Mediagenic flyweight Paige VanZant entered the UFC after going 3-1 in under a year. Critics argued that she received opportunities beyond her demonstrated talent because she was attractive. But her first fight in the UFC won Fight of the Night, and she then won two more, before losing to Rose Namajunas in a fight so tough VanZant said she was still finding blood days later. That loss earned her fans, as it established she was a real fighter. She bounced back by knocking out Bec Rawlings with a switch kick, earning her second performance bonus.

PVZ then went just 1-2, and fought out her UFC contract in order to test free agency. However, she came up short in her final fight, getting armbarred by Amanda Rivas in Round 1. She was widely expected to sign with Bellator MMA or ONE Championship. However, she signed with Bare Knuckle Fighting Championship, proving, again, that regardless of her looks, she’s a real fighter. BKFC has the feel of the earliest days of MMA, with a new but ancient and raw ruleset, blood, controversy, and questions about legality.

During a recent appearance on Unlocking the Cage, PVZ explained why she wants to fight bare-knuckle.

It wasn’t strictly financial for me, said VanZant shared. I actually had three or four big players when it came to negotiating contracts. So I had four awesome offers to look at. I think everyone kind of expected me to go to Bellator cause that’s where my husband [Austin Vanderford] fights. And of course, that aspect did intrigue me, I’d love to fight for the same organization as him. It makes sense career-wise, I guess. But, the passion in me wanted to go to bare-knuckle.

I feel like looking at my fight career, yeah I have an equal amount of submission finishes, knockouts, and like a decision. So for me, it was more about when you look at my whole fight career, the one thing that stands out above anything is how tough I am and I carried that through every single fight and I think the people who really make it in bare-knuckle boxing are the people who are tough. It’s a sport for only the toughest of the tough. And that’s where I want to show my worth and my value. At the same time, I get to utilize and sharpen what I feel is one of my best weapons and that’s my striking.

I may go back to MMA, we don’t know. But right now I’m truly passionate about this bare-knuckle boxing and I’m excited to see where it takes me.

https://twitter.com/MMAonSiriusXM/status/1341533596255924225

VanZant is expected to make her BKFC debut vs. Britain Hart on February 5.

h/t Drake Riggs for BJPenn.com