Paige VanZant wants to follow the Ronda Rousey formula for success
LOS ANGELES -- Paige VanZant has only met Ronda Rousey in passing. She has never sat down with the UFC's biggest star and had a conversation. But VanZant believes she can still pattern herself after Rousey's innate ability to promote.
"I feel like I get a lot of advice from her just watching her and how she presents herself," VanZant said Monday at a media lunch in Downtown Los Angeles. ... "She's juggling a lot of things right now. It's nice to see how she focuses on fighting and switches over to the movie side of things, too."
Rousey had significant roles in three major motion pictures in the last year and there are more to come. VanZant, a budding UFC women's strawweight contender, wants that one day for herself to go along with a successful MMA career.
VanZant is only 21 years old with two UFC fights under her belt. Yet, she has an individual endorsement deal from Reebok and has appeared on mainstream daytime television shows, like Rousey. The Nevada native has the looks, personality and exciting fighting style to be a marketable force for the UFC for a long time.
On Saturday, VanZant will meet Alex Chambers at UFC 191 in Las Vegas. The UFC is taking things slow with "12 Gauge," as evidenced by the fact that VanZant is ranked No. 7 among UFC women's strawweight contenders, while Chambers is not ranked at all. VanZant said she isn't even thinking much about a potential title shot any time soon.
"I just turned 21," VanZant said. "I still have two years to break the record of youngest titleholder (set by Jon Jones at age 23). I'm gonna take my time in this journey. I have a career and I'm 21 years old and not a lot of 21-year-olds can say that. I want to enjoy the ride. I love every second of being in the UFC. I love every opportunity I've been given. When it's my turn for the title, I'll know and I will be ready for it."
There is no specific formula for VanZant to follow. Very few MMA fighters in the past have been in her place at such a young age. VanZant, though, looks toward Rousey as a role model.
"Obviously, I want to follow Ronda," VanZant said. "She's done amazing things. She's had amazing success and it just kind of shows me how far I can take this. And every time I think she's hit the ceiling, she breaks through again. I would love to obviously follow in her footsteps. I want to continue winning fights before that could ever happen. I need to create a name for myself and maybe I'll get the opportunities that she's getting."
The one thing Rousey does that VanZant plans on shying away from is trash talk. Rousey has had notable rivalries with opponents like Miesha Tate and Bethe Correia. VanZant doesn't envision herself having that kind of bad blood with anyone. She characterizes herself as almost too nice and has no desire to engage fans by bashing a potential foe.
"I think maybe there's a stereotype around what it takes to be a fighter," VanZant said. "People feed off the drama. They want drama. They want something to be able to connect with almost. I think that's why so many reality TV shows are so popular now.
"With me, I don't have that. I shy away from drama. I don't have to go into a fight emotionally."
Rousey does market herself in other ways. Before her UFC 190 fight with Bethe Correia, she coined the "Do Nothing B*tch" catchphrase. Rousey has emerged as a major force in empowering women and is beloved by young, female athletes. VanZant sees things like that and wants to develop similar things for herself.
"She is a very successful person," VanZant said. "I have to look at everything she's doing and take that into account and maybe start following in her footsteps a little bit more if I want to have that sort of success."