Paige VanZant is making sure she enjoys the summer despite the COVID-19 pandemic. The 26-year old MMA star posted an Instagram video of her doing a perfect toe touch while diving into a pool. In the caption, VanZant wrote, “Suns out buns out,” with a sun, peace sign and palm tree emojis. The video has been viewed over 700,000 times as of Tuesday afternoon.
For anyone who follows VanZant, it’s no surprise she’s able to do a toe touch with perfection as she was a cheerleader in high school and showed off her moves while on Dancing With The Stars back in 2016. However, her focus is being a top MMA competitor, and her last match didn’t go according to plan, losing to Amana Ribas at UFC 251 last month. After the loss, UFC president Dana White had some interesting things to say about VanZant.
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“I like Paige,” he said via BJPenn.com. “You know it’s like (Curtis) Blaydes. When I talked, you know when Blaydes fought last. When you talk all that stuff like ‘oh, I am not being paid enough’… You know, fighting inconsistently. You know, one time in the last year. Injuries and stuff. Then you come get smoked in the first round of the fight. Yea, she should definitely test free agency.” When VanZant heard the comments, she was disappointed.
“I feel like I thought we were closer friends, and he could text me or call me,” she said. “I’m sure it’s an uncomfortable situation. Dana’s comments, what I’m hearing you say, he wants me to test free agency, then hopefully they just let me go then,” she added. “If that’s how they feel, then they’ll just let me be free.”
Despite what happened at UFC 251, VanZant will not be a free agent for too long. She has received interest from Bellator, which is where her husband, Austin Vanderford. MMA writer Mike Russell also reported that she’s close to finalizing a deal with Bare Knuckle Fighting Championship. But it’s clear she will miss her time in UFC.
“I’m sad about the way it went,” VanZant said about her contract coming to an end via New York Post. “For the first time in my life, I finally realized the losses definitely don’t define you. Maybe I did have to hit rock bottom. It’s just going to make my comeback story that much greater coming off a loss and an arm injury.”
