Mediagenic flyweight Paige VanZant fought out her UFC contract in order to test free agency, but came up short in her final fight, getting armbarred by Amanda Rivas in Round 1. Now 26, PVZ put off a planned surgery to have a plate in her arm removed, in order to fight again as soon as possible. 

It was widely rumored that she was in negotiation with ONE Championship and Bellator MMA, so it was a surprise when rumors emerged that she was in negotiation with Bare Knuckle Fighting Championship president David Feldman. Now it’s is official:

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PVZ entered the UFC after going 3-1 in under a year. Critics argued that she got 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.

And VanZant went just 1-3 thereafter, and was released. 

But with the BKFC signing, Paige VanZant proved, again, that regardless of her looks, she’s a real fighter. And the current champion of BKFC’s women’s division is “Rowdy” Bec Rawlings. BKFC has the feel of the earliest days of MMA, with a new but ancient and raw ruleset, blood, controversy, and questions about legality. A VanZant vs. Rawlings rematch could be the breakthrough moment for the promotion.

anZant has competed in the octagon as a strawweight and flyweight. BKFC’s current currently promotes a women’s division, whose champ, , lost to VanZant by KO in the UFC in 2016.