VanZant suffers decision loss in bare-knuckle debut
Paige VanZant came up short in her first foray into bare-knuckle boxing.
The former UFC fighter lost to Britain Hart via unanimous decision (49-46, 49-46, 49-46) in the main event of Bare Knuckle Fighting Championship: "KnuckleMania" on Friday in Clearwater, Florida.
Hart stayed busier than VanZant throughout the five-round contest and busted her up in the clinch. VanZant did a good job controlling distance and landing her jab in the first frame, but Hart started to connect more often and took over as the match proceeded.
VanZant was aggressive in the fifth round and landed several damaging shots, likely knowing she needed a finish. It was her best round by far but ultimately too little, too late, as Hart survived the onslaught and walked away with the judges' nod.
"I was not going to let Paige VanZant outwork me," Hart said in her postfight interview. "You cannot outwork me."
VanZant crossed over to bare-knuckle boxing following an eight-year career in mixed martial arts, six of those spent in the UFC. She completed her UFC contract last summer after a submission loss to Amanda Ribas, and UFC president Dana White suggested that she test free agency.
Many fans expected her to sign with Bellator, where her husband Austin Vanderford competes, but she inked a four-fight deal with Bare Knuckle FC in August. Her contract is reportedly worth over $1 million.
"I feel like I still have this stigma in MMA that I'm just a pretty face, and what a way to prove to people that's not the way I see myself at all," VanZant said at the time.
VanZant is one of few MMA fighters to enjoy mainstream success; she was a runner-up on "Dancing with the Stars" in 2016. She quickly rose to fame after signing with the UFC in 2014 at the age of 20. However, "12 Gauge" never lived up to her full potential, recording five wins and four losses in the Octagon.
Hart improved her bare-knuckle record to 2-2 with the victory.