Why did Paige VanZant get cut from the UFC?

Former UFC fighter Paige VanZant seemed set for big things in the promotion. After being signed as a 19-year-old, VanZant quickly became a fan favorite. However, her run in the UFC was much more short-lived than many expected. VanZant now competes in the BKFC, where she is set to meet former UFC rival Rachael Ostovich at BKFC 19 on July 23, 2021.

Paige VanZant bid farewell to the UFC after her final bout at UFC 251, which she lost to Amanda Ribas via submission in the first round. It was the last fight on VanZant's existing contract, and she had stated on multiple occasions before the fight that she wanted to explore free agency, regardless of the outcome of the fight. This was primarily due to VanZant's issues with UFC's fighter pay, which she shed light on multiple times.

Heading into the final fight of her current contract, @paigevanzant is looking to prove her value at #UFC251(via @arielhelwani) pic.twitter.com/t0NnW7ObRl

— ESPN MMA (@espnmma) June 24, 2020

Following the loss to Ribas, UFC president Dana White said Paige VanZant was free to explore free agency. Clearly, VanZant's comments about fighter pay didn't sit well with the promotion's president. White reiterated VanZant's loss and her recurrent inactivity due to injuries, stating that higher pay must merit octagon performances worthy of the same.

Dana White likes Paige VanZant but think she should test free agency after #UFC251.Watch full video: https://t.co/Os153VCibq pic.twitter.com/2dYOUXZkV1

— MMAFighting.com (@MMAFighting) July 12, 2020

The fight with Ribas was VanZant's final bout in the UFC. It would appear both she and the promotion weren't keen on renewing her contract. Shortly after, Paige VanZant signed a four-fight deal with BKFC.

OFFICIAL: @PaigeVanZant Welcomes @RachaelOstovich to the BKFC this July at #BKFC19 pic.twitter.com/wxdEmbWG3H

— Bare Knuckle FC (@bareknucklefc) May 27, 2021

What was Paige VanZant's UFC record?

After winning her first three fights in the UFC, VanZant had setbacks in the strawweight division against Rose Namajunas and Michelle Waterson. Paige VanZant decided to move up to flyweight owing to grueling weight cuts. Unfortunately for '12 Gauge', she had repeated problems with injuries.

She amassed a 3-2 record at strawweight, with two post-fight bonuses: 'Fight of the Night' for her debut against Kailin Curran and 'Performance of the Night' for her win over Bec Rawlings.

'12 Gauge' amassed a 1-2 record at flyweight before departing from the UFC. Paige VanZant's final bout in the UFC came against Amanda Ribas at UFC 251, where VanZant lost via submission in round one. Effectively, her record was 2-4 in her last six bouts.

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