Paige VanZant, former UFC fighter and AEW wrestler, has added another chapter to her diverse combat sports career by winning her debut match in Dana White’s “Power Slap.” On Friday night, VanZant triumphed over Christine Wolmarans, earning a unanimous decision after two of her three slaps forced Wolmarans to take a knee, which counts as a legal knockdown in “Power Slap.” This victory showcases VanZant’s versatility and adaptability across various combat sports, highlighting her ability to excel in different competitive environments.
VanZant’s successful debut in “Power Slap” demonstrates her commitment to exploring and mastering new challenges within the realm of combat sports. Her transition from mixed martial arts and professional wrestling to this unique format underscores her athleticism and willingness to push boundaries. The unanimous decision victory, marked by the knockdowns, not only establishes her as a formidable competitor in “Power Slap” but also adds to her impressive and varied combat sports résumé.
This win over Wolmarans is likely to fuel further interest in VanZant’s career and her potential future endeavors within “Power Slap” and beyond. Fans and analysts will be keen to see how she continues to evolve and what other arenas she might conquer next. Her triumph in this new format underscores her determination and skill, making her a standout figure in the ever-expanding landscape of combat sports.
In a post-match interview with Charly Arnolt, VanZant expressed her excitement and gratitude. “Obviously, I wanted to knock her out the first slap, but I’m so happy it went the way it did. I knew I could take a punch, I knew I could take a slap, and that was really fun,” she said. “This feels absolutely incredible, I want to thank Dana for bringing me to ‘Power Slap.’ I know this is the start of a long relationship.”
VanZant’s journey through various combat sports includes a stint in professional and bare-knuckle boxing, along with her brief career in professional wrestling. She signed with AEW in 2022, making sporadic appearances with Dan Lambert’s American Top Team stable. Her in-ring debut came at Double or Nothing 2022, where she secured a win alongside Ethan Page and Scorpio Sky against Frankie Kazarian, Sammy Guevara, and Tay Melo. Despite a promising start, this match proved to be her first and last in AEW, with Gangrel later revealing that she stopped training after that bout. VanZant was officially removed from AEW’s roster at the beginning of this month.
