# Paige VanZant
**Paige VanZant** (born Paige Michelle VanZant, 1994) is an American combat sports competitor known by the nickname "12 Gauge", who fought in the [Ultimate Fighting Championship](https://www.edgepedia.org/ultimate-fighting-championship) (UFC) from 2014 to 2020 and later moved into [bare-knuckle boxing](https://www.edgepedia.org/bare-knuckle-boxing), professional wrestling, influencer boxing, and slap fighting.[1](https://www.tapology.com/fightcenter/fighters/29691-paige-vanzant) Her professional mixed martial arts record stands at 8 wins and 5 losses, with a 5-4 mark in nine UFC fights.[2](https://www.fightmatrix.com/fighter-profile/Paige%20VanZant/95146/)
| Key fact | Detail |
|---|---|
| Born | 1994, United States; fighting out of Reno, Nevada[1](https://www.tapology.com/fightcenter/fighters/29691-paige-vanzant) |
| Physical | Height 5'4" (163 cm); reach 65.0" (165 cm)[1](https://www.tapology.com/fightcenter/fighters/29691-paige-vanzant) |
| Pro MMA record | 8-5-0; 2 wins by KO/TKO, 3 by submission, 3 by decision; UFC record 5-4-0[2](https://www.fightmatrix.com/fighter-profile/Paige%20VanZant/95146/) |
| UFC career | Debut November 22, 2014; last fight July 11, 2020; longest win streak 3 (2014-2015)[2](https://www.fightmatrix.com/fighter-profile/Paige%20VanZant/95146/) |
| Peak ranking | #18 women's strawweight in FightMatrix quarterly ratings (October 1, 2016)[2](https://www.fightmatrix.com/fighter-profile/Paige%20VanZant/95146/) |
| Post-UFC | BKFC (2020), All Elite Wrestling (2021), Misfits Boxing, Power Slap (2024-2025)[3](https://www.espn.com/mma/story/_/id/29647306/sos-former-ufc-fighter-paige-vanzant-joins-bare-knuckle-fighting-championship) • [4](https://www.espn.com/mma/story/_/id/33479512/paige-vanzant-not-closing-doors-mma-signing-all-elite-wrestling) |
| Memoir | *Rise: Surviving the Fight of My Life*, published April 10, 2018 by Legacy Lit[5](https://www.hachettebookgroup.com/titles/paige-vanzant/rise/9780316472265/?lens=legacy-lit) |
## Early life and entry into fighting
VanZant grew up in Newberg, Oregon, where she danced, cheered, and aspired at one point to become a Disney child star.[5](https://www.hachettebookgroup.com/titles/paige-vanzant/rise/9780316472265/?lens=legacy-lit) In her memoir and interviews she has described years of bullying in high school and a sexual assault at age 14, and has said that training in martial arts became the outlet that restored her confidence.[6](https://www.theguardian.com/sport/2018/aug/13/paige-vanzant-ufc-fighter-bullying-abuse) Her first exposure to MMA came through classes at [Ken Shamrock](https://www.edgepedia.org/ken-shamrock)'s Lion's Den facility in Reno, beginning at about age 15; she has described the training there as a very tough start in which sparring partners beat her up regularly.[7](https://www.ufc.com/news/introducing-paige-vanzant)
Her family name changed during this period. Born Paige Sletten, she took the surname VanZant after the family moved to Reno, a change her mother suggested amid the bullying she had endured in Oregon.[6](https://www.theguardian.com/sport/2018/aug/13/paige-vanzant-ufc-fighter-bullying-abuse)
