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Tag: Paige VanZant

  • Paige VanZant: Husband Austin Vanderford’s UFC Debut ‘Almost Felt More Special Than Any Of My Wins’

    Paige VanZant: Husband Austin Vanderford’s UFC Debut ‘Almost Felt More Special Than Any Of My Wins’

    Paige VanZant was proud as she watched Austin Vanderford announce his UFC arrival in style last month.

    Former title challenger Vanderford, the husband of former UFC fighter and recent GFL signing VanZant, signed with the UFC after entering free agency in February 2024.

    He made his debut on just days’ notice at the UFC Fight Night in Seattle on Feb. 22. Despite the lack of preparation, “The Gentlemen” impressed inside the Octagon by dominating and stopping Nikolay Veretennikov.

    During a recent interview with TMZ Sports, VanZant reflected on her man’s successful first foray into the cage on MMA’s biggest stage, admitting the moment might have surpassed her own triumphs in the UFC.

    “It almost felt more special than any of my wins,” VanZant said. “Just seeing him in that moment. He’s my best friend. Seeing him finally make the walk was incredible.

    “Now that he’s in, he’s in the UFC, it’s just playing that game of who they want him to be matched up with and going from there,” VanZant added. “He’s been training with me for this entire week, and all the coaches are like, ‘Hey, you need to take a few days off?’ But he’s like, ‘No, if I get another short notice (fight), I gotta be ready at any second.’”

    Vanderford no doubt secured his continued stay in the promotion and will look to keep his ball rolling when he makes his sophomore appearance in the Octagon.

    VanZant, meanwhile, awaits confirmation of the opponent and date for her GFL debut and MMA return. In the meantime, she’s gearing up for a third Power Slap clash this Friday in Las Vegas.

  • Austin Vanderford, Husband Of Paige VanZant, Set For Late-Notice UFC Debut In Seattle

    Austin Vanderford, Husband Of Paige VanZant, Set For Late-Notice UFC Debut In Seattle

    Former Bellator title challenger Austin Vanderford is heading to the Octagon.

    Vanderford (12-2), who is the husband of former UFC fighter and recent GFL signing Paige VanZant, has signed with the UFC after entering free agency in February 2024.

    The signing was first reported by Kyle Dimond.

    And “The Gentleman” won’t have long to wait at all until his debut on mixed martial arts’ biggest stage.

    Per Full Send MMA, Vanderford will make the walk under the UFC banner for the first time at this weekend’s event in Seattle, Washington. The card has been plagued by withdrawals in recent days and weeks, leading to a late addition. Kazakhstan’s Nikolay Veretennikov will welcome newcomer Vanderford to the UFC.

    The 34-year-old Californian suffered his first professional defeat at the hands of Gegard Mousasi in 2022, unsuccessfully challenging the veteran’s Bellator middleweight reign. A second straight first-round loss to Aaron Jeffrey followed, and Vanderford didn’t compete again before his exit soon after the PFL’s acquisition of his previous employer.

    After returning to winning ways with a 65-second knockout at LFA 194 last October, “The Gentlemen” will look to start life in the UFC in similar fashion at the Climate Pledge Arena on Saturday night.

  • Paige VanZant Set For MMA Return After Four-Year Absence: ‘I’m Going To Shock The World’

    Paige VanZant Set For MMA Return After Four-Year Absence: ‘I’m Going To Shock The World’

    Former UFC prospect Paige VanZant is set to make her mixed martial arts comeback in 2025 under the banner of a new organization.

    The one highly touted “12 Gauge” started life on MMA’s biggest stage 3-0 but had her momentum stalled by losses to the likes of Rose Namajunas and Michelle Waterson-Gomez. And a submission setback to Amanda Ribas in 2020 that marked her third setback in four fights ultimately came as the end of her UFC journey.

    Since then, VanZant has tried her hand at just about everything, from OnlyFans content creation and professional wrestling away from combat sports to bare-knuckle boxing, influencer boxing, and Power Slap in it.

    Now, the 30-year-old Oregon native is set to come full circle with a return to MMA, which she announced during a recent episode of her podcast alongside husband Austin Vanderford.

    VanZant revealed that she’s become the latest notable name to put pen to paper on a deal with the newly created Global Fight League (GFL) as it gears up to launch this year.

    “I need to be in the gym harder and stronger than ever,” VanZant said. “I’m changing gears again. I’m going to shock the world again. … I’m lucky I’m in such a good position that I do get a lot of opportunities that I get to wade through and pick what kind of sparks my interest the most and what’s the most exciting.

