

"I don't care if you're the most gorgeous person out there, if it's a hot day and you're naked and you're slouching, no girl wants a picture of that and that's what got out there first.

"I was like awesome. If there was like x-ray vision of me through my grey sweats on my couch on a hot day that's what that would look like."

The revealing shoot included her entire body being covered in paint, making her more or less completely exposed for several hours at a time.

Once the original photos were leaked online Sports Illustrated did a second shoot to ensure that there would be some exclusivity to the issue when it finally landed.

"We were out in a sandbar in the middle of the ocean, like nobody's there and some dude followed all the way out there and was on an adjacent island in a bush shooting on a long lens.

"It ended up being awesome. I have to thank them actually because we did a second shoot just because of them and it ended up being the cover."

Fellow sports stars Caroline Wozniacki and Lindsey Vonn also feature in body paint.