If you’re not familiar with her, here are five things to know about UFC’s most popular female star.

1. She is a survivor of sexual assault

Whatever fame and success VanZant has now achieved comes after overcoming a horrific crime perpetrated against her. It took a while for VanZant to talk about what transpired that night and in the mean time she was seriously bullied at school.

At the time it was difficult for her to open up and discuss the assault but VanZant has said that the rise of the #MeToo movement made her feel less alone.

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It was in her 2018 biography, Rise: Surviving the Fight of My Life, that she revealed to the public what happened, but in the immediate aftermath, when the true account of that night was not known, she was seriously bullied at school.

2. Her real name is Paige Sletten

Much of the bullying at school centred around the rumour that VanZant had willingly slept with boys at school. Her original surname, Sletten, was twisted into Slutten and used to smear her. One day when she returned home from school, trees outside her house had been decorated with condoms.

The bullying became so intense that the family left their hometown in Oregon and suggested Paige change her name.

3. These hard experiences led to her taking up fighting

Understandably, VanZant was tremendously shaken by the events that took place in her youth. She described herself as a “hidden, shy, timid person” when younger. Her father nudged her into fighting by taking her to a gym to try and help boost her self-esteem through exercise and fitness.

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The move paid off with VanZant embracing the challenge of competitive fighting. She told The Guardian it was this that helped her escape a “victim mindset”.

4. She believes she could make more money on Instagram than battling in the ring

VanZant has been critical of the wages fighters make at UFC. Earlier this year she revealed she earns “US$46,000 to show [at a fight] and US$46,000 to win” and claimed that she could make more money promoting brands on Instagram than scrapping it out in the ring.

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Countering accusations that she is too focused on life outside of UFC – she has taken time to feature in TV shows like Dancing with the Stars – VanZant is foregoing any sponsorship deals in the run up to her fight with Ribas so that she can focus entirely on her training.

5. She is tough as nails having competed with a broken arm

Although her detractors claim VanZant is not dedicated to fighting, her guts in the ring demonstrate otherwise. Her 8-4 record is not the most impressive – and she is a significant underdog going into the Ribas fight – but in January 2018 when she fought Jessica Rose-Clark, VanZant broke her arm in the second round.

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Although aware of the damage, VanZant was determined to fight on and lasted until the end of match, losing on points. She has fractured her right arm twice since then. Although a life outside the ring might appear easier and more lucrative, VanZant is determined to fight on.

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