    “Yeah, I think that I’m stepping back into the world of MMA,” VanZant added. “They (GFL) offered me a contract and I said, ‘Yes’. So, I’m going back to MMA, and I think this is the perfect opportunity because I definitely didn’t leave MMA because I wasn’t passionate about it anymore.”

    The former UFC fighter continued, explaining the appeal of adding her name to the upcoming GFL draft this month ahead of the inaugural season.

    “Now there’s this new MMA organization that actually made me really excited to fight for them. They are legit paying their athletes,” she said. “Everyone that I’ve heard that has negotiated their contracts so far is extremely excited and happy.

    “They’re doing a pension fund for the fighters, and I think health insurance. … You just never know when it’s over, so I wanna do everything I can to make the most money while I can, and be able to provide for my family forever.”

    The GFL is claiming to be firmly fighter-first, with a number of advantages for those who compete under its banner. The promotion is adopting a historically debated format in MMA, with city teams competing throughout the year after choosing a roster of 20 fighters split two per weight class.

    Thus far, veterans like Wanderlei Silva, Frank Mir, Alexander Gustafsson, Marlon Moraes and Tyron Woodley make up just some of the prominent but ageing names set to feature in the pool from which teams select their fighters.

  • Archives: UFC Flyweight Paige VanZant Open to WWE Run (2018)

    Over the years, many UFC stars have teased a move over to professional wrestling. Names like Jon Jones, Colby Covington, Julianna Peña, and Israel Adesanya have all teased a move to the squared circle.

    In the case of Paige VanZant, she has backed up her words from four years ago when she said she’d be open to entering pro wrestling. Recently, it was revealed that VanZant has signed a contract with All Elite Wrestling. On this day four years ago, before the rise of AEW, it was specifically WWE she had her eye on.

    The following article was published on this day four years ago. It is presented to you in its original, unaltered form, courtesy of The MMA News Archives.

    [ORIGINALLY PUBLISHED MARCH 20, 2018, 11:09 AM]

    Headline: UFC Flyweight Paige VanZant Open to WWE Run

    Author: Fernando Quiles Jr.

    Paige VanZant isn’t ruling out a trip to the squared circle.

    VanZant is currently an Ultimate Fighting Championship (UFC) flyweight. After going 7-3 at 115 pounds, “12 Gauge” made the move to flyweight due to some brutal weight cuts. Right now she is recovering from an injury in her bout against Jessica-Rose Clark.

    Six days from now, VanZant will turn 24. Time is still on her side to take things to the next level. The question remains, will she keep competing in mixed martial arts? While “12 Gauge” hasn’t given much indication that she will hang up her gloves, many believe her popularity could propel her to other ventures.

    Transition?

    One of those potential ventures is WWE. Speaking to MMAJunkie.com, VanZant said she isn’t opposed to the idea of stepping inside the ring:

    “It’s just another platform for us UFC fighters to make a name for ourselves. I know Ronda is going to do awesome at it, and she’s going to make a name for herself in the WWE. I’m a fighter first and foremost, but if the opportunity ever came knocking, I’m not one to turn opportunities down. I think it’s an amazing organization, and I’d definitely love to work with them.”

    This is hardly the first time VanZant has shown interest in a WWE career after her days as a pro fighter are over. She’s been talking about joining WWE since 2016 and was even rumored for a match at SummerSlam 2016, but that never came to be.

    VanZant wouldn’t be the first fighter to transition from MMA to pro wrestling. Of course, Ronda Rousey is currently signed to a WWE contract and is set to make her in-ring debut at WrestleMania 34. Before her, others such as Josh Barnett competed in New Japan Pro Wrestling. Many believe Attitude Era star Ken Shamrock made the transition, but he was actually a professional wrestler years before making his MMA debut.

    Do you believe Paige VanZant will eventually go to the WWE?

  • Paige VanZant Not Ruling Out MMA Return Despite Recent AEW Deal

    Former UFC fighter Paige VanZant isn’t done with MMA just yet despite having recently signed a deal with wrestling promotion All Elite Wrestling.

    VanZant signed with AEW earlier this week after speculation ran rampant on her next career move. She most recently lost back-to-back fights in bare-knuckle boxing at BKFC against Rachael Ostovich and Britain Hart.

    VanZant had a rough end to her UFC tenure with losses in three of her last four fights. Her last fight in the Octagon came against Amanda Ribas at UFC 251 when she lost via first-round armbar.

    During a recent interview with ESPN, VanZant provided clarity on her MMA future.

