Wether it’s ex-friends or ex-coaches, exes can make for bitter enemies sometimes. Ask Paige VanZant. Her former coach Rick Collup now drafted a lengthy post on his Facebook page, where he went off on the popular UFC strawweight and blamed her particularly for forgetting to mention his gym in a recent interview. VanZant started her MMA career in Collup’s Reno Academy of Combat.
“I was shocked, hurt and truthfully very irritated that Paige didn’t mention that she actually started her MMA career at our gym. Her parents actually brought her to us because she was very unhappy where she had been training for less than a year. Her parents stated that Paige was ignored at her old gym and no one would train with her.”
Collup explained how he got VanZant her first under 18 MMA bout and how she went unbeaten in every fight that she had under his tutelage – until she left the gym.
“Paige then left and moved to Vegas only to lose that fight. Then she moved to Sacramento to train with Alpha Male but eventually moved back to Reno as she was (in her own words) ignored there also and didn’t get along with Urijah Faber and said all the girls were rude and sucked at MMA.”
The official story, why VanZant left Team Alpha Male, was that she had to undergo spinal surgery and her insurance did not cover that procedure in California. However, VanZant wanted to return to Collup and his gym, he says. And that, after an apology, he welcomed her back and prepared her for her first UFC bout against Kailin Curran, at UFC Fight Night: Edgar vs. Swanson, which she has won in impressive fashion and received Fight of the Night honors for.
“Reno Academy of Combat supported her from the very beginning of her career and helped get her where she is today. Anyway, not to go on and on but it’s very sad that some people have no loyalty, honesty or morals! I know one thing is my wife, I and all our gym members / fight team helped her and put up with all her fit throwing for years. I can sleep good at night knowing that we all did the very best for her and were there for her even when she wasn’t. Good luck Paige, people will find out the real you eventually. Hope you can sleep at night!”
That sounds like a lot of sour grapes, doesn’t it? Paige VanZant will face Felice Herrig at UFC on FOX 15 on April 18, 2015 in Newark, New Jersey.