Paige VanZant is scheduled to headline her first main event at UFC Fight Night 80 this coming December 10 at the Cosmopolitan in Las Vegas, although there have been slight changes.
The rising strawweight fighter was originally scheduled to face Joanne Calderwood, but due to an undisclosed injury, she will be facing Rose Namajunas instead.
Though it would have been interesting how VanZant would have fared against Calderwood, it is believed that things got tougher for the 21-year-old who is looking to rack up win no. 4 in the UFC circle.
Namajunas comes with impressive credentials, having finished as runner-up at the Ultimate Fighter, losing only to Carla Esparza via submission. However, since that loss to the former FC Invicta Champ, Namajunas has racked up three straight wins at the expense of a former VanZant foe in Alex Chambers, Joanne Calderwood and Randa Markos.
HOLY SHIT!! @PaigeVanzantUFC vs @rosenamajunas Dec 10th in Vegas@UFCFightPass pic.twitter.com/qRJZ1zAcaH
- Dana White (@danawhite) October 28, 2015
The wins do not, however, reflect on her professional card since these wins were considered exhibitions. But would that matter?
The fact is that Namajunas is on a winning streak that has catapulted her to the main card against an unbeaten VanZant. So like VanZant, the two will be staking their respective streaks on the line.
VanZant has of course been spectacular thus far. She has yet to taste defeat, and many believe that such can only happen if she faces higher-ranked opponents. Namajuna is unranked.
A win by VanZant could be a big boost to push her for a possible shot at Joanna Jedrzejczyk, meaning that fight is pretty much important for the fast-rising strawweight fighter.
For her part, Vanzant is coming off a big win over Alex Chambers, who Namajunas had likewise defeated at UFC 191. VanZant won via submission in the third round and has been constantly showing big improvement throughout her appearances.
VanZant has long been likened to UFC Women's Bantamweight champion Ronda Rousey, although the young rising fighter has constantly shot down the comparison. While VanZant is honored with the comparison, she herself admits that reaching the level of Rousey is pretty far off.
One person who believes she can achieve such is UFC president Dana White.
"She has all the attributes of a little rock star. She's got a great personality, she's absolutely relentless when she fights, she puts 'Mighty Mouse' [Johnson] type pressure on fighters, and yesterday, she was the most searched fighter on UFC.com. People love her."
UFC Fight Night 80 will kick off a fight-filled weekend in Las Vegas this December, something that will be capped by the much-awaited confrontation between Jose Aldo and Conor McGregor for UFC 194 on December 12.
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