    “I do want to do MMA still and I do see my future in MMA,” VanZant said. “I’m 27 years old. I’ve just been fortunate enough that my career got kick-started at a very young age. I’m not closing any doors.”

    VanZant made her MMA debut back in 2012 at UWF 4, earning a split-decision win over Jordan Gaza. She would sign with the UFC in 2014 and earn three-straight wins for the promotion, including finishes over Alex Chambers and Kailin Curran.

    While she would go on to pick up wins in the Octagon over the likes of Bec Rawlings and Ostovich, she failed to replicate the same success against elite competition. She was finished by the likes of Michelle Waterson and Rose Namajunas during the latter end of her time with the UFC.

    Despite her recent struggles, VanZant is still young in her athletic career and has plenty of time to get things back on track. She’ll perhaps utilize her time in AEW to turn the chapter towards a potential return down the line to the top MMA promotions in the sport.

    Is there an MMA promotion you’d like to see sign Paige VanZant?

  • Paige VanZant Signs With AEW

    Paige VanZant is All Elite.

    After weeks of casual involvement with the pro wrestling promotion All Elite Wrestling, Paige VanZant put pen to paper and officially joined the promotion’s roster during a segment on AEW Dynamite Wednesday.

    During the segment, VanZant landed a roundhouse kick to wrestler Tay Conti and then signed the AEW contract. You can check out the tail end of this segment below.

    https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=d7BGvvhYUM8

    And if you’re wondering if the contract is “kayfabe,” company president Tony Khan confirmed on Twitter that “12 Gauge” is indeed now a part of the AEW roster.

    Paige VanZant will continue working on her pro wrestling skills at Coastal Championship Wrestling in Pompano Beach, Florida, according to Marc Raimondi. She will train under coach David Heath, best known as Gangrel from WWE’s Attitude Era.

    There is currently no word on how long the contract is for or whether VanZant will work in a full-time capacity.

    VanZant began making appearances in All Elite Wrestling last year along with the start of her BKFC run, where she went 0-2. Since the UFC, VanZant has continued to see financial success, and she is now committed to the colorful world of professional wrestling.

    She joins the growing list of UFC fighters to appear on AEW. Notable names such as former UFC champions Vitor Belfort, Junior dos Santos, and Andrei Arlovski have appeared on AEW programming as well. She is the first, however, to formally join the promotion’s roster.

    AEW signing notwithstanding, VanZant is still a part of the BKFC roster as well. Company president David Feldman expects the former Sports Illustrated Swimsuit model to compete before the end of summer. It is unclear who will be her opponent, but he has already deemed the fight to be a must-win for the 0-2 VanZant.

    What are your thoughts on Paige VanZant storming the ring at AEW Dynamite?

  • Paige VanZant Details First Meeting With “Mega Star” Conor McGregor

    Former UFC fighter Paige VanZant knew right away that Conor McGregor was going to be special in MMA from the first time they met.

    McGregor is anticipating a return to the Octagon later this year after suffering a nasty leg break at UFC 264 against Dustin Poirier. It’s unclear who he’ll face in his return, but a few names including Michael Chandler have thrown their name into the conversation.

    McGregor is arguably the biggest and most important star in the history of the UFC, dating back to his promotional debut win over Marcus Brimage in 2013. He has earned multiple world titles with the promotion and topped Forbes’ highest-paid athletes list in 2021.

    VanZant plans to visit McGregor’s Black Forge Inn pub while in Ireland as her husband, Austin Vanderford, faces Gegard Mousasi in the Bellator 275 headliner in Dublin. During a recent Q+A session on her Instagram page, she spoke about the first time she came face-to-face with the Irish superstar.

    “I remember meeting him and telling my dad he was a fight genius and that he was going to be a mega-star,” VanZant said. “That is like No.1 on our list of things to do in Ireland. I know [Austin’s] dad, his step-dad, and my dad are all extremely excited to go to Conor McGregor ’s bar.” (h/t Mirror)

    VanZant was let go by the UFC in 2020 following losses in three of her last four fights with the promotion. She has since signed with Bare Knuckle FC and has yet to earn her first win in the ring, falling to Britain Hart and Rachael Ostovich.

    Like VanZant, McGregor is looking to get back in the win column after losses in three of his last four appearances. His lone win since 2018 came against Donald Cerrone at welterweight at UFC 246.

    What was your first impression of Conor McGregor?

  • BKFC President Provides Update On Paige VanZant’s Return Date

    BKFC President David Feldman assures fans that Paige VanZant will return to the promotion before the end of summer.

    Although coming off back-to-back losses, VanZant will try to make a comeback in the BKFC ring.

