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Paige VanZant Considers Potential UFC Return After Austin Vanderford’s Win
Last month, Paige VanZant made her return to the UFC, but not in the cage. Instead, she stood proudly in her husband Austin Vanderford’s corner for his promotional debut at UFC Seattle. The former Bellator title challenger made an impressive debut, securing a second-round knockout over Nikolay Veretennikov on short notice. For VanZant, this moment was filled with significance, as she experienced the fight game from the sidelines, a perspective she hadn’t had in years.
From 2014 to 2020, VanZant was one of the UFC's biggest stars, a constant presence in the women’s flyweight division. However, after her loss to Amanda Ribas, she parted ways with the promotion, marking the end of her active fighting career in the octagon. Since then, Paige has kept busy with stints in professional wrestling, boxing, and even the PowerSlap League, where she earned a decision win over Mikael-Michelle Brown earlier this month.
Despite having been out of the cage for some time, VanZant is far from ruling out a return to the UFC. During a recent press conference for PowerSlap, she opened up about her journey, reflecting on her past in the UFC and how seeing her husband’s recent victory stirred something deep within her.
“I was happy with my career and my life at the time, but making that walk with my husband again, I realized how special it was. I didn’t realize back then how big of a deal it was,” VanZant said, looking back on her UFC debut at just 20 years old. "Now, seeing the process and everything that goes into it, I feel like maybe I took it for granted. My heart definitely misses it.”
Her words reveal a new perspective on her time in the UFC, with VanZant admitting that she may have been too focused on other pursuits to fully appreciate the significance of her role in the organization. She also expressed that she understands the hard work and dedication it would take for her to earn another shot in the UFC. But with that being said, she’s not ready to close the door on a potential comeback.
“Maybe I took it for granted,” she continued. “I know it would take a lot of work for me, but definitely, my heart misses it. So we could [come back], we’ll see.”
While Paige VanZant is already signed to the new Global Fight League, where she could potentially continue her career, she is not the first fighter to make the leap from one promotion to another. Jeremy Stephens, another former UFC fighter, signed with Global Fight League before deciding to return to the UFC to fight in Des Moines later this year. If VanZant is serious about making her return, she could follow a similar path.
For now, fight fans are left wondering whether we’ll see VanZant back in the UFC, and if so, what kind of impact she might make. At just 30 years old, she’s still in her prime, and her return could add a fresh dynamic to the women's flyweight division.
What do you think, fight fans? Would you like to see Paige VanZant make her long-awaited return to the UFC?