Popular flyweight fighter, Paige VanZant is looking forward to showing off her skills in a new promotion after her stint with the UFC seemingly come to a close at UFC 251.
VanZant was the biggest underdog on the card when she faced surging contender Amanda Ribas earlier this month. The oddsmakers called the fight right and the Brazillian quickly secured an armbar submission to end VanZants UFC run.
Post-fight UFC president Dana White advised VanZant too look for another promotion due to the fighters repeat complaints about the amount of money she has earned from fighting.
Speaking to MMA Fighting VanZant revealed the arm injury that has plagued her career is feeling 100 percent and she is hoping to fight again as soon as possible.
“I don’t want to have surgery again,” VanZant said. “Before the fight, I had said I might need to have one more arm surgery to feel 100 percent, but even through this, I do feel 100 percent, and I’m hoping to sign a new fight promotion with somebody and fight this year if I can.”
“I want to fight as soon as possible,” VanZant said. “In my mind, I’m going to go ahead and delete that last fight and start over. I don’t know how long this negotiation stuff goes.
“I’m hoping quick, cause I definitely don’t have any injuries. I don’t even know if I got hit, so I’m ready to fight again.”
VanZant says her loss to Ribas although disappointing didn’t impact her as much as previous losses have, she said.
“I’m sad about the way it went, but this is the first time in my entire career where, I [usually] get emotional after losses, and most times I’ll cry for like a week, but this fight, I only cried for like an hour after the loss,” she said. “For the first time in my life, I finally realized the losses definitely don’t define you.
Now, the 26-year-old is just looking forward to the next stage of her career and showing off her skills in a new promotion.
“Maybe I did have to hit rock bottom,” VanZant said. “It’s just going to make my comeback story that much greater coming off a loss and an arm injury, and I have 10-plus years to fight and show off how good I am”
Who do you think Paige VanZant will sign with?