Almost two years have passed since Paige VanZant set foot in the BKFC ring, but despite a lucrative career that she’s built online, the former UFC star isn’t done with fighting.
While there’s no official word on when she’ll be competing again, BKFC president David Feldman confirmed the promotion is still planning on bringing VanZant back for at least one more fight, and preliminary dialogues have begun to make that happen. VanZant was last scheduled to compete this past August in a bout against Charisa Sigala, but the fight was pulled from a planned BKFC event in London just days before the card took place.
Lately, VanZant has been busy building a new house in Florida and earning a very healthy living through her personal website as well as her OnlyFans page. Because she’s making so much money through those avenues, Feldman admits that even he wondered if VanZant will ever fight again, but he apparently got his answer.
“I actually questioned that myself, but she had a conversation with a couple of the guys on the team and I don’t think that she’s moved on,” Feldman told MMA Fighting. “I think she wants one more crack at it.
“I know that I want to give her one more crack at it, so I think we’re going to have at least one more run there.”
VanZant has gone 0-2 thus far in her bare-knuckle fighting run, losing a pair of decisions to current BKFC strawweight champion Britain Hart and fellow UFC veteran Rachael Ostovich.
Despite those setbacks, VanZant was still more than ready to return for another fight until her matchup with Sigala was scrapped last year.
Since then, VanZant has mainly focused on her growing online empire. She’s stated that her earnings are so high that she could retire immediately and never fight again. Still, VanZant has no plans to walk away from fighting, and Feldman expects her back in the BKFC ring sooner or later.
“Paige, she always comes to fight,” Feldman said. “Some people want to say, ‘She lost twice.’ She lost two close fights. She came to fight both times. She challenged herself both times. She doesn’t have to fight a day in her life ever again and she’s going to live a superstar life. She wants to challenge herself again.
“I take my hat off to her. Whatever she’s doing outside the ring, that’s on her own and let her do whatever she’s doing to make that kind of money she’s making, but as far as being a fighter, she keeps wanting to challenge herself and how can you not respect that.”
Feldman also mentioned that ex-UFC fighter Felice Herrig, who signed with BKFC almost a year ago, has been on the promotion’s radar and may be a potential opponent for VanZant. They previously battled in the UFC in 2015, with VanZant winning a unanimous decision.
With BKFC looking at September as the date for the promotion’s next major card, Feldman isn’t opposed to booking VanZant, Herrig, or possibly both of them that night.
“I’d love to have that,” Feldman said. “Maybe Paige against Felice on that card.”