Paige VanZant will return to MMA, signs with GFL
Paige VanZant has announced her return to mixed martial arts (MMA). On her podcast A Kickass Love Story with her husband and fellow fighter Austin Vanderford, the former UFC fighter revealed she has signed with Global Fight League (GFL).
“They are picking up anybody and everybody who has a name in this sport that’s a free agent,” VanZant said. “They offered me a contract and I said yes.”
According to GFL’s website, the promotion “is revolutionizing combat sports with a global, team-based league that shares 50% of event revenue with athletes and prioritizes their health, wellness, and retirement. This groundbreaking league unites fans and athletes, creating MMA’s most passionate community.”
The promotion, which has signed a variety of retired and well-known combat sports athletes, intends to hold their first card in 2025.
“I think this is the perfect opportunity because I didn’t necessarily leave MMA,” VanZant explained. “I definitely didn’t leave MMA because I wasn’t passionate about it, but when I became a free agent outside of the UFC, the biggest offer that came in was [from BKFC]. They were the ones. They presented the best offer to me and it was exciting, and it was new, and it really sparked my interest.
“Not that I didn’t want to fight for Bellator, or, I had a few others [who offered me a deal], but for me, that’s just not where my story, where I wanted to take it. And I was like, ‘No, I want to try this bare-knuckle boxing thing,’ and I absolutely loved it. …
“Now there’s this new MMA promotion organization that actually made me really excited to fight for them.”
