While many thought that the journey of this ex-UFC star’s time in the arena was over, Paige VanZant has announced her eventual return to the last ring she fought in with the Bare Knuckle Fight Championship
The fight world thought it was done with perennial underdog Paige VanZant when she traded fighting for OnlyFans photoshoots, but it appears that VanZant is far from done with fighting.
A Rocky Balboa Story?
During a recent interview with MMA Fighting, VanZant announced her intention to compete once again in the BKFC to show herself she still has what it takes to compete with the professionals.
VanZant’s return comes years after her initial return to the BKFC in 2022 was ruined when days before, the bout in London was canceled.
“The real frustration, I guess, was the lead-up to the fight — I worked so hard,” VanZant said in her interview with MMA Fighting.
“I was so excited for this fight. But it was also a big accomplishment as a couple to say we got [my husband Austin Vanderford] ready for his fight. I was at his fight when I got the call that my fight got pulled. So him and I were supposed to fight days apart from each other. Just what goes into a fight camp for two people. Dieting for both of us, just the behind the scenes things that people don’t really understand what goes on, just getting prepared.”
“For me to get the call that the fight got pulled — a fight I was so ready for, and I was so excited about. I cut all the weight early, because I knew I would be traveling, I would be flying all the way to London,” she continued.
“My dad was already in London waiting for me. It was depressing, and then trying to figure out how to get right back into a fight camp and not knowing when their next fight camp would be. We already had plans to go visit family in Alaska. It’s like, do I cancel my trip to Alaska? It was hard to figure out what to do next.”
‘Some Things Left in the Attic’
What made things worse at that time was her embarrassing losing streak. Despite being popular among fans and having her own dedicated fanbase, she was coming off of a defeat during her final fight in the UFC, as well as several BKFC losses to add insult to injury.
Needless to say, she’s hoping that this Cinderella story ends with someone lifting her arm in victory either marking a victory in the final chapter of her fight career, or the start of an epic comeback.
“That’s the thing, I didn’t even get to fight,” VanZant said. “I didn’t get to prove myself. I didn’t get to go out and just do what I love. The fight camp is the struggle. You go in, you struggle, you lose weight, you work so hard and you sacrifice so much throughout your day to day to prepare for something, and to have it just taken away from you, it’s just frustrating.”
“I did feel like there could have been things done differently. I don’t have any ill will toward BKFC. I would never speak negatively [about them], they’ve treated me extremely well. It’s just more the way it all played out was extremely frustrating.”
“I feel like I am in a position where I’m just having fun working out and training right now,” VanZant continued. “I’m going back to when I first started. I want to find that spark and that passion again to where I’m not fighting to make the president of the company happy, I’m not fighting for sponsors. I’m not fighting for my family, to help them out, to get them out of dark times.”
“I’m in a great place where I can do all these things that I actually set out to do. I can help my family. I can do these things, but I don’t have to fight for that to be possible. Now it’s like I get to choose when I fight. It’s really nice.”
Do you think this time things will work out in VanZant’s favor should she officially return to the MMA world? Let us know in the comments below and across social media.
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