## MMA career
**Early fights and UFC rise.** VanZant turned professional on June 30, 2012, and fought once in Invicta Fighting Championships in 2013, losing that bout.[2](https://www.fightmatrix.com/fighter-profile/Paige%20VanZant/95146/) • [1](https://www.tapology.com/fightcenter/fighters/29691-paige-vanzant) She joined the UFC in November 2014 as a 20-year-old strawweight and defeated Kailin Curran in her debut.[7](https://www.ufc.com/news/introducing-paige-vanzant) A three-fight winning streak from 2014 to 2015, which included victories over fighters from *The Ultimate Fighter* and Kailin Curran, established her as a promoted young contender in the strawweight division.[2](https://www.fightmatrix.com/fighter-profile/Paige%20VanZant/95146/) • [8](https://combatpress.com/2018/02/the-problem-with-paige-vanzant/)
**Setbacks and the move to flyweight.** In December 2015 she faced [Rose Namajunas](https://www.edgepedia.org/rose-namajunas) and was forced to submit in the fifth round.[6](https://www.theguardian.com/sport/2018/aug/13/paige-vanzant-ufc-fighter-bullying-abuse) She later lost to Michelle Waterson-Gomez at [UFC on Fox 22](https://www.edgepedia.org/ufc-on-fox-vanzant-vs-waterson).[9](https://www.sherdog.com/fighter/Paige-VanZant-99019) VanZant moved up to the women's flyweight division, a change she attributed to health reasons after difficult weight cuts at strawweight.[8](https://combatpress.com/2018/02/the-problem-with-paige-vanzant/)
**The broken arm.** In January 2018, at UFC Fight Night 124 against Jessica-Rose Clark, VanZant broke her right arm in the first round and continued fighting for roughly 10 minutes before losing a unanimous decision.[6](https://www.theguardian.com/sport/2018/aug/13/paige-vanzant-ufc-fighter-bullying-abuse) She has said she heard and felt the arm break and refused to tap out when Clark attacked the injured limb with an armbar and a triangle attempt.[6](https://www.theguardian.com/sport/2018/aug/13/paige-vanzant-ufc-fighter-bullying-abuse) The injury required multiple surgeries, including a bone graft and a plate, and kept her out of training for months.[6](https://www.theguardian.com/sport/2018/aug/13/paige-vanzant-ufc-fighter-bullying-abuse)
**Final UFC run.** VanZant returned in January 2019 and submitted [Rachael Ostovich](https://www.edgepedia.org/rachael-ostovich) with a second-round armbar at UFC Fight Night 143, her last MMA victory.[9](https://www.sherdog.com/fighter/Paige-VanZant-99019) Her final UFC bout came on July 11, 2020 at [UFC 251](https://www.edgepedia.org/ufc-251), where [Amanda Ribas](https://www.edgepedia.org/amanda-ribas) defeated her by first-round armbar in 2:21.[9](https://www.sherdog.com/fighter/Paige-VanZant-99019) Across her UFC career she compiled a 5-4 record with 1 hour 34 minutes 9 seconds of octagon time.[2](https://www.fightmatrix.com/fighter-profile/Paige%20VanZant/95146/)
## Fighting style and analysis
Writers have described VanZant as a well-conditioned, athletic, and durable fighter whose results were limited by technical and strategic gaps rather than by her weight cuts or injuries.[8](https://combatpress.com/2018/02/the-problem-with-paige-vanzant/) A 2018 Combat Press analysis argued that her aggressive approach left her vulnerable when opponents such as Namajunas, Waterson, Clark, and [Bec Rawlings](https://www.edgepedia.org/bec-rawlings) did not let her dictate the pace and placement of the fight.[8](https://combatpress.com/2018/02/the-problem-with-paige-vanzant/) Her UFC statistics show 315 significant strikes landed on 605 attempts (52 percent accuracy), 3.35 significant strikes landed per minute against 2.62 absorbed, and 8 takedowns on 24 attempts.[10](https://www.ufc.com/athlete/paige-vanzant?page=1) Her career strength of schedule was demanding: opponents she lost to held a combined UFC record of 6-1 at fight time.[11](https://fightingdata.com/fighters/paige-vanzant/)
