Leave it to Paige VanZant to set the internet on fire with a training video. VanZant is looking to reinvent her UFC career in the newly formed UFC flyweight division. VanZant had been competing at 115lbs but says the weight cut has become dangerously difficult for her.
“It’s a big cut for me. I’m a lot heavier than people realize. I was honestly killing myself for this sport. In my last, I want to say two fights, or three fights, I’ve passed out in my bathroom. This last one, I passed out and had the doctors almost not clear me for the fight. And (BJJ coach) Dustin (Akbari) saw me on the floor and had to call Urijah to come save me. I’m a big advocate for body positivity and I was putting myself through an eating disorder to make weight. I hate cutting weight, I hated the process, I mean, passing out on your bathroom floor is not fun because you’re dying in a bathtub.”
VanZant will now make her new home at 125lbs where she’ll meet another fighter who’s changing weight classes, Jessica “Evil” Eye. Preparations have also changed for Paige with her doing this training camp at home in Portland, Oregon.
“I was just kind of planning it already,” VanZant stated. “My whole family is from Portland, I just always had it on my mind that I wanted to be back around family, and it was just a perfect time for me to start over and train with a new camp and be around a huge support and finally have family in my life again. Me and Chael Sonnen have the same management team. I’ve been friends with Chael for a while,” she said. “I knew he was in Portland and he had a really successful fight team out in Portland. I just called him and he really took me under his wing, he set me up with a great MMA gym, which is Gracie Barra with Fabiano, and he also set me up with an amazing conditioning program, Dave. Chael really took me under his wing and set me up with everything I needed.”
In the meantime you can expect the same fun, Paige VanZant she’s always been which was evident by her new viral training video.
