Paige VanZant Reveals Why It’s Hard Staying Sidelined

Paige VanZant is going to be keeping a very close eye on Joanna Jedrzejczyk vs. Valentina Shevchenko at UFC 231.

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Paige VanZant is extremely anxious to get back into the Octagon.

“PVZ” hasn’t fought since suffering a unanimous decision loss to Jessica-Rose Clark. She sustained a broken arm during the fight, which required surgery to repair. However, due to complications, she required another surgery in July. In her absence, VanZant has been watching the young women’s 125-pound division develop.

It’s frustrating for her to watch from home and not be able to be a part of it (via MMA Junkie):

“It’s opened up,” VanZant said. “There’s all kinds of crazy stuff going on and it’s really hard for me to watch all these other women be so successful – me being forced to sit on the sidelines is hard.”

Currently, the UFC women’s flyweight title is vacant. It will be contested for at UFC 231 between Joanna Jedrzejczyk and Valentina Shevchenko. “PVZ” will definitely be keeping a close eye on the title bout:

“I’ve been paying attention,” PVZ said. “I think it’s obviously going to be an amazing fight and I know they have fought in the past. They’ve had three muay Thai fights, and Valentina has won all of them. But this is very different – it’s an MMA fight.

“So I’m excited to watch it as a spectator and a fan, but I’m also going to watch it as a critic and seeing that division open up. I’m excited to see the fight, but more than anything I’m excited to get back in there myself.”

VanZant also believes Jedrzejczyk will look a lot better at 125 pounds, after struggling to cut down to 115 pounds:

“I totally believe (Jedrzejczyk will be better),” VanZant said. “There’s been only a few people that you look at for weigh-ins and you’re like, ‘Oh my gosh, you look like you’re going to die.’

“And that’s Conor (McGregor) when he drops down to ’45, and it’s Joanna when she makes 115. She’s tall, and she looks like she cuts a lot of weight, and I’m sure that she does. I know that moving up, she’s got to feel more athletic and more sound in her capabilities. So I’m excited to see it.”

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Paige VanZant Preparing For UFC Return After Frustrating Layoff

Paige VanZant has been cleared to train and is hungry to fight again.

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Paige VanZant preparing to make her return to the Octagon under the UFC banner after being out of action for quite some time. VanZant is coming off her latest surgery as she continues to recover in order to have her sights set on returning.

VanZant showed off her toughness in her fight with Jessica-Rose Clark in the co-main event of UFC St. Louis (Fight Night 124) at Scottrade Center in St. Louis, Missouri. She walked away with a unanimous decision loss to Clark.

She had surgery shortly after the flyweight contest for a broken arm. It was later revealed that the healing process wasn’t going well, which ultimately led to her having a second procedure.

This was done to make a complete recovery and forced her to be in a four-hour operation. During this surgery, the doctors had to take bone fragments were taken from the hip and moved to the arm.

Paige VanZant Ready To Compete

In a recent interview, VanZant stated that seeing the other fighters in her division progress in their careers makes her jealous. However, that has forced her to have a lot of aggression.

“It makes me really jealous,” VanZant told MMAjunkie. “I have a lot of built-up energy and aggression right now, so he gets to take all of that. It’s really fun.”

This isn’t the first time that she has had a break as she did it back in 2016. At the time, it was her decision to do so to compete on “Dancing with the Stars.” With this break not being her choice, it was a different experience.

“This one was different because it wasn’t by choice,” VanZant said. “And having something this important taken away from you. And be told that you kind of just have to sit and watch is awful.”

The good news for the prospect is the fact that she has been cleared to train once again for cardio purposes. Now, she hopes to be cleared to go into full-on training that includes striking.

“And what made it even worse is I kind of anticipated like a typical surgery and a typical timeline for that. I thought I would be back training in eight weeks, and it’s been nine months. And two surgeries and then hip surgery that will help, like, fix the arm. So it’s been a very long process that I didn’t anticipate having to go through.”

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Paige VanZant Eager To Release Anger Over Being Sidelined

Paige VanZant is ready to finally get back to business. VanZant hasn’t competed since January. VanZant missed all of 2017 and admits she’s frustrated with missing most of 2018. A broken arm has put “12 Gauge” on the sidelines th…

Paige VanZant is ready to finally get back to business. VanZant hasn’t competed since January. VanZant missed all of 2017 and admits she’s frustrated with missing most of 2018. A broken arm has put “12 Gauge” on the sidelines this time. She has a clear warning for her next sparring partner. Paige VanZant Ready To […]

The post Paige VanZant Eager To Release Anger Over Being Sidelined appeared first on MMA News.

Paige VanZant Hopes January’s ESPN Debut Sparks Fresh Start

Paige VanZant Hopes January’s ESPN Debut Sparks Fresh Start .

The post Paige VanZant Hopes January’s ESPN Debut Sparks Fresh Start appeared first on LowKickMMA.com.

UFC Flyweight Paige VanZant hopes January’s ESPN debut will be a fresh start.

“12 Gauge” Paige has had her ups and downs since entering the UFC. At UFC on FOX 21 back in 2016, VanZant looked like a world-beater as she finished off Bec Rawlings with a jumping switch kick followed by hammerfists on the canvas.

VanZant hasn’t had her hand raised in victory since that night in 2016. She went on to lose consecutive fights to Michelle Waterson and Jessica-Rose Clark. Although she was having some growing pains in the Octagon she was thriving as a businesswoman outside of it.

VanZant Outside The Octagon

She finished as the runner-up in Dancing with the Stars and later would win the celebrity edition of Chopped. She also became a published author writing an autobiography about her personal struggles growing up in Oregon and her journey to the UFC.

