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‘See you in Seattle’ – Paige VanZant reacts as husband signs for UFC and gears up for debut on days’ notice
Paige VanZant’s husband Austin Vanderford is officially a UFC fighter. Vanderford has been a competitive MMA fighter for over 13 years, predominantly representing the Bellator MMA banner. Vanderford has spent the majority of his fighting career at BellatorSportsfile He now follows in the footsteps of his wife who fought in the UFC for six yearsGetty He will make his debut immediately this weekend at UFC Fight Night 252 in Seattle, which is headlined by former two-division champion Henry Cejudo. The 34-year-old faces Nikolay Veretennikov, who is making just his second UFC appearance, in a 175-pound catchweight bout. Vanderford married VanZant, who made her UFC debut aged 20, in 2018 after the pair struck up a relationship while training at the same MMA gym. “See you in Seattle UFC,” VanZant wrote on X, reacting to the announcement of Vanderford’s signing on Tuesday. She then shared a post from Damon Martin of MMA Fighting, which presented details of her husband’s fight with Veretennikov. Vanderford had an excellent start to his professional MMA career, winning his first seven fights before earning a spot on Dana White’s Contender Series. The series put on by UFC president Dana White offers prospective fighters the opportunity to battle it out with one another for a contract with the promotion. Although Vanderford won his 2018 bout by submitting Angelo Trevino, the Alaska native failed to secure a UFC contract and signed for Bellator (now Professional Fighters League) shortly after. He went on quite a dominant run in Bellator, beating the likes of Fabian Edwards en route to a welterweight title shot. ‘The Gentleman’ lost his one and only title shot in the promotion, but certainly showed signs of potential that could lead to him making an immediate splash in the UFC. VanZant was right by Vanderford’s side when he fought in Dana White’s Contender SeriesGetty He got a win on season two of the series, but was not awarded a contractGetty Vanderford boasts a solid pro MMA record of 12 wins and two defeats, which is one fight more than his wife has managed to date in the sport. Speaking to BBC Sport in 2022, Vanderford revealed that he couldn’t believe someone like VanZant was interested in him when they first started dating. “I knew her training sessions would finish at nine in the morning,” he said. “So I’d get up at four, drive five hours to get there just in time before she had to leave and we just clicked straight away… “I come from a very small town in Alaska and had met very few celebrities, so it was hard for me to believe that she was interested in me. “So really, she pursued me more than I did her for the simple fact that it was just unbelievable to me.” VanZant was already a household name when she first started dating VanderfordInstagram/@austinvanderford The pair continue to train together when one of them has a fightInstagram/@austinvanderford VanZant made her name in the UFC before leaving in 2020 and signing a lucrative deal worth around $1.2million with the Bare Knuckle Fighting Championship (BKFC). After two fights with BKFC, which is co-owned by Conor McGregor, the American put on the gloves for a traditional boxing bout with influencer Elle Brooke in May last year. Unfortunately, it didn’t go to plan as ’12 Gauge’ was dropped by the fight novice, who had only squared off against fellow influencers beforehand. In June, she shocked everyone by announcing that she would make her Power Slap debut against Christine Wolmarans. VanZant left Wolmarans wincing in pain as she won her first slap fighting bout by unanimous decision, before drawing her next contest with Chelsea Dodson. Away from combat sports, the 30-year-old also appeared on Dancing with the Stars, made wrestling cameos for AEW and earned millions selling exclusive content on OnlyFans. Elsewhere at UFC Seattle this weekend, Cejudo aims to reignite his championship sparks as he faces Song Yadong, while Brendan Allen takes on Anthony Hernandez. Rob Font fights Jean Matsumoto, Jean Silva challenges Melsik Baghdasaryan and another UFC debutant in Julius Walker takes on Alonzo Menifield.
Paige VanZant’s husband Austin Vanderford is officially a UFC fighter.
Vanderford has been a competitive MMA fighter for over 13 years, predominantly representing the Bellator MMA banner.
He will make his debut immediately this weekend at UFC Fight Night 252 in Seattle, which is headlined by former two-division champion Henry Cejudo.
The 34-year-old faces Nikolay Veretennikov, who is making just his second UFC appearance, in a 175-pound catchweight bout.
Vanderford married VanZant, who made her UFC debut aged 20, in 2018 after the pair struck up a relationship while training at the same MMA gym.
“See you in Seattle UFC,” VanZant wrote on X, reacting to the announcement of Vanderford’s signing on Tuesday.
She then shared a post from Damon Martin of MMA Fighting, which presented details of her husband’s fight with Veretennikov.
Vanderford had an excellent start to his professional MMA career, winning his first seven fights before earning a spot on Dana White’s Contender Series.
The series put on by UFC president Dana White offers prospective fighters the opportunity to battle it out with one another for a contract with the promotion.
Although Vanderford won his 2018 bout by submitting Angelo Trevino, the Alaska native failed to secure a UFC contract and signed for Bellator (now Professional Fighters League) shortly after.
He went on quite a dominant run in Bellator, beating the likes of Fabian Edwards en route to a welterweight title shot.
‘The Gentleman’ lost his one and only title shot in the promotion, but certainly showed signs of potential that could lead to him making an immediate splash in the UFC.
Vanderford boasts a solid pro MMA record of 12 wins and two defeats, which is one fight more than his wife has managed to date in the sport.
Speaking to BBC Sport in 2022, Vanderford revealed that he couldn’t believe someone like VanZant was interested in him when they first started dating.
“I knew her training sessions would finish at nine in the morning,” he said.
“So I’d get up at four, drive five hours to get there just in time before she had to leave and we just clicked straight away…
“I come from a very small town in Alaska and had met very few celebrities, so it was hard for me to believe that she was interested in me.
“So really, she pursued me more than I did her for the simple fact that it was just unbelievable to me.”
VanZant made her name in the UFC before leaving in 2020 and signing a lucrative deal worth around $1.2million with the Bare Knuckle Fighting Championship (BKFC).
After two fights with BKFC, which is co-owned by Conor McGregor, the American put on the gloves for a traditional boxing bout with influencer Elle Brooke in May last year.
Unfortunately, it didn’t go to plan as ’12 Gauge’ was dropped by the fight novice, who had only squared off against fellow influencers beforehand.
In June, she shocked everyone by announcing that she would make her Power Slap debut against Christine Wolmarans.
VanZant left Wolmarans wincing in pain as she won her first slap fighting bout by unanimous decision, before drawing her next contest with Chelsea Dodson.
Away from combat sports, the 30-year-old also appeared on Dancing with the Stars, made wrestling cameos for AEW and earned millions selling exclusive content on OnlyFans.
Elsewhere at UFC Seattle this weekend, Cejudo aims to reignite his championship sparks as he faces Song Yadong, while Brendan Allen takes on Anthony Hernandez.
Rob Font fights Jean Matsumoto, Jean Silva challenges Melsik Baghdasaryan and another UFC debutant in Julius Walker takes on Alonzo Menifield.
