VanZant: ‘I was giving myself an eating disorder’ trying to make strawweight

Paige VanZant is one of the most recognizable names in the UFC, but she wasn’t enjoying the process before her fights. Making the strawweight limit was extremely hard on her body, andshe told the BBC that it was causing some serious issues:

“I was having different issues with myself and my body. I was giving myself an eating disorder to make the weight.”

The institution of the UFC flyweight division was a very good thing for her, and she moved up there before her last fight. But she stated that it was a scary incident involving middleweightUriah Hall that cemented her decision to fight at 125. Right before her flyweight debut, she was there to witness Hall collapsing and being rushed to the hospital:

”I was at a fight where a fellow UFC fighter, Uriah Hall, was cutting weight and he pushed himself just to the brink of death. He had kidney failure and started seizing in the hallway right in front of me.

”It’s because of that I’m like ‘I cant do this anymore.’”

VanZant (7-4, 4-3 UFC) also told them she normally walks around at approximately 135 pounds, and that she’s still recovering from the broken arm she suffered in her loss to Jessica-Rose Clark in January. She will return to training when the healing is complete.