HOLLYWOOD, Fla. – It looks like Paige VanZant will give bareknuckle boxing another go.
The former UFC star is targeting a return to the ring in the coming months, according to BKFC president David Feldman. VanZant was most recently seen in action in July 2021 at BKFC 19, where she lost a unanimous decision to fellow former UFC fighter Rachael Ostovich.
The loss to Ostovich marked her second straight defeat since leaving the UFC. The loss left many fans wondering if VanZant would return to the ring again, but Feldman said she’ll be back.
“She’ll definitely be back in late spring, early summer. One hundred percent, Paige will be back,” Feldman told MMA Junkie. “We have some really good things planned for her.
“The thing about Paige VanZant is that she didn’t win either fight, but she came to fight and she fought her ass off both times. She did really well. She didn’t take a backwards step. And look, it’s a different sport. She’s learning it. So for her to want to fight again in bareknuckle after taking two losses, you have to take your hat off to the girl. I look forward to her comeback.”
Feldman knows VanZant’s bareknuckle boxing career could be in jeopardy in a return since she’s currently winless in the sport. However, the BKFC president remains optimistic on the 27-year-old’s upside.
“If she wins this fight, then she has a future,” Feldman said. “If she loses this fight, she’s probably not going to want to do this, either, and we’ll part ways amicably. But I don’t expect that to happen. I think she’s learned this craft, and she has a lot of tenacity. I do expect her to perform even better this time.”
