First Ronda Rousey has her perfect UFC record snapped and now the UFC’s other most-promoted female fighter Paige VanZant had hers ended as well Thursday evening at Fight Night 80. (Bad day for athletes named Paige apparently.)
Coming in undefeated in the UFC, VanZant got pummeled to a bloody pulp by her opponent Rose Namajunas (now 2-1 in the UFC) despite being favored. However, it wasn’t the beating that eventually did her in, it was a submission via a rear-naked choke in the fifth round.
“I got outclassed in every way,” VanZant told MMAjunkie at the post-fight press conference. “I guess when I got hit I got rocked pretty bad. I’m new; I got to get my technique better.”
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“I’m just new; I got a lot to learn,” VanZant said. “Just working with my team – I’m trying not to cry, guys – just working with my team, trying to get my technique better. You can’t just be aggressive to win fights. I just wasn’t prepared for that fight.”
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“I’m ready to get back in the gym as soon as possible,” VanZant said. “I feel great still; obviously, I took a little damage to my face. But I want to get back in there as soon as possible. I have the heart, I have the aggression, I don’t have the technique yet, and I think everyone’s known that.”
Here are some photos showing just how bad a beating the woman promoted as the next big thing in women’s MMA took during the fight…
https://twitter.com/ZProphet_MMA/status/675174278820732928
https://twitter.com/ZProphet_MMA/status/675174526259433473
https://twitter.com/ZProphet_MMA/status/675175876737282052
https://twitter.com/ZProphet_MMA/status/675177549694111746
https://twitter.com/ZProphet_MMA/status/675178950948208640
https://twitter.com/ZProphet_MMA/status/675180357872975873
Here’s what Paige VanZant looks like when she hasn’t been pummeled into submission…
See even more of her looking not bloodied-up here.