Ex-UFC star Paige VanZant has had talks to join WWE and says “the door is definitely open” to her making the switch.
Speaking on the Insight podcast with Chris Van Vliet, the 26-year-old said wrestling is “something that I would like to really pursue” and revealed she has already visited the WWE performance Center in Florida.
The former UFC stunner was beaten on her brutal bare-knuckle bow on points by Britain Hart.
She revealed her battered and bruised face afterwards but has vowed not to ‘quit when s*** get tough’ after debuting
In the UFC, VanZant held an 8-5 record.
Speaking with Van Vliet last week, the 5-foot-4 fighter said she gets “asked about WWE a lot and I do feel like it’s something I would be very good at because I kind of have the best of both worlds.”
“I was a dancer where I was used to the entertainment and the showmanship side of it and the combat sports side obviously goes into the WWE.”
“You know, I don’t think that it’s something that I could do both [Bare Knuckle FC and pro wrestling] at the same time,” the 26-year-old continued.
“I feel like I would want to do that 100 percent, so maybe it’s something that after I’m done fighting in a cage and in a ring that maybe I’ll go over to there but the door is definitely open.”
Should she make the move, VanZant would be following combat sports fighters Ronda Rousey, and Brock Lesnar who have been successful in both worlds.
The former dancer confirmed she has talked to the company and has even visited the WWE Performance Center in Orlando, Florida.
“Communication is actually there sometimes so we’re able to communicate and show our interest with each other and once there’s a little bit more free time in my schedule I think that’s something that I would like to really pursue.”
VanZant’s background as a dancer and her mainstream appeal (she appeared on Dancing with the Stars and Chopped), would make her an appealing addition to WWE officials.
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Since hitting the combat sports scene in 2013, VanZant has also gained plenty of attention for her sexy posts on Instagram.
BKFC president David Feldman recently told SunSport:
“People say she’s an ‘Instagram model’, that kind of thing, but at the end of the day if you’ve seen her face in some of her fights she was a bloody mess.
“She’s not afraid of bleeding, of getting hit, and this is what this sport is about – if you can get hit and throw a punch back you have a good chance of doing well.
“Paige is a tough girl, she didn’t have to come to Bare Knuckle Fighting Championship, she came over to test herself.
“That says a lot about the kind of fighter and athlete that she is. Am I expecting her to transition well? Yes I am.”
Feldman launched BKFC in 2018 and has since welcomed former UFC and boxing veterans into his promotion.
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