LAS VEGAS – Paige VanZant intends to continue competing in multiple combat sports, including slap fighting.
VanZant signed, who signed with Dana White’s Power Slap promotion, makes her slap fighting debut Friday at the UFC Apex against Christine Wolmarans, an 0-1 slap fighter from South Africa. A former UFC fighter, VanZant said she was approached with the idea of joining Power Slap, which she welcomed with open arms.
“I got called if I would do Power Slap. I said absolutely, and that was it,” VanZant told MMA Junkie and other reporters during a news conference Wednesday. “Signed the contract, and here I am to do Power Slap.
“I think it’s exciting for me because it’s like, listen, I am a gangster. Whether people want to admit it or not, I am here to slap somebody. It doesn’t matter what organization, what combat sport, I’m here to take over and have some fun.”
VanZant hasn’t always gotten her hand raised, but her toughness can’t be undermined. She has never been stopped by strikes throughout her combat sports career, which includes bare-knuckle boxing, and isn’t afraid to take damage in Power Slap.
“I look back at my UFC career, my bare-knuckle boxing career, everything that I’ve done, you can’t take away how tough I am, and this is like that ultimate test of toughness,” VanZant said. “Stand there, and you’ve got to be able to have the balls to be able to get hit.”
VanZant made her boxing debut in May when she fought influencer-turned-boxer Elle Brooke to a split draw. She didn’t end up rematching Brooke as initially planned, but that doesn’t mean she has abandoned boxing.
“I think for me the narrative right now perfectly falls in line with continuing to do Power Slap alongside doing my boxing,” VanZant said. “I still intend to box again at the end of the year. I’m waiting for the date on that. This fits in line with that.
“It’s preparation, it’s preparing to cause damage and try not to take damage, but inevitably in Power Slap you’re going to get hit. So who knows? I am a woman who does whatever the f*ck I want, and right now I want to do Power Slap.”
