Paigevanzant

VanZant's UFC contract expired after her loss to Amanda Ribas in 2020, and she chose not to re-sign. She has cited the financial offer from the Bare Knuckle Fighting Championship (BKFC) as a major factor, saying it significantly exceeded what the UFC was willing to pay her. Since departing, she has expanded into AEW pro wrestling and the Power Slap League, building a multi-organization combat sports career on her own terms.

VanZant married fellow MMA fighter Austin Vanderford in September 2018. Vanderford competed in Bellator MMA, making the two one of the better-known couples in the combat sports world. She took his last name professionally after the wedding, which is how the name "VanZant" entered her public identity.

Paige VanZant was born Paige Michelle Vanderford on March 26, 1994, in Dundee, Oregon. She adopted the surname VanZant — her husband Austin Vanderford's last name — and has used it as her professional name across her entire combat sports and media career.

VanZant competed on Dancing with the Stars Season 22 in 2016, partnered with professional dancer Mark Ballas. She became one of the season's standout fan favorites, her athleticism translating surprisingly well into ballroom performance. The appearance dramatically expanded her mainstream profile well beyond the MMA audience.

Yes, VanZant signed with All Elite Wrestling (AEW), adding professional wrestling to a resume that already included the UFC and BKFC. She references AEW directly in her social media bios alongside her other combat affiliations. Her existing fan base and combat sports credibility made her an appealing crossover signing for the promotion.

VanZant signed with the Bare Knuckle Fighting Championship (BKFC) in 2020 following her UFC departure and has competed under that banner multiple times. Bare knuckle boxing became a defining part of her identity post-UFC, and she has spoken openly about embracing the rawer format over traditional gloved MMA. It remains one of her primary combat affiliations alongside AEW and Power Slap.

Power Slap is a competitive slap-fighting league founded by Dana White that gained mainstream attention after launching in 2023. VanZant is among its affiliated athletes, fitting a broader pattern where she pursues opportunities across multiple combat formats simultaneously. It sits alongside AEW and BKFC as one of several organizations tied to her name.

VanZant publicly discussed launching subscription-based content around 2020, describing it as a revenue stream that far exceeded her fighting purses. The decision drew widespread media attention and was framed by VanZant as a deliberate business move to take control of her own earning potential after years of building a brand inside combat sports.

VanZant was born and raised in Dundee, Oregon, a small town in the Willamette Valley. She trained in combat sports from a young age before eventually competing on the national and international stage.

Born on March 26, 1994, VanZant is in her early thirties. Despite the physical demands of a career spanning UFC competition, bare knuckle boxing, professional wrestling, and Power Slap, she remains one of the most recognizable active multi-discipline athletes in combat sports.