Former UFC women’s strawweight and featherweight Paige VanZant has signed a multi-fight deal with Bare Knuckle Championship. The deal comes at the end of her contract with the UFC.
VanZant noted a signing on Instagram but the promotion was not identified until reported by Ariel Helwani. MMA Fighting reports that she turned down an offer with Bellator which has her husband Austin Vanderford under contract.
VanZant lost last month at UFC 251 to Amanda Ribas which was the last fight on her contract with the company. She was once one of the stars of the company and was featured on a season on ABC’s Dancing with the Stars.
Payout Perspective:
The move for VanZant is certainly surprising and a headscratcher. While this statement is superficial, its clear that a part of her success is the 26-year-old’s good looks. She has attained more sponsors than other women fighters due in part to her congeniality and her face. Bare Knuckle Championship does not sound like a promotion that will protect her face. While its true that the UFC would do no favors with her complexion, they do fight with gloves. Perhaps the money was just too much to turn down. Recall that BKC offered Mike Tyson an exorbitant amount of money to fight with them but he turned it down. We shall see how PVZ does with the new promotion and where this sends her career.
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