## Life outside the UFC
VanZant built a public profile beyond fighting early in her UFC run. She competed on season 22 of *Dancing with the Stars*, dancing with [Mark Ballas](https://www.edgepedia.org/mark-ballas) and reaching the finals, and appeared on the cooking show *Chopped*.[6](https://www.theguardian.com/sport/2018/aug/13/paige-vanzant-ufc-fighter-bullying-abuse) • [5](https://www.hachettebookgroup.com/titles/paige-vanzant/rise/9780316472265/?lens=legacy-lit) Her memoir *Rise: Surviving the Fight of My Life*, a 240-page account of her assault, bullying, and recovery through fighting, went on sale April 10, 2018.[5](https://www.hachettebookgroup.com/titles/paige-vanzant/rise/9780316472265/?lens=legacy-lit) Her disclosed career fight earnings total $207,000.[1](https://www.tapology.com/fightcenter/fighters/29691-paige-vanzant)
## Post-UFC combat sports career
**BKFC and wrestling.** After leaving the UFC as a free agent in 2020, VanZant signed with [Bare Knuckle Fighting Championship](https://www.edgepedia.org/bare-knuckle-fighting-championship) in August 2020, calling the contract an amazing opportunity.[3](https://www.espn.com/mma/story/_/id/29647306/sos-former-ufc-fighter-paige-vanzant-joins-bare-knuckle-fighting-championship) She lost back-to-back bare-knuckle decisions to [Britain Hart](https://www.edgepedia.org/britain-hart) and Rachael Ostovich.[12](https://www.mmafighting.com/2024/6/28/24188619/paige-vanzant-scores-2-knockdowns-wins-power-slap-debut) In 2021 she also signed a professional wrestling contract with [All Elite Wrestling](https://www.edgepedia.org/all-elite-wrestling) while stating she was not closing the door on MMA.[4](https://www.espn.com/mma/story/_/id/33479512/paige-vanzant-not-closing-doors-mma-signing-all-elite-wrestling) She later fought to a split draw against Elle Brooke in an influencer boxing match under the Misfits banner.[12](https://www.mmafighting.com/2024/6/28/24188619/paige-vanzant-scores-2-knockdowns-wins-power-slap-debut)
**Power Slap.** In June 2024 VanZant debuted in [Power Slap](https://www.edgepedia.org/power-slap), the slap-fighting promotion owned by UFC CEO Dana White, and won a unanimous 30-25 decision over Christine Wolmarans at Power Slap 8, scoring knockdowns with her second and third slaps.[12](https://www.mmafighting.com/2024/6/28/24188619/paige-vanzant-scores-2-knockdowns-wins-power-slap-debut) It was her first combat sports victory since 2019.[12](https://www.mmafighting.com/2024/6/28/24188619/paige-vanzant-scores-2-knockdowns-wins-power-slap-debut) In her second match, against Chelsea Dodson in [Abu Dhabi](https://www.edgepedia.org/abu-dhabi) in October 2024, she was penalized a point for an illegal "clubbing" strike and the bout ended in a 28-28 draw.[13](https://www.mmafighting.com/2024/10/24/24278773/paige-vanzant-vows-return-slap-fighting-disappointing-result-power-slap-youre-going-to-see-me-again) At Power Slap 12 in March 2025 she defeated Mikael-Michelle Brown by 30-27 on all three scorecards, moving her Power Slap record to 2-0-1, and called for the promotion to introduce women's titles.[14](https://www.mmafighting.com/2025/3/7/24380554/video-paige-vanzant-wants-womens-titles-after-latest-win-power-slap-12-were-here-knock-b-tches-out)
## Personal life
VanZant is married to the professional MMA fighter Austin Vanderford, who signed with the UFC and won his debut at UFC Seattle.