{"id":340,"date":"2020-08-14T19:13:09","date_gmt":"2020-08-14T19:13:09","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/sportinfo.pro\/?p=340"},"modified":"2020-11-20T14:43:33","modified_gmt":"2020-11-20T14:43:33","slug":"ex-ufc-star-paige-vanzant-turns-career-path-towards-bare-knuckle-fighting","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/sportinfo.pro\/?p=340","title":{"rendered":"Ex-UFC star Paige VanZant turns career path towards bare knuckle fighting"},"content":{"rendered":"

\"Felice<\/p>\n

The gloves are off for Paige VanZant. <\/p>\n

VanZant is taking the advice of her former UFC boss, Dana White. <\/p>\n

Following a submission loss to Amanda Ribas at UFC 251 last month, White suggested VanZant should take her chances at “free agency.” <\/p>\n

With UFC 251 being her last contracted fight with the mixed martial arts juggernaut, VanZant is taking his advice by turning a page in her fighting career. <\/p>\n

On Thursday, VanZant announced that she has signed a contract with Bare Knuckle Fighting Championship (BKFC), a bare-knuckle boxing promotion based out of Philadelphia, Pa. <\/p>\n

“<\/p>\n

I could not be more excited to finally share this news. Today is day one on my new crazy journey,\u201d VanZant wrote in an Instagram post. \u201cThank you so much to @bareknucklefc for bringing me onto the team. LETS MAKE MAGIC!!!!\u201d<\/span> <\/p>\n

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I could not be more excited to finally share this news. Today is day one on my new crazy journey. Thank you so much to @bareknucklefc for brining me onto the team. LETS MAKE MAGIC!!!!<\/a><\/p>\n

A post shared by Paige VanZant<\/a> (@paigevanzant) on Aug 12, 2020 at 2:10pm PDT<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/blockquote>\n

VanZant’s contract with BKFC is for four fights, with her first appearance set for November. <\/p>\n

The fighter told <\/p>\n

ESPN<\/a><\/p>\n

competing in her new promotion is “not a backwards move” when compared to her UFC career. <\/p>\n

“It was an amazing contract, an amazing opportunity,” said VanZant. “It’s a lateral move to a new opportunity, a new challenge, a brand new sport. I really have sparked a brand new passion for it and especially for striking in general.” <\/p>\n

Outside of the cage, VanZant is often known for the saucy snapshots she posts on social media. In some instances, she’s even gone sans clothing with naked pictures having fun around the house alongside her beau, fellow fighter Austin Vanderford. <\/p>\n

VanZant said she wants to be taken seriously as a fighter and not just be known for her looks. <\/p>\n

“I feel like I still have this stigma in MMA that I’m just a pretty face, and what a way to prove to people that’s not the way I see myself at all,” she said. <\/p>\n

“This is a sport where people probably have the highest rate of getting cut open, and having long-term scars is definitely something that I’m not even worried about for me. It’s just the love of competition and I’m really excited to go out there and show off in such an amazing sport.” <\/p>\n

The 26-year-old VanZant had her first amateur fight at the age of 18. She signed a contract with the UFC in 2013 competing in the women’s flyweight division where she has recorded eight wins and five losses. <\/p>\n

Besides fighting, VanZant also competed on Dancing with the Stars, reaching the finals in 2016 with dance partner Mark Ballas. <\/p>\n

VanZant doesn’t rule out a return to MMA one day, stating she has her sights set at BKFC at the moment. <\/p>\n