{"id":20493,"date":"2026-06-06T00:00:00","date_gmt":"2026-06-06T07:00:00","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/hotnessrater.com\/articles\/?p=20493"},"modified":"2026-05-06T14:04:27","modified_gmt":"2026-05-06T21:04:27","slug":"paige-vanzant-the-beautiful-fighter-extraoirdinaire","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/hotnessrater.com\/articles\/2026\/06\/06\/paige-vanzant-the-beautiful-fighter-extraoirdinaire\/","title":{"rendered":"Paige VanZant: The Beautiful Fighter Extraoirdinaire"},"content":{"rendered":"

Paige VanZant<\/a> is a fighter you’d just submit to.\u00a0 Even outside the ring. Even from afar.\u00a0 I mean, just look at what this woman is packing…<\/p>\n

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I bet you won’t complain if she gives you a chokehold, huh? Maybe you can tap in Morse code your safe word.\u00a0 So, are you ready to be in awe and at the same time be intimidated by this woman’s beauty?\u00a0 So let’s start, my friend, so we can ogle at her photos right after.<\/p>\n

Who is Paige VanZant<\/h2>\n

Paige VanZant is one of those athletes who clearly didn\u2019t believe in sticking to just one job title.\u00a0 Known to many as \u201c12 Gauge,\u201d she first made her name in the Ultimate Fighting Championship, competing in both the strawweight and flyweight divisions with a fast, aggressive style that got people\u2019s attention quickly.<\/p>\n

\"Paige<\/a><\/p>\n

But she didn\u2019t stop at MMA. Over the years, she\u2019s added bare-knuckle boxing (with Bare Knuckle Fighting Championship), professional wrestling with All Elite Wrestling, and even traditional boxing to her r\u00e9sum\u00e9.\u00a0 At this point, if it involves competition and a crowd, she\u2019s probably tried it.<\/p>\n

Outside the ring, she\u2019s just as visible\u2014appearing on shows like Dancing with the Stars and Chopped, writing a book, modeling, and building a strong online presence.<\/p>\n

In short: fighter, entertainer, entrepreneur\u2014Paige VanZant is doing a little bit of everything, and somehow making it all fit.<\/p>\n

Her Early Life<\/h2>\n

Paige VanZant was born on March 26, 1994, in Dundee, Oregon, and grew up nearby in Sherwood\u2014basically splitting her time between dance studios and the outdoors.\u00a0 Her parents owned a dance studio, so she spent over a decade training in ballet, jazz, and hip-hop (Yes, the footwork was there long before the fight game).<\/p>\n

Outside the studio, she was more of a self-described tomboy\u2014into dirt bikes, fishing, and anything that didn\u2019t involve sitting still.\u00a0 She even popped up in a Bissell commercial as a teen, which is a very different kind of \u201cearly career highlight.\u201d<\/p>\n

\"Paige<\/a><\/p>\n

Her high school years, though, weren\u2019t easy.\u00a0 She dealt with serious bullying and went through a traumatic experience, which eventually led her to legally change her last name to VanZant\u2014choosing it simply because she liked the sound of it.\u00a0 It was a way of taking back control in a situation where she didn\u2019t have much.<\/p>\n

That chapter, while difficult, helped shape her path.\u00a0 It\u2019s part of what pushed her toward martial arts\u2014giving her not just a competitive outlet, but also a sense of strength and self-defense.\u00a0 And if her career has shown anything since, it\u2019s that she turned that resilience into something powerful.<\/p>\n

Career Journey<\/h2>\n

Paige VanZant didn\u2019t exactly plan on becoming a fighter\u2014it kind of found her.\u00a0 After moving to Sparks, Nevada, she went looking for a dance studio and instead walked into a gym run by Ken Shamrock.\u00a0 Slight detour\u2026\u00a0 big outcome.<\/p>\n

\"Paige<\/a><\/p>\n

She started training in boxing and martial arts, won an amateur fight at 18, and turned pro in 2012\u2014picking up wins right out of the gate.\u00a0 By 2013, she had caught the attention of the Ultimate Fighting Championship, signing on as part of its new strawweight division.\u00a0 She was even set to appear on The Ultimate Fighter, but got sidelined for one very specific reason: she was 20, and the show required fighters to be 21.\u00a0 Timing is everything.<\/p>\n

Once she got going in the UFC, she quickly became a fan favorite, known for her aggressive style and willingness to go all in.\u00a0 One of her standout moments came in 2016 when she knocked out Bec Rawlings with a flying head kick\u2014earning a Performance of the Night bonus and reminding everyone she\u2019s not just here for the spotlight.<\/p>\n

Injuries, though, became part of the story too. A mix of back issues and other health setbacks forced her out of key fights, including a planned move to the flyweight division in 2017.<\/p>\n

By 2020, she made a bold pivot, signing a multi-fight deal with Bare Knuckle Fighting Championship reportedly worth over $1 million. She debuted in 2021 but came up short in her first fight\u2014proof that even big moves come with challenges.<\/p>\n

Not one to stay still, she kept exploring new formats, including stepping into the world of slap fighting in 2024.\u00a0 Yes, really.\u00a0 She picked up wins, a draw, and kept building experience in yet another combat sport\u2014because apparently trying one is never enough.<\/p>\n

\"Paige<\/a><\/p>\n

In 2025, she signed with the Global Fight League and was set to debut on a high-profile card\u2014but the events were ultimately canceled before she could step in.<\/p>\n

If there\u2019s a pattern here, it\u2019s this: Paige VanZant doesn\u2019t wait around for opportunities\u2014she jumps into them, sometimes quite literally.<\/p>\n

Facts and Trivia<\/h2>\n

Paige VanZant fights the way you\u2019d expect from someone nicknamed \u201c12 Gauge\u201d\u2014fast, aggressive, and always moving forward.\u00a0 Her style leans heavily on pressure: she likes to close the distance, tie opponents up, and go to work with clinch strikes, ground-and-pound, and the occasional \u201cyou\u2019re not getting away that easily\u201d grappling sequence.<\/p>\n

If an opponent manages to break free, she\u2019s usually right back in front of them within seconds, resetting the chaos.\u00a0 Inside the clinch, she mixes in knees, elbows, punches, and throws\u2014basically turning tight spaces into her comfort zone.\u00a0 At range, she\u2019ll switch it up with kicks and punches, and her background in dance actually shows up in her movement\u2014flexible, quick, and surprisingly fluid.\u00a0 Case in point: that flying kick knockout of Bec Rawlings that earned her a Performance of the Night bonus.<\/p>\n

\"Paige<\/a><\/p>\n

She\u2019s also got a purple belt in Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu, so it\u2019s not just pressure\u2014it\u2019s pressure with technique behind it.<\/p>\n

Outside the cage, she\u2019s kept things just as unpredictable.\u00a0 In 2021, she stepped into pro wrestling with All Elite Wrestling, quickly getting involved in storylines (and yes, throwing hands there too).\u00a0 She made her in-ring debut in 2022 and picked up a win alongside her team before eventually stepping away from the promotion in 2024.<\/p>\n

And just to prove she can switch gears entirely, she competed on Dancing with the Stars in 2016 with partner Mark Ballas\u2014making it all the way to the finals and finishing second.\u00a0 From fight nights to dance floors, she\u2019s clearly comfortable wherever there\u2019s a spotlight.<\/p>\n

Paige VanZant Photos<\/h2>\n

Join her over 3 million followers on Instagram<\/a> for her latest personal content.
\nAnd do check out our Paige VanZant page<\/a> for a good number of her pictures.<\/p>\n

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