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Paige VanZant intends to compete in combat sports once more. Additionally, she is dedicated to returning to All Elite Wrestling.
As she continues to recover from a foot fracture, she is opting for alternative forms of combat sports. This time, that means joining a celebrity panel of judges for Friday’s PFL Challenger Series installment (9 p.m., fuboTV).
VanZant told The Post via Zoom on Thursday, “It couldn’t have happened at a better time because I have two teammates fighting on this particular card that I get to judge on.” I hope it goes extremely well.
Regarding her own fight career, VanZant stated, “I anticipate competing in April for the third time with the Bare Knuckle Fighting Championship.” She was scheduled to meet Charisa Sigala in August 2022 and again in October 2022, however neither bout occurred.
In late December, she published X-rays of her fractured foot, and in the process uncovered two prior fractures of which she was previously unaware. The injury occurred while she and her husband, Bellator middleweight competitor Austin Vanderford, were “having too much fun in Alaska.”
The former “Dancing With the Stars” champion also cited supporting Vanderford’s boxing career, having a house constructed that is taking longer than planned, filming a movie in Los Angeles, and “training and finding myself again” as reasons for her protracted absence from competition.
A year without a bout might be financially taxing for most boxers, but VanZant is in a unique position. In addition to having crossover appeal outside of the fighting industry, she and her husband live comfortably through content sharing on sites like OnlyFans, however she refuses to elaborate on how much she gets from such money streams.
VanZant states, “I believe I am extremely successful at what I do, and there is a reason why I am able to support myself financially.” “I also have an exceptionally accomplished husband. With the exception of my dog, we are a dual-income couple with no children. We’re fortunate.
“And we’ve also been quite astute financially. We have investment properties and have invested incredibly well in the stock market, which is not doing so well at the moment, but we have done well. I attribute much of that to my parents’ advice to not put all of my eggs in one basket. This is exactly what I’ve done.”
Friday night, VanZant will be in a different type of limelight. Michelle Montague, who faces Shaquita Amador Woods, and Evelyn Martins, who faces Jeslen Mishelle, are her fellow American Top Team competitors in PFL Challenger Series. Martins missed the 146-pound limit by 0.8 pounds on Thursday’s weigh-in.
Obviously, one wonders whether or not these two sportsmen will receive special treatment. Even nine-fight UFC veteran VanZant acknowledges the situation’s optics. She notes, however, that it is up to the panel of judges to determine which of the eight competitors will receive an offer to continue competing for PFL. This week, she is joined by Wiz Khalifa, a rapper and PFL investor, and Tyron Woodley, a former UFC welterweight champion. Fan votes also have a role.
Before mentioning her familiarity with Montague and Martins, VanZant asserts, “I will be completely impartial because this is the world of sports, and it’s only fair.” “It’s exciting because I know the talent that these two girls possess, and I believe that having a better understanding of the background they bring into the cage will definitely work in my favor in this instance.”
»‘Blessed’ Paige VanZant is thriving as she announces her comeback to the ring«