It’s been almost 4 years since Paige VanZant final set foot within the BKFC ring, but it surely seems her bare-knuckle combating days aren’t over but.
Following a nine-fight run with the UFC, VanZant was one of many highest-profile free agent signings in BKFC historical past when she joined the promotion again in 2020. She ended up with a pair of determination losses to Britain Hart and Rachael Ostovich in her two appearances with BKFC, with a 3rd battle scheduled in 2022 that was canceled earlier than the occasion befell.
Whereas VanZant has been staying busy currently working with Dana White’s Energy Slap and only recently signing with International Battle League, a brand new promotion that’s purported to launch in 2025, she additionally had time to speak to BKFC president David Feldman at a latest occasion to debate her future in bare-knuckle combating as properly.
“[Paige] was truly at that battle at Arduous Rock final week and we talked,” Feldman revealed when chatting with MMA Combating. “I stated, ‘What’s up, are we going to do that or what?’ She stated, ‘I’ve bought yet one more battle on my contract, let’s go.’
“I do know she’s speaking about another battle, probably first, in order that may very well be what she’s speaking about, however completely Paige is within the early 2025 plans undoubtedly. She’s recreation for it, we’re recreation for it.”
Regardless of VanZant struggling to seek out success via her first two fights with BKFC, Feldman says his devotion to giving her one other alternative goes past simply what has unfolded within the ring.
All through BKFC’s transient historical past, the promotion has booked a number of viral fights and made quite a few splashy signings with VanZant amongst that group when she joined the group in 2020.
Feldman gained’t ever overlook that, so if VanZant needs to battle once more in BKFC, he’s undoubtedly going to present her that likelihood.
“Look, I always remember what individuals did for us,” Feldman stated. ‘Though we paid her 10 instances what she bought paid within the UFC, she moved the needle for us. She was a big-time needle mover for us. As a result of individuals are like, ‘Paige VanZant’s combating bare-knuckle? That’s loopy, proper?’ I’ll always remember that.
“Actually, she’s coming again at the very least for yet one more battle, one hundred pc in early 2025.”
