Paige VanZant saddened by Dana White’s UFC 251 comments – ‘thought we were closer friends’
- ‘It’s unfortunate because I feel like I have a really good relationship with Dana,’ says VanZant
- ‘He could text me or call me, something to have a little bit of compassion,’ adds ‘12-Gauge’
The UFC president was blunt in his assessment of the American 26-year-old’s performance in the main card opener on Fight Island in Abu Dhabi last weekend. In the last fight of her UFC contract, VanZant (8-5) tapped out to a slick first-round armbar from rising Ribas (10-1), whose career trajectory at the same age is going the opposite way in the company with White effusive in his praise for the Brazilian.
“When you talk all that stuff about not getting paid enough then you know, fighting inconsistently, one time in the last year, Injuries and then got smoked in the first round of the fight. She should definitely test free agency,” White had said.
“Honestly, I didn’t actually see specifically the quote or what he said. I try not to pay attention too much,” VanZant told MMA Fighting. “It’s unfortunate because I feel like I have a really good relationship with Dana.
“I feel like I thought we were closer friends and he could text me or call me. Something to have a little bit of compassion, something to communicate with me personally but maybe he will. We just don’t know. I’m sure it’s an uncomfortable situation.”