    She suffered her second loss in the promotion to fellow former UFC flyweight Rachel Ostovich. This would serve as a rematch to the win VanZant gained over Ostovich back in early 2019.

    But VanZant did not hide away in a corner after experiencing the losses. In fact, she stays busy in the realm of combat sports.

    Outside of her OnlyFans page, she has appeared on All Elite Wrestling, causing chaos with pro wrestler Brandi Rhodes.

    Paige VanZant
    Paige VanZant, Photo Credit: AEW

    And, according to Feldman, fans will see a better version of VanZant fairly soon. The BKFC president has high regard for the young fighter and is excited to see her pull through in the promotion. (h/t Essentially Sports)

    ”She will definitely be back in spring or early summer. A 100% Paige will be back. We have some really good things planned for her. The thing about Paige VanZant is she could not win either of her fights. She came to fight and fought her ass off both times. She did really really well, never took a backward step and you know it’s a different sport. Like I keep saying it and she is learning it, so for her to wanna fight again in bare-knuckle. After taking two losses, you gotta take your hat off to her. You really do, I do, and looking forward to seeing her comeback,” Feldman told MMA Junkie.

    There is no clear opponent for VanZant as of yet, but later this year, she will have the opportunity to get into the winner’s circle.

    Hopefully for VanZant, she can join the other former UFC fighters Mike Perry and Chad Mendes, who both picked up BKFC wins last Saturday.

    Do you anticipate Paige VanZant’s return to the Bare Knuckle Fighting Championship?

  • Archives: Paige VanZant Shoves Britain Hart’s Throat At Weigh-ins (2021)

    Earlier this week, Paige VanZant caused quite the ruckus over at AEW Dynamite. But on this very same week last year, she was involved in an unscripted scuffle that was very real. VanZant ultimately would lose to Hart in the bout, but at least she got the upper hand, literally and figuratively, in their first physical exchange.

    The following article is presented to you in its original, unaltered form, courtesy of The MMA News Archives.

    On This Day Last Year…

    [ORIGINALLY PUBLISHED FEBRUARY 5, 2021, 9:13 AM]

    Headline: WATCH: Paige VanZant Grabs Britain Hart’s Throat In Heated BKFC Weigh-ins

    Paige VanZant is set to make her Bare Knuckle Fighting Championship debut on Friday against Britain Hart and the weigh-ins got heated.

    After VanZant and Hart weighed in, they got into each others face and VanZant grabbed Hart’s throat. It resulted in a heated shoving match and Hart cussing out the former UFC fighter and saying she is in a different sport now.

    Paige VanZant signed with BKFC in August following her submission loss to Amanda Ribas in her final UFC fight. She signed a multi-fight deal with the sans gloves promotion and many are eager to see how she does in the promotion.

    Britain Hart, meanwhile, has had three fights in BKFC and is 1-2, including a split decision loss to Bec Rawlings for the belt.

    The card also features the 135-pound championship as Johnny Bedford looks to defend his belt against Dat Nguyen. Chris Leben also returns against Quentin Henry.

    The BKFC Knuckle Mania weigh-ins are below:

    Paige VanZant (126) vs. Britain Hart (124.4)
    Johnny Bedford (133.7) vs. Dat Nguyen (134)
    Chris Leben (204.6) vs. Quentin Henry (205.2)
    Lorenzo Hunt (206.8) vs. Rob Morrow (204.4)
    Martin Brown (155.4) vs. Zach Zane (155.5)
    John Chalbeck (144.7) vs. Greg Bono (144.5)
    Charisa Sigala (122.7) vs. Taylor Starling (125.6) VanZant
    Dillon Cleckler (248) vs. Chris Jensen (262.7)
    David Morgan (135.9) vs. Travis Thompson (135.4)
    Haim Gozali (204) vs. John McAllister (201.8)
    Jarod Grant (134.6) vs. Brandon Lambert (137)
    Drew Lipton (183.6) vs. Jeff Bailey (186.9)

  • Archives: Vanzant On Herrig: We’re Fighting Because We’re Hot (2015)

    In 2015, Paige VanZant shared her thoughts on why a fight against Felice Herrig was inevitable. Before we get to that, here’s a quick glimpse back to the two coming face to face prior to their bout at UFC on FOX 15.

    Vanzant would win the fight via unanimous decision to advance to 5-1 at the time. As for her theory on why the two were bound to fight? You can revisit that in the article below that we ran seven years ago to this day.

    The following article is presented to you in its original, unaltered form, courtesy of The MMA News Archives.

