UFC veteran and social media star Paige VanZant will return to bare knuckle this year, according to BKFC President David Feldman.
Feldman told MMA Fighting’s Damon Martin the promotion has plans for VanZant to compete in early 2025.
“She was actually at that fight at Hard Rock (the 23 December BKFC on DAZN: Hollywood event),” Feldman told Martin.
“We talked, and I said ‘What’s up. We gonna do this or what?’. She said ‘I got one more fight left on my (BKFC) contract. Let’s go.'”
“We are gonna do it. I know she’s talking about some other fight possibly first. Absolutely, Paige is in the early 2025 plans without a doubt. She’s game for it. We’re game for it.”
“She Moved the Needle for Us”
One of the world’s most popular female fighters, VanZant joined BKFC after leaving the UFC in 2020, signing a lucrative multi-fight contract with the then fledgling promotion.
VanZant’s signing caused waves in the combat sports industry and sent the message BKFC, still in its infancy, was a player in the fight game.
“12 Gauge” Paige headlined Knucklemania I in February 2021, losing a decision to current strawweight champion Britain Hart.
VanZant returned in July of the same year. The promotion matched her with former MMA rival and fellow social media star Rachael Ostovich. VanZant had defeated Ostovich by armbar in a UFC bout.
Ostovich bested VanZant by close but unanimous decision in their bare knuckle rematch. It was Ostovich’s first and last bare knuckle appearance. VanZant went on to appear in pro wrestling, before returning to combat sports. She drew with Elle Brooke in a boxing match for KSI’s Misfits Boxing influencer league. Most recently, Paige has been competing in the Power Slap slap fighting league.
“I never forget what people did for us,” said Feldman.
“Although we paid her 10 times what she got paid in the UFC, she moved the needle for us. She was a big time needle mover because people were like ‘wow Paige VanZant’s fighting bare knuckle. That’s crazy.'”
“So, I’ll never forget that and certainly she’s coming back for at least one more fight. 100 percent. In early 2025.”
Who would you like to see Paige VanZant fight in her BKFC Return?
