Talks emerge of a potential move to Bare Knuckle FC for Paige VanZant
Paige Vanzant is now a free agent. Paige completed her last fight on her UFC contact at Fight Island.
Although she did not get the win, Paige is still one of the biggest draws in MMA. Many have speculated whether she will stay with the UFC or sign with another promotion. If so, the obvious choice would be Bellator.
A new option has recently emerged. A recent rumor suggests that the “Dancing with the Stars” contestant might end up in Bare Knuckle FC. No official announcement has been made.
The Bellator flyweight champion LLima Lei-Macfarlane wouldn’t mind if Paige came to Bellator as she doesn’t exactly have a long list of challenges in front of her. A move to Bellator would set up a super fight between the two biggest women stars in the sport.
Macfarlane is aware of the spotlight VanZant would bring to Bellator but doesn’t think she should get the title shot right off the bat.
“I think that she would bring really good publicity to our division,” Macfarlane told MMA Junkie Radio. “And you know, would I necessarily say that she should get a title shot right off the bat? Of course not. I don’t think so at all. But, like for future matches, yeah, I would totally welcome that.”
A recent rumor suggested VanZant could wind up in Bare Knuckle FC. Macfarlane believes Paige will end up where ever she can get the best deal.
“I think that she’s a smart girl, and she’s gonna go where, I think she’s going to bare-knuckle boxing,” she said. “I don’t know if I’m supposed to say that, but, yeah, I think that she should go where she’s going to be treated well and paid well.”
Until an announcement is made Macfarlane will keep looking for an opponent.
“It’s difficult with the travel ban, obviously,” Macfarlane said. “One of the No. 1 contenders, Juliana Velasquez, is in Brazil, and it’s really hard to get her over here because of the travel ban, so a lot of the contenders who are stateside are coming off of losses, so it’s kind of tricky. We’re kind of in limbo as far as a title fight goes.”
Macfarlane is thinking of moving up a weight class just to get a fight.
“I have proposed an idea. I’m like, ‘Well, we really don’t know how long this is going to last, so how would you feel about fighting me at bantamweight?” she said. “That way people, for lack of a better term, won’t get their panties in a twist that Juliana isn’t fighting for the belt or with the whole title stuff. Why don’t we just fight a bantamweight fight against a stateside girl? I just want to keep active and give me a fight in 2020. We’re working on it.”
