Paige VanZant previews upcoming Power Slap 9 clash against Chelsea Dodson, talks overcoming injuries: "It's hard to be active in this sport"

Paige VanZant recently weighed in on her upcoming showdown with Chelsea Dodson at Power Slap 9. '12 Gauge' is gearing up for her sophomore slap fighting appearance this Thursday at Space42 Arena in Abu Dhabi, United Arab Emirates.

During an interview with MMA Fighting, VanZant disclosed that her inclination towards slap fighting stemmed from the grueling weight cuts and consecutive injuries to her right hand that took on her health throughout her combat sports career:

"I had an unfortunate series of injuries with my arm; that's why I slap left-handed. I broke my arm four times and had three surgeries, so it's hard to be active in the sport. Especially the weight cut, as a female, I was still young and coming of age, so the weight cut really messed me up, and it was hard for me to compete multiple times in a calendar year."

The former UFC strawweight fighter further previewed her matchup against Dodson, who is set to make her Power Slap debut. VanZant emphasized that she isn't underestimating her opponent but expressed curiosity about how 'Mini Mayhem' will challenge her:

"She's definitely going to be tough. I think she's going to be very athletic. I'm more just curious about how she's going to hit—if she's going to hit hard... I'm expecting her to be prepared, but I also think it's just going to be a really fun match."

Check out Paige VanZant's comments below (2:20):

'12 Gauge' made her promotional debut at Power Slap 8 in July, securing a unanimous decision victory against Christine Wolmarans, during which she recorded two knockdowns.

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Paige VanZant opens up about how she joined Power Slap

During a recent appearance on MMA Junkie Radio, Paige VanZant shared that following her gloved boxing debut against Elle Brooke at Misfits 15 in May, which ended in a draw, she found herself without any scheduled fights.

Since she was already in fight shape, '12 Gauge' decided to join Power Slap. While she isn't certain how long she will pursue this path, she mentioned that it has been an enjoyable chapter in her career thus far:

"My draw to Power Slap is that I had nothing going on, and I just came out of a boxing match, so I was like, 'You know what, I'm already in shape.' They called and asked if I wanted to do Power Slap, and I was like, 'Yeah, why not? It seems like a great opportunity.' I didn’t know if I would want to do it again; it was a brand-new experience, and I absolutely loved it."

Check out Paige VanZant's comments below (1:25):