Cash Grab?

Paige VanZant claims she’s returning to fighting to show off her improved boxing skills, but opponent Elle Brooke believes “12 Gauge” is coming back to gain some clout.

The two women will lock horns later this evening (Sat., May 25, 2024) at Misfits Boxing 15 live on DAZN PPV from Houston, Tex., as VanZant makes her professional boxing debut for a shot at Brooke’s MFB middleweight title. It will be the first time VanZant is competing in combat sports since a short stint in Bare Knuckle Fighting Championship (BKFC) back in 2021.

VanZant, who has made a ton of money over the past three years through social media and OnlyFans, still has a little bit to prove at this point in her career. She hasn’t fought in Ultimate Fighting Championship (UFC) since 2020, went 0-2 as a bareknuckle boxer, and hasn’t won a fight of any kind since 2019. “12 Gauge” is hoping regain the respect of combat fans with a solid showing this weekend.

Brooke, who has been extremely active inside of the ring over the past two years, doesn’t believe VanZant is returning to the mix for the love of the sport. Instead, Brooke believes VanZant is fighting at Misfits Boxing 15 this weekend to stay relevant and earn a hefty payday.

“I think she fights to keep relevant, whereas that’s not the reason why I fight,” Brooke told MMA Fighting. “My bread and butter is entertainment and entertaining people, but that’s not what she does. Yeah, she probably does love it, but it’s probably for the bag as well.”

While VanZant has a large advantage over Brooke when it comes to overall combat experience, Brooke believes her boxing skills are superior and will allow her to dictate tonight’s title fight.

“I know that she’s had a couple of bare-knuckle [fights] but it’s still a little bit more awkward in the stances, it’s not exactly the same sport,” Brooke said. “I think that I probably have the advantage in the boxing ring.

“I am confident that I will win, but she is the hardest opponent to date. She’s a mixed martial artist. She’s been fighting her whole life. So she’s definitely more experienced than me, but I definitely feel I have the edge when it comes to boxing.”

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To order Misfits Boxing 15: “Brooke vs. VanZant” on DAZN pay-per-view (PPV) CLICK HERE.