Renowned MMA journalist and avid pro wrestling fan Ariel Helwani has some direct advice for new All Elite Wrestling (AEW) signee Paige VanZant.
Paige VanZant is known to wear many hats under the spotlight. She has turned in art as an author, dancer, UFC athlete, and even a bare-knuckle boxer.
The latest chapter for “12 Gauge” has been taking a page out of Ronda Rousey’s book and stepping into the world of professional wrestling.
While Ronda Rousey reigns as the current WWE Smackdown Women’s Champion, VanZant’s rasslin’ career just got rolling at last weekend’s AEW Double or Nothing pay-per-view. VanZant took part in a six person’s tag team match, and her performance was met with mixed reviews.
One person who wasn’t too impressed was Ariel Helwani. Helwani was not harsh of VanZant, and overall, his words appeared to be purely constructive criticism. Simply put, the MMA journalist feels that in order for VanZant to perform better at future showcases like Double or Nothing, she must first be All-In.
“I saw highlights of Paige VanZant’s pro wrestling debut this weekend, and well, I wasn’t too impressed,” Helwani wrote on the “Two-Cent Tuesday” post on his Substack. “She is super green, though. She’ll need to devote all her time to the craft if she wants to be successful.”
Prior to her AEW debut, VanZant made it clear that she will continue to spread her time between BKFC and AEW, not to mention remaining open to returning to MMA competition. She also lends much of her attention to her active social media presence and personal fan site.
That being said, VanZant has lost both of her BKFC fights, and company president David Feldman has implied that her next fight will be a must-win. Theefore, should VanZant lose her next bout, which is scheduled for next month’s BKFC London event, she may very well find herself with more free time to unwittingly follow Ariel Helwani’s unsolicited advice.
How do you think Paige VanZant will fare as a professional wrestler?
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