Paige VanZant is days out from her Bare Knuckle Fighting Championship (BKFC) debut. The former UFC star will battle Britain Hart, sans gloves, at BKFC: Knuckle Mania this Friday in Lakeland, Florida.
Ahead of VanZant’s imminent BKFC debut, we reached out to several experienced bare knuckle fighters to get their thoughts on how she’ll perform in the ring.
See what BKFC pros are expecting from Paige VanZant below:
Joey Beltran, BKFC Heavyweight Champion (4-1-1 in bare knuckle fights):
“It’s all a matter of how Paige is going to react after the first exchange. What’s it going to be like the first time she gets cracked with a bare fist in her face, or when she hits Britain on the top of her head or the forehead and feels her hand instantly start to swell up? She’s going to go through a couple things mentally and then we’re gonna find out if she really is fully committed to this bare knuckle game.”
Thiago Alves (1-0 in bare knuckle fights):
“I think she’s going to put on a great performance. She did everything she could to prepare. She’s more than ready for this fight. Now is time for violence and to bring home the victory.”
Bec Rawlings (3-0 in bare knuckle fights):
“I think Paige is very tough, sometimes too tough for her own good. I think Britain is a better boxer than her with more experience in a boxing ring but both are very awkward and scrappy so will make for an interesting fight.”
Isaac Vallie-Flagg (3-1 in bare knuckle fights):
“Paige can adapt to bare knuckle as long as her fight IQ is decent. She has a great team at [American Top Team]. The big thing is she needs to understand things like closing distance and cutting off the ring. If she tries to box a boxer in Britain Hart, she won’t do well. If she’s put in the hours and can turn it into an a dog fight and strike inside, she will be ok. She has to be adaptable in this fight and every fight moving forward.”
Jim Alers (4-1 in bare knuckle fights):
“I think she’s going to do great. She fought MMA against the best women in the world. She’s used to getting cut because it has happened a few times in her fights. I think after the first punch all the nerves will be gone and she will feel comfortable.”
Christine Ferea (3-1 in bare knuckle fights):
“Paige’s relentless work ethic she received from Team Alpha Male while she was there gives her an edge on grit which is needed here. She also has huge support system from the promotion and team which is key. The competition right now and the stage she is on in BKFC will benefit her as it’s still growing. She has the same chance any one of us has if she truly has passion for this. She will need to love pain.”
Estevan Payan (1-1 in bare knuckle fights):
“I think Paige will be the perfect gimmick for BKFC. She’s being brought in for her ability to draw fans and her appearance. As far as skills go, I think they will try and build her like they do in the boxing world. They will bring in challenges that they know she should win. Hart is 1-2 in BKFC so I believe Paige has more fight experience being a UFC vet. Hopefully she’s conditioned her knuckles.”
How do you think Paige VanZant will perform in her BKFC debut?