Paige VanZant scores 2 knockdowns, wins Power Slap debut

Paige VanZant has her first combat sports victory since 2019.

The popular UFC and BKFC veteran scored two knockdowns en route to winning her slap debut via one-sided unanimous decision over against Christine Wolmarans on Friday at Power Slap 8.

VanZant, 30, knocked Wolmarans down with her second and third slaps of the three-round match. Wolmarans survived, but barely seemed to hurt VanZant with offense of her own, despite even getting a fourth attempt after VanZant was called for a flinching foul in the third round.

In the end, all three judges scored the match 30-25 in VanZant’s favor.

“Honestly, it was absolutely incredible,” VanZant said. “Of course I wanted to knock her out with the first slap, but I’m so happy that it went the way that it did. I knew I could take a punch, I knew I could take a slap. That was really fun.”

VanZant had been unsuccessful in her combat sports endeavors since submitting Rachael Ostovich with an armbar in a 2019 UFC bout. She suffered a first-round loss to Amanda Ribas in her final UFC bout, then lost back-to-back decisions against Britain Hart and Ostovich in bare-knuckle boxing after signing with BKFC. Most recently, she fought to a split draw in an influencer boxing match against Elle Brooke under the Misfits banner after suffering an early knockdown in the bout.

Now, however, VanZant is finally back in the winner’s circle — and she indicated that Friday’s slap debut won’t just be a one-off.

“This is too much fun to walk away from,” VanZant said.

Watch highlights below.