UFC and BKFC veteran Paige VanZant has announced she will be crossing over to boxing for her next fight, which is expected to take place in May or June.
Guess who’s back? Paige VanZant, that’s who.
She’s a UFC and BKFC veteran, and she’s got some news. She spilled the beans on her podcast recently. She’s got a fight coming up, but it’s not what you might think.
Nope, it’s not bare-knuckle or MMA this time. She’s stepping into the boxing ring. Why the switch? An intriguing offer, she says.
“My manager called me the other day,” VanZant shared. “Offered me a boxing match. And I took it.” She’s staying mum on the details for now. No contract signed yet, but she’s in.
She’s not naming names or promotions yet. But she did share some timeline details. The fight’s happening in May or June. The rest? Still being ironed out.
“They initially offered me March 23,” she explained. “Perfect timing, right? One more fight before I hit 30 on March 26. So, I was like, hell yeah, I’m in. Back to boxing. The opportunity was just too cool. An eight-week camp, no time to stress or overthink. But, plot twist, it’s not going to be March 23.”
“After I said yes, they changed the date. May or June, I heard both. Once I get the full info, we’ll share it on the podcast. But yeah, a boxing match. My next fight. It’s really, really exciting.”
She thought she’d be back in BKFC. She signed a big deal there after leaving UFC. But boxing? Couldn’t pass it up.
“Gloves on, straight boxing,” she said. “I thought I’d be doing bare-knuckle next, but then this came up. And I was like, screw it, I’m in.”
BKFC usually lets their fighters pursue other interests. Like when Mike Perry was a backup for the Logan Paul-Dillon Danis match. VanZant still has fights left on her BKFC contract. She’s expected to return there, but her next fight? It’s in the boxing ring.
In other news, her hubby Austin Vanderford is also making moves. He got released from Bellator MMA. He had one fight left on his contract. No next fight booked yet, but he’s hoping to join his wife on the card later this year.
Vanderford’s got his eyes on the UFC. He didn’t get a contract offer after winning a fight on Dana White’s Contender Series. But he’s not giving up.
“When I started fighting, UFC was always the top spot,” Vanderford said. “We’ve gone back and forth. But now, I really want the chance to fight in the UFC.”
So, there you have it. The VanZants are shaking things up. Stay tuned for more details.