https://www.scmp.com/rss/502594/feed Paige VanZant is a MMA fighter with the UFC (Ultimate Fighting Championship). en https://assets.i-scmp.com/static/img/icons/scmp-meta-1200x630.png https://www.scmp.com Former UFC stand-out Paige VanZant has ditched her MMA gloves for a career with Bare Knuckle Fighting Championship. David Feldman, the organisation’s president, is understandably thrilled to have a star of her luminosity on his roster. Over the years, Feldman has welcomed a host of combat sports notables such as Artem Lobov, Paulie Malignaggi, Wanderlei Silva and Shannon Briggs to the BKFC family. By his estimation, however, VanZant is the biggest acquisition the company has made. “Not only was... https://www.scmp.com/sport/martial-arts/mixed-martial-arts/article/3097331/paige-vanzant-will-be-face-bare-knuckle-fc?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/sport/martial-arts/mixed-martial-arts/article/3097331/paige-vanzant-will-be-face-bare-knuckle-fc?utm_source=rss_feed Fri, 14 Aug 2020 03:20:16 +0000 Paige VanZant hopes to banish the “stigma in MMA that I’m just a pretty face” after signing with Bare Knuckle Fighting Championship. “What a way to prove to people that’s not the way I see myself at all,” the 26-year-old former UFC star (8-5) told ESPN’s Ariel Helwani after announcing her deal on Wednesday night. VanZant famously said last year she makes more money from Instagram – where she has 2.7 million followers – than fighting in the cage, which makes her decision to compete in the... https://www.scmp.com/sport/martial-arts/mixed-martial-arts/article/3097160/paige-vanzant-signs-bare-knuckle-fc-banish?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/sport/martial-arts/mixed-martial-arts/article/3097160/paige-vanzant-signs-bare-knuckle-fc-banish?utm_source=rss_feed Thu, 13 Aug 2020 01:18:00 +0000 Although she may not have the name recognition of the UFC and WWE’s Ronda Rousey or the hugely inspiring Paige ZanVant, Angela Lee is one of mixed martial arts’ (MMA) top female fighters. As well as being an amateur champion at national and international level, the Canadian-American – who was born in Vancouver but grew up and continues to live in Hawaii – holds the distinction of being MMA’s youngest-ever professional champion, an accolade she gained when she defeated Mei Yamaguchi at the age of... https://www.scmp.com/magazines/style/celebrity/article/3092989/asian-mma-fighter-angela-lee-talks-about-taking-chinese?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/magazines/style/celebrity/article/3092989/asian-mma-fighter-angela-lee-talks-about-taking-chinese?utm_source=rss_feed Tue, 14 Jul 2020 01:00:22 +0000 Dana White said Paige VanZant should “definitely test free agency” after her first-round loss to Amanda Ribas at UFC 251 on Sunday. The 26-year-old American VanZant (8-5) – who had not fought since beating Rachael Ostovich via second-round armbar in January 2019 – struggled against Brazilian Ribas (10-1), tapping to a first-round armbar on Fight Island in Abu Dhabi. “12 Gauge” VanZant had said in April that she was interested in a new contract with the UFC but was also willing to explore free... https://www.scmp.com/sport/martial-arts/mixed-martial-arts/article/3092848/ufc-251-dana-white-tells-paige-vanzant-test?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/sport/martial-arts/mixed-martial-arts/article/3092848/ufc-251-dana-white-tells-paige-vanzant-test?utm_source=rss_feed Sun, 12 Jul 2020 10:55:52 +0000 Despite not being a dominant champion of the calibre of Conor McGregor or former UFC and WWE star Ronda Rousey, Paige VanZant is one of the most popular stars of Ultimate Fighting Championship. She has more Instagram followers than champions Amanda Nunes and the Bruce Lee-inspired Zhang Weili combined, and in 2015 she signed a sponsorship agreement with Reebok after just a single UFC fight – a deal that some sneered was more about the American’s physical attractiveness than her abilities in the... https://www.scmp.com/magazines/style/celebrity/article/3092518/5-things-know-about-ufcs-paige-vanzant-how-bullying-and?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/magazines/style/celebrity/article/3092518/5-things-know-about-ufcs-paige-vanzant-how-bullying-and?utm_source=rss_feed Thu, 09 Jul 2020 19:00:20 +0000 The last year has not been easy for Paige VanZant, but things are looking up. The fan favourite UFC strawweight and flyweight contender has not fought since she defeated Rachael Ostovich in January of 2019, having been sidelined by four arm injuries. Thankfully, she’s finally healthy again. “This was the worst and most monotonous process,” VanZant told the Post days after her cast was cut off. “The first few times I broke it, I had to have surgery. This time I didn’t, but I had an over-the-elbow... https://www.scmp.com/sport/martial-arts/mixed-martial-arts/article/3078257/ufcs-paige-vanzant-hopes-sign-new-contract?