Honestly, if you only follow the headlines, you probably think Paige VanZant just walked away from fighting to post bikini pictures on the internet. It’s a common narrative. People love a simple "fall from grace" or "sell-out" story, especially when it involves a woman who was once the UFC’s hand-picked golden girl. But that version of the story is basically a myth.
The reality? Paige is arguably the smartest business operator to ever come out of a Dana White-led promotion. While former champions are out here struggling to pay for hip surgeries or taking questionable coaching gigs in tiny gyms, VanZant is sitting on a multi-million dollar empire she built by refusing to be just a "fighter."
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Why the UFC Exit Was the Smartest Move She Ever Made
Most fighters treat the UFC like it’s the only ocean in the world. They’re terrified to leave because of the "prestige," even when the paychecks barely cover their camp costs and physical therapy. Paige saw the writing on the wall early. You've gotta remember, she was only 20 when she made her debut. By the time she hit her mid-20s, she’d already realized that the Octagon was a platform, not a destination.
When she left the UFC in 2020 after that submission loss to Amanda Ribas, the "purists" mocked her. They said she couldn't hang with the elite anymore. Maybe they were right about the top-five rankings, but they were dead wrong about her career trajectory.
She didn't quit; she pivoted.
She signed a massive four-fight deal with Bare Knuckle Fighting Championship (BKFC) worth over a million dollars. Think about that. She was making more to fight without gloves than most UFC veterans make in their entire careers. Even though she went 0-2 in BKFC with losses to Britain Hart and Rachael Ostovich, the checks cleared. She wasn't fighting for "legacy" anymore. She was fighting for equity.
The OnlyFans Reality Check
Let’s talk about the elephant in the room: the content. Paige has been incredibly transparent about this, which is kinda refreshing in a sport where everyone pretends they’re only in it for the love of the game. She famously told the Only Stans podcast that she made more money in 24 hours on her subscription site than she did in her entire UFC career combined.
That’s not an exaggeration.
In the UFC, her pay was often public knowledge—roughly $46,000 to show and $46,000 to win toward the end. After taxes, management fees, and training camp costs, that’s not "get rich" money. Today, her estimated monthly revenue from OnlyFans and FanTime is north of $200,000.
- UFC Career Earnings: Estimated $500k over six years.
- Content Creation Earnings: Estimated $2M+ per year.
It’s hard to argue with those numbers. She’s essentially used her "girl next door" image to fund a lifestyle that most world champions can only dream of.
The "Combat Hobbyist" Era: Power Slap and Beyond
As of early 2026, Paige has entered what I’d call her "Combat Hobbyist" era. She doesn't have to fight to eat anymore, which makes her choices way more interesting—and occasionally weird.
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Take Power Slap, for instance.
A lot of people hated that she joined Dana White’s slap-fighting league. Even Joe Rogan was joking about it, telling people "don't ruin your faces." But Paige did it anyway. She made her debut in June 2024 at Power Slap 8, beating Christine Wolmarans by decision. Then she came back in early 2025 at Power Slap 12 and beat Mikael-Michelle Brown.
She's currently undefeated in slap fighting. Is it high-level martial arts? No. Is it keeping her name in the Google Discover feed? Absolutely.
But the biggest news for 2026 is her return to actual MMA. She recently signed with the Global Fight League (GFL), a new promotion that's been snatching up big-name free agents like Wanderlei Silva and Benson Henderson. She’s training back at American Top Team in Florida, and for the first time in a long time, she sounds actually excited about the cage.
The "12 Gauge" Evolution
What most people get wrong is thinking she’s "done." She’s only 31 years old. In the world of women’s flyweight and strawweight, that’s still very much a competitive age.
She’s also managed to avoid the massive, career-ending brain trauma that often comes with staying in the UFC too long. By moving to boxing (she had a draw against Elle Brooke in 2024) and pro wrestling (AEW), she’s kept herself active without the brutal "grind" of 15-minute grappling wars every four months.
Her Current Stats and Status (2026 Update)
- MMA Record: 8-5 (Expected to compete in GFL this year).
- Power Slap Record: 2-0.
- Boxing Record: 0-0-1.
- Primary Focus: Content empire and GFL debut.
Breaking Down the "Marketability" Myth
For years, people said Paige was only famous because she was pretty. It’s a lazy take. There are a lot of attractive people in MMA who can't draw a crowd to save their lives.
Paige has "it."
She has a specific type of charisma that works on Dancing with the Stars (where she finished second) just as well as it works in a post-fight interview. She understands that in 2026, an athlete is a media company. You aren't just a body that performs; you're a brand that people want to subscribe to—literally and figuratively.
Her husband, Austin Vanderford, is also a high-level fighter who’s been in the UFC and Bellator. They’ve turned their relationship into a brand, "A Kickass Love Story," which they use to host podcasts and sell merch. They’ve essentially figured out how to monetize every single aspect of their lives so that the actual fighting part is just "extra."
What’s Next for PVZ?
If you’re looking to follow her career this year, stop looking for her on a UFC 300-something card. It’s not happening. Dana White might have compared her to Ronda Rousey back in the day, but that ship has sailed, and frankly, Paige is the one who burned the bridge to build a better one.
Actionable Insights for Following the PVZ Brand:
- Watch the GFL Debut: This will be her first real MMA test in years. Look for whether she’s actually improved her grappling or if she’s just relying on the same athleticism that got her through the 2010s.
- Monitor the Power Slap Integration: She’s becoming the face of the women's division there. If she wins another one, expect a title shot in that "sport."
- Check the "FanTime" Shifts: She’s moving more toward "lifestyle" content lately—think fitness, travel, and behind-the-scenes—rather than just the provocative stuff that built the initial bankroll.
The lesson of Paige VanZant isn't that she stopped being a fighter. It's that she realized being a fighter was the least profitable thing about her. She’s the blueprint for the modern athlete who wants to retire with their brain and their bank account intact. Love her or hate her, you've gotta respect the hustle.
Stay tuned for the GFL Miami card dates; that's where we'll see if the "homecoming" is a real resurgence or just the next chapter of the business plan.