Paige VanZant’s octagon return date isn’t clear just yet, but that isn’t keeping her name out of the headlines.
Two months after Sports Illustrated revealed the UFC strawweight would be featured in the annual SI Swimsuit Issue, images of the photo shoot have been released to coincide with the debut of the magazine.
VanZant took to social media to tease some of her favorite shots from the session, which took place earlier this year in Puerto Vallarta, Mexico.
Speaking with SI.com, VanZant said she valued the opportunity to show that she can still be “girly” while also competing in professional cagefighting.
“This is my way of not holding anything back,” VanZant said. “I want people to know that you don’t have to choose. You do not have to label yourself as one thing because that’s what surrounds you. I’m not scared anymore to show how girly I am.
“To go from an amazing UFC finish win in January to shooting for Sports Illustrated Swimsuit magazine in February could not be more of a dream come true.”
VanZant last competed in January, scoring a second-round submission win over Rachael Ostovich. However a fractured arm has left her on the sidelines since. Still, VanZant insisted her passion for fighting remains and recently teased a forthcoming return to action.
“Fighting for me was never a choice; it was never something I watched as a child or looked up to anyone doing,” VanZant said. “Fighting found me. It’s who I am. I walked into a gym one day and realized I was home.
“My career took off right when I was 18. It’s a rush. It’s dedication – day in and day out, sacrificing and grinding for the most amazing feeling in the world, getting your hand raised after a hard-fought war.”
SI.com has a full gallery of the images, along with behind-the-scenes videos, in VanZant’s model profile.
VanZant is the second fighter in UFC history to grace the pages of Sports Illustrated’s famous annual Swimsuit Issue. Former women’s bantamweight champion Ronda Rousey, now a WWE wrestler, was part of the issue in 2016.
For more on the UFC’s upcoming schedule, check out the UFC Rumors section of the site.
