Paige VanZant is not fighting Elle Brooke to stay relevant, explains accepting the offer despite movie deal and other prospects

Former UFC star Paige VanZant is gearing up for her boxing debut against Elle Brooke at Misfits Boxing 15, scheduled for May 25 in Houston, Texas.

Despite facing criticism and questions about her fighting career, VanZant asserted that her decision to step back into the ring is not driven by a need to stay "relevant," as suggested by her opponent Brooke.

Appearing in a recent interview with MMA Fighting, VanZant emphasized that she has numerous opportunities outside of fighting, including a movie contract that she postponed to prioritize this boxing match:

“I have a lot of other opportunities on the table. I signed a movie contract that we’re pushing back so I can have this fight. There’s a lot of other things I could be doing, but I choose to fight because I love it, I have multiple other opportunities reaching out to me that are bigger, I guess, in the realm of popularity. But, I wanted to do this boxing match.I wanna go in there, I wanna show how hard I’ve been working in the gym."

Acknowledging her diverse career pursuits, including ventures like OnlyF*ns, ‘12 Gauge’ reaffirmed that she competes because she wants to, not out of necessity:

And, yeah, I guess I do the Onlyf*ns, and I do all this and that… but, my entire career, people have been asking me why I’m doing it and it’s because I want to. I do whatever the f*** I wanna do. I do it because I’m good at it, and I do it because this is where I’m gonna feel the most success at the end of the day. I like taking risks. I like having fun, and I like to fight.”

Check out Paige VanZant's comments below (7:23):

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What has Elle Brooke said so far about her opponent Paige VanZant?

Elle Brooke has made bold statements about her intentions for the fight. The 26-year-old adult content creator has pledged to retire Paige VanZant when they meet in the ring next month, demonstrating her seriousness and determination to succeed in the sport.

Taking to X, Brooke expressed her readiness for the challenge, stating:

"When they call, I accept. About to retire a UFC star."

Check out the Elle Brooke's tweet on Paige VanZant below:

In addition to her statement on social media, Brooke delivered another sharp jab at VanZant during the official announcement of the match. Responding to a post by Misfits Boxing on Instagram, she posted a crying emoji accompanied by the words:

"Her falloff needs to be studied. UFC to fighting me."

For VanZant, the upcoming bout presents an opportunity to reignite her fighting career after facing setbacks in the BKFC. Despite her previous UFC success, including multiple Fight of the Night awards, VanZant has struggled to find her footing in the bare-knuckle arena, suffering defeats to formidable opponents like Britain Hart and Rachael Ostovich.