Now training with Team Alpha Male, VanZant will be apart of a historic fight card. She will compete on the ESPN card when the promotion makes its debut on the sports network this January. “12 Gauge” hasn’t confirmed reports that her opponent will be Hawian fighter Rachael Ostovich.

“The UFC came to me and asked when I would be able to fight again,” VanZant told MMA Fighting via e-mail. “I was fortunate enough that it coincided with the first-ever ESPN card. I can’t wait to be apart of such a ground-breaking moment in the UFC. It’s a true honor.”

VanZant has been sidelined the last year. Her first surgery failed to correct the issue with her broken arm and she was forced to have yet another operation in July.

“It was super devastating being told that I had to go in for surgery a second time,” said VanZant. “I felt very defeated because I had to go through the healing process all over again. It was like the first six months was a total waste. I have been very careful after this surgery making sure I’m doing everything perfectly with recovery and getting back into the cage at 100 percent.”

VanZant has been given the go-ahead to accept the fight in January and fully expects to be 100% come fight night.

New Year

Somethings will be different for VanZant come the new year. Most notably she will be married to fellow fighter Austin Vanderford. Most likely VanZant will document the entire event on her social media channels. “12 Gauge” has become something of social media savant. She even chronicled her surgeries on her YouTube channel.

“I can’t wait to be on the next reality TV show that comes my way and I plan on putting out more books in the future,” VanZant said of the opportunities that have come her way both because of and outside of fighting. “On top of that I truly believe if I never found fighting I would have never found my future husband. Which I am so blessed to have him in my life he is so wonderful. It makes things so special that we share a career together. We support each other’s endeavors and try to be positive influences in each others lives.”

With a new year comes new goals but for VanZant the goal has been the same since she started fighting.

“When I began fighting I did it strictly for fun,” said VanZant. “I had no idea that fighting could take me this far or it would consume my life the way that it has.”

The post Paige VanZant Hopes January’s ESPN Debut Sparks Fresh Start appeared first on LowKickMMA.com.

Paige VanZant Hopes January’s ESPN Debut Sparks Fresh Start

Paige VanZant Hopes January’s ESPN Debut Sparks Fresh Start .

The post Paige VanZant Hopes January’s ESPN Debut Sparks Fresh Start appeared first on LowKickMMA.com.

UFC Flyweight Paige VanZant hopes January’s ESPN debut will be a fresh start.

“12 Gauge” Paige has had her ups and downs since entering the UFC. At UFC on FOX 21 back in 2016, VanZant looked like a world-beater as she finished off Bec Rawlings with a jumping switch kick followed by hammerfists on the canvas.

VanZant hasn’t had her hand raised in victory since that night in 2016. She went on to lose consecutive fights to Michelle Waterson and Jessica-Rose Clark. Although she was having some growing pains in the Octagon she was thriving as a businesswoman outside of it.

VanZant Outside The Octagon

She finished as the runner-up in Dancing with the Stars and later would win the celebrity edition of Chopped. She also became a published author writing an autobiography about her personal struggles growing up in Oregon and her journey to the UFC.

Now training with Team Alpha Male, VanZant will be apart of a historic fight card. She will compete on the ESPN card when the promotion makes its debut on the sports network this January. “12 Gauge” hasn’t confirmed reports that her opponent will be Hawian fighter Rachael Ostovich.

“The UFC came to me and asked when I would be able to fight again,” VanZant told MMA Fighting via e-mail. “I was fortunate enough that it coincided with the first-ever ESPN card. I can’t wait to be apart of such a ground-breaking moment in the UFC. It’s a true honor.”

VanZant has been sidelined the last year. Her first surgery failed to correct the issue with her broken arm and she was forced to have yet another operation in July.

“It was super devastating being told that I had to go in for surgery a second time,” said VanZant. “I felt very defeated because I had to go through the healing process all over again. It was like the first six months was a total waste. I have been very careful after this surgery making sure I’m doing everything perfectly with recovery and getting back into the cage at 100 percent.”

VanZant has been given the go-ahead to accept the fight in January and fully expects to be 100% come fight night.

New Year

Somethings will be different for VanZant come the new year. Most notably she will be married to fellow fighter Austin Vanderford. Most likely VanZant will document the entire event on her social media channels. “12 Gauge” has become something of social media savant. She even chronicled her surgeries on her YouTube channel.

“I can’t wait to be on the next reality TV show that comes my way and I plan on putting out more books in the future,” VanZant said of the opportunities that have come her way both because of and outside of fighting. “On top of that I truly believe if I never found fighting I would have never found my future husband. Which I am so blessed to have him in my life he is so wonderful. It makes things so special that we share a career together. We support each other’s endeavors and try to be positive influences in each others lives.”

With a new year comes new goals but for VanZant the goal has been the same since she started fighting.

“When I began fighting I did it strictly for fun,” said VanZant. “I had no idea that fighting could take me this far or it would consume my life the way that it has.”

The post Paige VanZant Hopes January’s ESPN Debut Sparks Fresh Start appeared first on LowKickMMA.com.

Paige VanZant Talks Recovery From Second Surgery

Paige VanZant talks about the road to recovery from her second surgery. VanZant hasn’t competed since Jan. 2018. That’s because she has been recovering from a broken arm. “12 Gauge” had to undergo two surgeries, with the last on…

Paige VanZant talks about the road to recovery from her second surgery. VanZant hasn’t competed since Jan. 2018. That’s because she has been recovering from a broken arm. “12 Gauge” had to undergo two surgeries, with the last one being completed in July. The earliest VanZant will return is early 2019. She says the UFC’s […]

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