After two canceled fights and a recent injury, Paige VanZant appears to be setting her sights on avenging a past loss from her UFC career.
Since returning to combat sports in 2024, the former UFC star has maintained an active schedule. Following her departure from the UFC, VanZant competed in Bare Knuckle Fighting Championship (BKFC) and boxing. She was also initially scheduled to challenge for the first women`s title in Dana White`s Power Slap league on June 27th.
However, a “pretty severe” injury earlier this month forced `12 Gauge` to withdraw from the highly anticipated slap fight.
Prior to that, VanZant was also set to face former Bellator competitor Randi Field in the GFL promotion in May, but that event was ultimately canceled when the promotion ceased operations.
So, what`s next for PVZ after this string of misfortune? The answer seems to be `Dirty Boxing`.
Potential Rematch: Paige VanZant and Jessica-Rose Clark Eye Dirty Boxing Bout
VanZant was among the attendees at Dirty Boxing 2, a new hybrid combat sports event spearheaded by fellow UFC and BKFC veteran `Platinum` Mike Perry. The event`s fight card featured one of VanZant`s previous opponents from the UFC, Jessica-Rose Clark, who defeated VanZant by unanimous decision in 2018.
Clark secured a victory in her Dirty Boxing match against Marilia Morais. Following her win, the Australian fighter crossed paths with VanZant backstage.
After exchanging a hug, VanZant was heard telling Clark, “You`re good, let`s f—— go.” She then added, “Congrats. Let`s do it. See you soon.”
Clark concluded her UFC tenure with a 4-5 record, leaving the promotion in 2023 after a three-fight losing streak. Since then, she has found success with two wins in Muay Thai and her recent victorious debut in Dirty Boxing.
Recalling Their First Fight: VanZant Fought Clark with a Broken Arm
Their initial encounter on January 14, 2018, marked VanZant`s second-to-last defeat in the UFC.
Despite the loss at UFC St. Louis, VanZant earned significant praise for her performance and resilience throughout the three rounds against Clark.
Remarkably, VanZant suffered a broken arm in the very first round while attempting a spinning back-fist. She informed her corner about the injury between rounds but bravely chose to continue the fight despite the severe pain.
Demonstrating incredible toughness, VanZant managed to win the final round and the fight ultimately went to the judges` scorecards, even after she narrowly escaped a triangle choke submission attempt from Clark in the second round.
Now, seven years after their challenging first bout, Clark and VanZant may finally have the opportunity to run it back in a new format.
Gareth Pendleton