    On This Day Seven Years Ago…

    [ORIGINALLY PUBLISHED JANUARY 23, 2015, 1:16 PM]

    Headline: Paige VanZant On Felice Herrig: “We’re Fighting Because We’re The Hot Girls In The Sport”

    Author: Matt Boone

    Rising UFC Women’s Strawweight contender Paige VanZant recently appeared on “The MMA Hour” at MMAFighting.com to discuss her upcoming UFC On FOX 15 bout with Felice Herrig.

    “I always had on the back of my mind that me and Felice would fight, because we’re the hot girls in the sport,” said VanZant. “So I kind of got myself ready for that.”

    VanZant, who is one of a handful of Women’s MMA fighters who uses her sexuality to her advantage when it comes to marketing also spoke about how she looks up to Herrig.

    “She’s been around for a long time, and she’s been somewhat of a veteran in the sport,” said VanZant. “Just to be fighting her, and to be at her level in as honor. I looked up to her when I first started the sport. She was someone who I wanted to follow in her footsteps.”

    VanZant concluded, “Now to be on the same playing field and the same level as her, it’s exciting. I’m really excited about this fight.”

    Headlined by Lyoto Machida vs. Luke Rockhold, UFC On FOX 15 is scheduled to take place on Saturday, April 18th from the Prudential Center in Newark, New Jersey.

    Related Link:
    – Check out a full Paige VanZant photo gallery by clicking here.

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  • Paige VanZant Made A Sex Tape With Austin Vanderford

    Paige VanZant revealed some intimate information during a recent Q&A session with her fans, announcing that she’s made a sex tape with husband Austin Vanderford.

    Paige VanZant is one of the most recognized MMA stars in the world. Part of that is because of how much of herself she has exposed to the world: her creative side as a guest chef on Food Network’s Chopped, her artistic side as a performer on ABC’s Dancing With The Stars, and even her scholarly and personal side in penning her biography Rise: Surviving the Fight of My Life.

    VanZant has also become known for posting risque photos of herself on social media. In addition to her own collection, she also posed in the Sports Illustrated Swimsuit issue in 2019.

    Recently, however, it was revealed that there is some X-rated material of VanZant that, at least for the time being, are for two people’s eyes only. When asked if herself and husband Austin Vanderford would ever make a sex tape, the former UFC star dropped a bombshell.

    “Would I? We definitely already have. Would I ever share it, sell it, promote it? Hmm, that’s a different story,” VanZant said.

    As VanZant fans keep their fingers crossed in eager anticipation, “12 Gauge” will be preparing for another go in the BKFC sometime in the spring if all goes according to plan. She is currently 0-2 in the promotion after dropping fights to Britain Hart and fellow UFC alum Rachel Ostovich.

    As for hubby Austin Vanderford, he is currently scheduled to challenge Gegard Mousasi for the Bellator middleweight championship on February 25.

    What is your reaction to learning that a Paige VanZant sex tape exists out in the world?

  • Paige VanZant Targeting Spring Return To BKFC

    Former UFC fighter Paige VanZant isn’t giving up on her Bare Knuckle FC ambitions, as she plans a return to the ring later this year.

    After an up-and-down tenure in the UFC, VanZant became a free agent and opted to sign with BKFC. She ended up dropping her first two fights with the promotion against Britain Hart and Rachael Ostovich via unanimous decisions.

    Despite her recent struggles, VanZant remains a big name in the promotion and is still relatively young in her career at 27. During a recent interview with MMA Fighting, BKFC President Dave Feldman alluded to preliminary plans for VanZant’s return to bare-knuckle.

    “She’s going to be fighting again,” Feldman said. “We were thinking about throwing her on the KnuckleMania card, too. I thought it was too much and we needed to just spread it out a little. I don’t have an exact date but I’d love to get her back in April. It would be great to get her back and there’s a lot of talent out there that would be good opponents for her, April-May-ish.”

    Paige VanZant PVZ
    Photo via Instagram @barekuncklefc

    VanZant had hinted at a possible move to Bellator as her BKFC contract nears an end and also detailed some of her struggles away from competition. VanZant has a large following on a variety of social media platforms, and the pressure to perform may have been a bit overwhelming for her in recent fights.

    Coincidentally, VanZant hasn’t won in any combat sport since defeating Ostovich in the UFC Octagon in 2019. Before that, she had lost fights to the likes of Jessica-Rose Clark, Michelle Waterson, and Rose Namajunas.

    VanZant is looking to get back on track in her professional fighting career and more than likely needs to get back in the win column in her next appearance to do so.

    Do you think Paige VanZant has championship potential in BKFC?