Paige VanZant’s early success in the UFC sparked high expectations, with Dana White even drawing comparisons to Conor McGregor following her impressive win over Felice Herrig at UFC on FOX 15. White praised VanZant’s potential and popularity, highlighting her “unbelievable” performance and innate charisma.
Despite the initial hype surrounding her career, VanZant’s trajectory didn’t mirror McGregor’s meteoric rise. While she showed promise with wins over Herrig and Alex Chambers, her momentum stalled after a submission loss to Rose Namajunas. VanZant struggled to maintain consistency, alternating between wins and losses before parting ways with the UFC in 2020 with a record of 8-5.
Following her departure from the UFC, VanZant explored other avenues in combat sports. She ventured into pro-wrestling with AEW before transitioning to bare-knuckle fighting with BKFC, where she faced two losses. Currently, she is set to compete against influencer boxer Elle Brooke for the MFB women’s middleweight title.
Despite not reaching the heights initially expected of her in MMA, VanZant continues to pursue her passion for combat sports, exploring different opportunities and challenges outside the UFC. Her upcoming bout demonstrates her resilience and determination to carve out a successful career beyond the octagon.
