Paige VanZant’s bare knuckle boxing debut will no longer be taking place this year.
VanZant recently signed with Bare Knuckle FC (BKFC) following her release from the UFC in July and was slated to make her debut in November.
However, as per MMA Fighting, that is no longer the case as her debut has now been pushed back to February 2021. The report adds that VanZant still doesn’t have an opponent as of yet.
VanZant’s last outing with the UFC came at UFC 251 when she was submitted by Amanda Ribas. In total, she went 5-4 with the promotion and holds wins over the likes of Rachael Ostovich, Felice Herrig and future BKFC champion Bec Rawlings.
As for why she decided to venture into the brutal sport of bare knuckle boxing, VanZant claimed she wanted to prove she wasn’t just a pretty face.
“It was an amazing contract, an amazing opportunity,” VanZant said in August. “I also feel like it’s not a move backwards for me. 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.
“And, on top of that, 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. 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.”
It won’t be long until she eventually makes her BKFC bow.
Who do you think VanZant should fight?