Paige VanZant announced her return to MMA by signing with the new promotion GFL, where she plans to compete in 2025 after a hiatus from the sport.
Paige VanZant is making a comeback to MMA. And guess what? She’s doing it with the sport’s newest promotion.
On her podcast, A Kickass Love Story, co-hosted with her husband Austin Vanderford, she spilled the beans. VanZant has signed with GFL, a fresh name in the game throwing big bucks around to make waves.
“They’re signing anyone and everyone with a name who’s a free agent,” VanZant shared. “They dangled a contract in front of me, and I couldn’t say no.”
She’s eyeing 2025 for her GFL debut. That’ll mark her first MMA fight in nearly five years! Remember her UFC days? Nine fights, five wins, four losses. Her last bouts weren’t exactly smooth sailing—losses to Michelle Waterson-Gomez and Amanda Ribas included.
Post-UFC, she inked a hefty deal with BKFC. The result? A couple of decision losses to Britain Hart and Rachael Ostovich. Then came Misfits Boxing and Dana White’s Power Slap gigs.
GFL’s lineup includes names like Gegard Mousasi, Frank Mir, and Wanderlei Silva. After chatting with fighters at American Top Team, VanZant felt right at home joining them.
“This feels perfect because it’s not like I ditched MMA,” VanZant explained. “Leaving wasn’t about losing passion; it was about the offers on the table when I left UFC. BKFC had the best one—exciting, new, intriguing.”
“Not that Bellator or others didn’t interest me,” she continued. “But bare-knuckle boxing called my name loudest. I dove in headfirst and loved every moment…”
“Now there’s this new MMA promotion that genuinely excites me to fight again.”