[6](https://www.theguardian.com/sport/2018/aug/13/paige-vanzant-ufc-fighter-bullying-abuse) • [14](https://www.mmafighting.com/2025/3/7/24380554/video-paige-vanzant-wants-womens-titles-after-latest-win-power-slap-12-were-here-knock-b-tches-out) She has trained with Gracie Barra Portland and has been affiliated with Team Alpha Male.[9](https://www.sherdog.com/fighter/Paige-VanZant-99019) • [1](https://www.tapology.com/fightcenter/fighters/29691-paige-vanzant)
## References
1. [Paige VanZant ("12 Gauge") fighter page, Tapology](https://www.tapology.com/fightcenter/fighters/29691-paige-vanzant)
2. [Paige VanZant fighter profile, FightMatrix](https://www.fightmatrix.com/fighter-profile/Paige%20VanZant/95146/)
3. [Former UFC fighter Paige VanZant joins Bare Knuckle Fighting Championship, ESPN (Ariel Helwani, Aug 12, 2020)](https://www.espn.com/mma/story/_/id/29647306/sos-former-ufc-fighter-paige-vanzant-joins-bare-knuckle-fighting-championship)
4. [Paige VanZant 'not closing any doors' on MMA after signing with All Elite Wrestling, ESPN](https://www.espn.com/mma/story/_/id/33479512/paige-vanzant-not-closing-doors-mma-signing-all-elite-wrestling)
5. [Rise: Surviving the Fight of My Life, Hachette Book Group](https://www.hachettebookgroup.com/titles/paige-vanzant/rise/9780316472265/?lens=legacy-lit)
6. [Paige VanZant: 'Fighting helped me realise I am a strong, talented woman', The Guardian (Donald McRae, Aug 13, 2018)](https://www.theguardian.com/sport/2018/aug/13/paige-vanzant-ufc-fighter-bullying-abuse)
7. [Introducing Paige VanZant, UFC.com (Thomas Gerbasi, Nov 21, 2014)](https://www.ufc.com/news/introducing-paige-vanzant)
8. [The Problem with Paige VanZant, Combat Press (Schwan Humes, Feb 2, 2018)](https://combatpress.com/2018/02/the-problem-with-paige-vanzant/)
9. [Paige "12 Gauge" VanZant MMA stats and fight history, Sherdog](https://www.sherdog.com/fighter/Paige-VanZant-99019)
10. [Paige VanZant stats and records, UFC.com](https://www.ufc.com/athlete/paige-vanzant?page=1)
11. [Paige VanZant career analytics, FightingData](https://fightingdata.com/fighters/paige-vanzant/)
12. [Paige VanZant scores 2 knockdowns, wins Power Slap debut, MMA Fighting (Jun 29, 2024)](https://www.mmafighting.com/2024/6/28/24188619/paige-vanzant-scores-2-knockdowns-wins-power-slap-debut)
13. [Paige VanZant vows to return to slap fighting after disappointing result, MMA Fighting (Damon Martin, Oct 24, 2024)](https://www.mmafighting.com/2024/10/24/24278773/paige-vanzant-vows-return-slap-fighting-disappointing-result-power-slap-youre-going-to-see-me-again)
14. [Paige VanZant wants women's titles introduced after latest win at Power Slap 12, MMA Fighting (Damon Martin, Mar 8, 2025)](https://www.mmafighting.com/2025/3/7/24380554/video-paige-vanzant-wants-womens-titles-after-latest-win-power-slap-12-were-here-knock-b-tches-out)
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*Topic: Encyclopedia › Sports, games, and recreation › Individual sports and outdoor recreation › Combat sports and professional wrestling › Mixed martial arts › Flyweight and strawweight fighters*
*Initially written Sep 17, 2026 · Reviewed: Sep 17, 2026; Sep 30, 2026; Oct 21, 2026 · Edited: Sep 30, 2026; Oct 12, 2026; Oct 21, 2026 · Last review: Oct 21, 2026*
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License: Edgepedia Community License 1.0, https://www.edgepedia.org/edgepedia/license