Paige VanZant thinks she could have made just as much money working a normal job as she has as a professional fighter.
VanZant hasn’t been shy about the fact that she hasn’t made a ton of money in the UFC, and she’s eager to test her market value once her contract is up after fighting Amanda Ribas this Saturday at UFC 251. (RELATED: David Hookstead Is The True King In The North When It Comes To College Football)
However, VanZant might not exactly understand that she’s still earned a substantial amount more than the average person walking the street.
Heading into the final fight of her current contract, @paigevanzant is looking to prove her value at #UFC251
(via @arielhelwani) pic.twitter.com/t0NnW7ObRl
— ESPN MMA (@espnmma) June 24, 2020
“I’ve added up all the money I’ve made in the UFC over six years, and I could have just had a regular job with the same pay,” VanZant said when discussing the situation, according to MMAFighting.com.
She also added that she’s “thankful for everything the UFC has done for” her, like giving her a platform.
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It’s not a secret that I’m a big fan of Paige VanZant. I think she’s a superstar, but she’s a bit off-base with these comments.
Through eight fights with the UFC, she’s earned $474,500 since 2014. That breaks down to just a shade more than $79,000 a year.
The average person under the age of 35 makes less than $44,000 a year, according to CNBC. VanZant’s UFC earnings blow the average salary of someone her age away.
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Add in all the money she made from “Dancing with the Stars,” which is more than her entire UFC career earnings, and she’s been crushing it. You can also throw in how much money she has made from promotions on Instagram.
All of that stuff happened because she fought and fights in the UFC.
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So, while I’m a huge VanZant fan, I don’t know what “regular job” she thinks would have paid her more money since her early-20s.
Either way, make sure to tune in Saturday night on ESPN+ PPV to watch VanZant get back into the octagon for the first time in a long time!
It should be a great night!