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/sport/martial-arts/mixed-martial-arts/article/3078257/ufcs-paige-vanzant-hopes-sign-new-contract?utm_source=rss_feed Fri, 03 Apr 2020 05:19:16 +0000 These four female MMA fighters are a dangerous mixture of beauty and brawn. They provide great examples of athleticism, charisma and talent – while showing the kind of confidence and female empowerment that young girls can look up to. Here is a brief look at their careers. 1. Amanda Nunes The first openly gay fighter to win a UFC title is known as “The Lioness” because of her ferocious fighting style. The Brazilian has 18 wins in 22 fights, 13 by knockout, since her debut in 2011. She is the... https://www.scmp.com/magazines/style/celebrity/article/3039337/4-mmas-best-female-fighters-how-paige-vanzant-amanda?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/magazines/style/celebrity/article/3039337/4-mmas-best-female-fighters-how-paige-vanzant-amanda?utm_source=rss_feed Tue, 26 Nov 2019 06:00:10 +0000 Paige VanZant's time with the UFC could very well be coming to an unexpected end. With just a single bout remaining on her contract she has stated publicly she plans to test the waters of free agency once the opportunity presents itself. Wherever her career winds up going, flyweight competitor and Instagram superstar VanZant, 25, will be well off and more than capable of finding ways to be wealthy. But with One Championship continuing to work into the American market, surely the idea of VanZant... https://www.scmp.com/sport/martial-arts/mixed-martial-arts/article/3038587/paige-vanzant-should-ditch-ufc-and-sign-one?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/sport/martial-arts/mixed-martial-arts/article/3038587/paige-vanzant-should-ditch-ufc-and-sign-one?utm_source=rss_feed Wed, 20 Nov 2019 08:31:49 +0000 Maycee Barber has hit back at Paige VanZant as she looks to goad her into a fight in the UFC Octagon. “The Future” underlined her status as a rising star in the women’s flyweight decision with a first-round knockout of Gillian Robertson at UFC Boston last weekend. She called VanZant out after the fight and threatened to “ruin her Instagram career”. But the former Dancing with the Stars runner-up has refused – saying she’ll fight any flyweight or strawweight other than Barber, whom she accused of... https://www.scmp.com/sport/martial-arts/mixed-martial-arts/article/3034578/ufc-maycee-barber-hits-back-paige-vanzant?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/sport/martial-arts/mixed-martial-arts/article/3034578/ufc-maycee-barber-hits-back-paige-vanzant?utm_source=rss_feed Fri, 25 Oct 2019 08:41:39 +0000 Paige VanZant is willing to take on any female UFC flyweight or strawweight – just as long as your name’s not Maycee Barber. Barber (8-0) has been trying to goad VanZant (8-4) into accepting a fight for months. She called her out on the mic in the Octagon after knocking out Gillian Robertson in the first round at UFC Boston, and said in a post-fight media scrum “I’m going to ruin her Instagram career”. “The Future” had also taken a swipe at the former Dancing with the Stars runner-up in an... https://www.scmp.com/sport/martial-arts/mixed-martial-arts/article/3034327/ufc-paige-vanzant-takes-instagram-dim-maycee?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/sport/martial-arts/mixed-martial-arts/article/3034327/ufc-paige-vanzant-takes-instagram-dim-maycee?utm_source=rss_feed Thu, 24 Oct 2019 02:40:01 +0000 Maycee Barber has said she would “maul” Paige VanZant and wants to prove she “doesn’t belong in the position she’s in” with the UFC. VanZant (8-4) has one fight to run on her contract and has begged UFC president Dana White to give her a fight. The undefeated Barber (8-0) won her third straight UFC fight inside TD Garden in Boston last weekend, knocking out Gillian Robertson, and would be happy to oblige. “I view her as someone who is so beatable. She does not belong in the position that she is... https://www.scmp.com/sport/martial-arts/mixed-martial-arts/article/3034041/ufc-paige-vanzant-so-beatable-says-maycee?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/sport/martial-arts/mixed-martial-arts/article/3034041/ufc-paige-vanzant-so-beatable-says-maycee?utm_source=rss_feed Tue, 22 Oct 2019 08:46:20 +0000