Paige VanZant may not be done with Bare Knuckle FC.
BKFC is chugging along nicely with a steady crop of former UFC fighters competing on their cards. The recent Mike Perry vs. Luke Rockhold and Eddie Alvarez vs. Chad Mendes card showed just how much attention the promotion can garner with solid matchmaking.
Before they came over, BKFC was the Paige VanZant show for a hot minute. The fighter turned reality show star turned Instagram sensation has fought for the promotion twice, losing two gritty decisions in the process. Her last bout was back in July 2021, and then there was an abrupt cancellation of her London debut that seemed to sour things between the parties.
But Bare Knuckle FC president David Feldman thinks we’ll see her finish out her contract with the promotion before she moves on.
“I actually questioned [if she’d return to BKFC] myself,” Feldman said in an interview with MMA Fighting. “But she had a conversation with a couple of the guys on the team and I don’t think that she’s moved on. 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.”
Feldman pointed out that her two losses were close decisions, and VanZant looked good and game in each outing. There was no waving the fight off after the first stiff punch to the mouth.
“I take my hat off to her,” he said. “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.”
We’ll have to see whether this pans out … recently Francis Ngannou revealed he was never in talks with BKFC despite Feldman’s claims. So did VanZant really indicate she planned on returning? Let’s wait and hear what “12 Guage” has to say before getting too hyped over this.
This story originally appeared on MMA Mania
