Page VanZant considers long and short term plans as UFC return from injury draws near

Paige VanZant is ready for her first fight in more than 16 months after going through a trying series of arm injuries.

VanZant’s (8-4 MMA, 5-3 UFC) arm issue stems back even prior to her most recent bout, which was a second-round submission win over Rachael Ostovich in January 2019 at UFC on ESPN+ 1.

VanZant’s got the worst of it in the time since, though, undergoing more procedures due to subsequent damage. She’s as close to healthy as can be but said there will be a decision point coming up in regards to how she wants to play things long term.

“I have a plate in my arm,” VanZant told MMA Junkie on Thursday. “I broke my arm in a fight. It took two surgeries to fix it, and since then I’ve broken my arm twice. The only reason I’ve broken it the two times prior is because I have a plate in my arm. With each screw I have like six or seven screw holes, then at the end of each plate is a weak point. I did something so silly. I did a big stepping elbow and I broke through a screw hole.

“Ideally I would like to fight , then have the plate taken out, then I can continue on my career and not have to worry about these freak accidents breaking through screw holes. I think ultimately to have my arm be 100 percent and take that risk factor down to zero, I would have to take the plate out. But it’s not necessary. It’s not like I have to have surgery.”

It’s been a long road of ups and downs for VanZant. Lesser athletes would’ve walked away after what she’s endured, and although there were definitely some hard moments, VanZant said the support of her husband, Bellator middleweight Austin Vanderford, always kept her confident brighter days were ahead.

“I think when I re-broke it the third time I was like, ‘That’s it, we’re getting pregnant, we’re having kids. (My husband) is taking over,’” VanZant said. “Then he talked me off the ledge, because I am only 26. I still have a really long career ahead of me, and I haven’t even reached my peak yet. I just turned 26. I went through the whole healing process again and, no, I’ve never once thought about quitting forever – like ever. Even if in my wildest dreams we had kids I would still want to keep fighting. I plan on fighting for at least five to seven years.”

VanZant appears to to have her next fight in place as, according to Combate, she will meet Amanda Ribas on July 11 in a flyweight bout that was originally scheduled for March 14 before VanZant was forced to withdraw. MMA Junkie confirmed that both sides have verbally agreed.

The next fight will be the last on VanZant’s current UFC contract. She’s detailed her plan to test free agency in the past and said that still remains on the forefront of her mind. Whether she stays in the UFC or goes elsewhere, though, she said the next performance is critical to reminding everyone where she stands.

“It’s still my plan (to be a free agent),” VanZant said. “I’m really happy with where I’m at now in the UFC. Ultimately my goal is to show my value. You can be easily forgotten in this sport. I went on a three-fight winning streak. I was main event in the UFC, and only two of my fights have ever gone to a decision. I’m a really exciting fighter, but I haven’t been able to show off because I keep getting hurt. That’s my plan here, to show how good I am.”