UFC News: Paige VanZant leaves the door open for a WWE appearance in the future
What's the story?
Paige VanZant, one of the Ultimate Fighting Championship's (UFC) biggest mainstream stars, has indicated in multiple interviews her interest in a potential crossover into the premiere pro-wrestling organization, the WWE.
Most recently, in an interview with MMA Weekly, VanZant said, "There’s probably huge potential for a crossover [with the WWE] down the line and of course I’m a big fan of what they do, so it would be great to be a part of."
In case you didn't know...
VanZant, 24, is 7-4 in her professional fighting career with a 4-3 record inside the Octagon. The two-time UFC headliner has broad mainstream appeal, even competing on a recent season of Dancing with the Stars.
Currently, VanZant is riding a two-fight losing streak to top strawweight contender, Michelle Waterson, and flyweight contender, Jessica Rose-Clark. Recently, the UFC announced that VanZant would return to MMA competition in January when she will face Rachel Ostavich on UFC on ESPN+ 1.
In a July interview with Fightful MMA, VanZant indicated her interest in a WWE crossover, saying she would "love to make an appearance in WWE."
The heart of the matter
"12 Gauge" was sure to say that such a transition would not be immediate, telling MMA Weekly, "I’m not ready to leave the UFC just yet. I love being a professional fighter and I still have a long career ahead of me. I also think the WWE is an amazing organization and it’s a very athletic entertainment industry which would suit me."
Speaking with MMA Weekly, VanZant revealed that she "got the opportunity to talk to Stephanie [McMahon] for a little bit on Tuesday which was great."
VanZant and McMahon, the Chief Brand Officer for the WWE and a highly influential executive, were both in Portugal for a global technology conference, Web Summit 2018.
What's next?
MMA and pro-wrestling have long been linked, and competitors from both sports have crossed over many times.
Names like Ken Shamrock, Ronda Rousey, Brock Lesnar, Bobby Lashley, Matt Riddle, and dozens more stand out as popular athletes to compete in both MMA and pro-wrestling.
Should VanZant make a WWE appearance, she would join past UFC fighters like the aforementioned Rousey, Shayna Baszler, Jessamyn Duke, and many others.
While VanZant has said she does not expect such an appearance to happen at any future date, in particular, it is definitely something to keep on for fans of both sports.