Paige VanZant vs. Rachael Ostovich still scheduled for ESPN+ debut despite ongoing assault case

Rachael Ostovich’s next fight will proceed as scheduled.

The 27-year-old flyweight was recently the victim of an alleged assault at the hands of her husband Arnold Berdon, who is also an MMA fighter. After initially being charged with attempted murder, Berdon saw his charges reclassified and he pleaded not guilty to second-degree assault.

Following the incident, which took place on the weekend of Nov. 17, Ostovich was hospitalized and later treated for a broken orbital. It was initially reported that Ostovich would be forced to withdraw from an upcoming bout with Paige VanZant on the UFC’s ESPN+ debut set for Jan. 19 in Brooklyn, but both Ostovich and VanZant confirmed via social media that the fight is still happening.

ESPN was first to report that the Ostovich vs. VanZant fight was back on the card.

“Rachael went for a follow up today and due to the position of the injury and how it’s healing, the doctors have cleared her and she will be more than healed up in time for this fight,” Osotovich’s manager Brian Butler-Au of SuckerPunch Entertainment told MMA Fighting. “She had her eyes and heart set on this fight and never wanted to pull out of it.”

VanZant took to Twitter to announce that she would still be fighting Ostovich, while offering words of support for her opponent.

“Yes we are going to war with each other in the cage, but I stand by her side with her ongoing battle at home,” VanZant wrote. “Let’s put on a fight and show these people how strong we are.”

Ostovich addressed the news in an Instagram story.

@rachaelostovich, Instagram

In her ongoing assault case, Ostovich currently has a temporary restraining order issued against Berdon that prevents him from being within 100 feet of Ostovich or their daughter until the order expires May 19, 2019. He is expected to appear in court in Honolulu for a preliminary hearing on Dec. 18.