Former UFC women’s star Paige VanZant is in a “must-win situation” for her next fight in BKFC, confirmed promoter David Feldman.
After leaving the UFC last year, VanZant made the surprise decision to sign with BKFC and made her debut in bare-knuckle fighting. Most fans figured that if she was going to leave the UFC, that she would follow her husband, middleweight Austin Vanderford, to Bellator. Instead, PVZ made the surprise decision to sign with BKFC, and things haven’t gone well.
Since joining BKFC, VanZant is 0-2 with decision losses to Britain Hart and to Rachael Ostovich. VanZant was the betting favorite for both of those fights but she came out on the wrong end of a decision each time. Against Hart, it was easy to give VanZant a pass just because it was her first fight for BKFC, which is a completely different sport than MMA. But against Ostovich, a fighter who VanZant previously defeated in the UFC by submission, it was surprising to see her lose once again, a loss that will put her on thin ice with BKFC.
Speaking to MMAFighting.com in a recent interview, BKFC promoter Feldman confirmed that VanZant is in a dire situation with the company and that she needs to start winning.
“Absolutely she’s in a must win-situation. I thought she was in a must-win situation in this fight but she performed very well. I thought as to the fact that they won Fight of the Night honors. I thought that she was in a must-win coming in. She lost and I still think that we’re in the Paige VanZant business,” Feldman said.
“But with that being said, I absolutely think she’s in a must-win (situation). I can’t keep saying ‘she fought really good, now let’s see what happens next time.’ Eventually and now’s the time, she has to come out with a victory. Like I said, we’ll sit down with her team and see what happens. I think we’re all going to move forward together, but you’re absolutely right, she’s in a must-win situation without a doubt.”
Do you think Paige VanZant will win her next fight in BKFC?