November - 2015
SCRAPP! FIGHT MAGAZINE
12
OPPONENT CHANGE GIVES PAIGE
VANZANT TOUGHER TEST
Article By: Jay Anderson
In her first headlining gig for
the UFC, rising strawweight
star Paige VanZant was facing a
tough test: Joanne Calderwood,
the Scottish star who broke out
as a favourite on The Ultimate
Fighter. Though she didn’t win
the show, fans came to love her
sweet disposition and heart in
the cage. The pairing of the two
meant two fan faves going to
war at UFC Fight Night 80, but
it seemed right — two fighters,
both with a lot of heart, who
might be seen as fairly even,
all things considered, despite
Calderwood having a clear ad-
vantage in experience.
Come Wednesday, however,
all bets were off: Calderwood
was out of the fight, and in her
place stepped Rose Namaju-
nas, the runner up of TUF 20.
Despite being just 3-2 in her
pro career (she’s coming off a
submission win over Angela Hill
after losing to Carla Esparza at
the TUF 20 finale), Namajunas
is a dangerous fighter whose
record doesn’t do her justice.
She trains with popular heavy-
weight and former UFC star Pat
Berry, and was undefeated on
the show before falling in that
first title shot, having beaten
Alex Chambers, Randa Markos,
and Calderwood herself during
the course of the season.
All three of those exhibition
fights were submission victo-
ries, just as all three of her pro
fights have been. She also has
a 4-0 record as an amateur,
with two finishes.
As beloved as Calderwood is,
as gritty and determined, it
feels like more is at risk now for
12 Guage. Thug Rose will be
her biggest test to date, some-
thing Calderwood already was,
but given Namajunas’ finishing
rate, it’s simply a more danger-
ous bout.
On the flip side, it’s all the more
rewarding, but even that has
inherent risks. Should VanZant
win, where does she go from
there, but to a title shot, likely
before she’s ready? Rushing
prospects to title shots risks
ruining them. And as much as
the UFC (and MMA in general)
is a sport, it’s also a business.
In sports, at least team sports,
you have teams looking to de-
velop players in the minors, and
break them in at the right time.
In fighting, there often is no
such luxury — but promotions
do need to keep it in mind. The
quicker fighters burn out, the
less time they have to develop
into top stars.
Not that she should (or even
could) turn the fight down.
Nor did the UFC likely have
many available options. It’s
simply a case of bad timing,
but here’s to hoping that, win
or lose, VanZant the fight has
some positives for her.
(Dave Mandel/Sherdog)
