Paige Michelle VanZant was born on March 26, 1994, in the small northwest town of Dayton, Oregon. Growing up, she was a tomboy who loved getting her hands dirty, enjoying activities like fishing and hunting with her father, and engaging in boxing matches with her brother and neighborhood friends.
As a child, VanZant's parents owned a dance studio where she excelled in the art, competing competitively for 13 years. Her natural athletic ability led her to become a varsity cheerleader in high school, but unfortunately, she faced bullying and harassment from her peers, which eventually became so severe that she had to seek the authorities' assistance.
One of the responding officers suggested she learn self-defense, which led her family to relocate to Reno, Nevada, where VanZant began taking boxing classes. This marked the beginning of her journey in the world of Mixed Martial Arts (MMA),a discipline she would eventually become passionate about.
Despite being a brilliant student, VanZant's high school experience was marred by bullying, which left her feeling ashamed of her appearance. However, her introduction to MMA brought her a newfound sense of self-confidence, allowing her to grow into a stronger person. Today, she is an outspoken advocate against bullying, using her platform to raise awareness about the issue.
VanZant made her professional MMA debut in 2012 and quickly gained attention. She was slated to appear on The Ultimate Fighter television series in 2013 but had to withdraw due to age restrictions. Undeterred, she continued to hone her skills and made her UFC Strawweight debut on November 22, 2014, defeating Kailin Curran via TKO in the third round, becoming one of the youngest fighters to receive the Fight of the Night award.