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Paige VanZant‘s UFC career may not have gone exactly how she drew it up.
The once-hyped prospect went just 5-4 in her nine fights inside the Octagon.
But despite the record, VanZant’s career was undoubtedly a success. It sparked a career as a social media model and influencer that has gained her in excess of 3.2 million followers.
Even despite leaving the UFC, VanZant has always known how to market herself.
Here’s what she had to say prior to her Bare Knuckle FC fight against Rachael Ostovich.
“It’s nice to go into a fight and not have to deal with the catty back talk and all the outside noise…Why fight beforehand? Why waste both our time and energy,” she asked.
There’s other narratives that can be pushed here, right? I think Rachael’s smokin’ hot (and) I love that I get to fight someone like her, but that doesn’t change the way that I’m going to fight. I highly respect her as an athletes and as a person, but I’m still gonna go out there and try to win this fight.”
BKFC president Dave Feldman has tried to get VanZant back in the ring since that fight.
“She is definitely welcome with the organization it’s just a matter of what she wants to do,” Feldman said. I think this helps her other revenue streams, it gives her notoriety to be able to get fans for her other revenue streams. I don’t think she’s going to turn it down because of money, I think the only reason she would turn it down is if she doesn’t have the desire to fight anymore.”
But VanZant does not appear interested.
Instead, she’s going viral almost weekly on both Instagram and TikTok.
VanZant did just that on Wednesday with her latest poolside Instagram pics. The post features the former MMA star in a bikini outside of her backyard pool with the caption “dance with me in the rain.”
The post quickly garnered hundreds of comments and thousands of likes.
So yeah, it appears VanZant is doing okay for herself without having to fight.