Jorge Masvidal signs Paige VanZant to commentate debut bare knuckle show

The debut show for Jorge Masvidal’s bare knuckle promotion Gamebred FC is beginning to take shape. UFC/BKFC vet Jason Knight vs. Pride vet Charles…

By: Tim Bissell | 2 years ago
Jorge Masvidal signs Paige VanZant to commentate debut bare knuckle show
Bloody Elbow 2.0 | Anton Tabuena

The debut show for Jorge Masvidal’s bare knuckle promotion Gamebred FC is beginning to take shape.

UFC/BKFC vet Jason Knight vs. Pride vet Charles Bennett has already been announced as the headliner for Gambred FC’s June 18th debut show. Additionally, according to MMA Junkie, former UFC fighter Brok Weaver has been added to the card. He’s expected to appear in the co-main event. Initially Weaver was scheduled to face former LFA fighter Brandon Jenkins, but Jenkins has been withdrawn from the event for undisclosed reasons.

No other bouts have been released, but we have learned who will be featuring on the mic for the event.

According to MMA Fighting former UFC fighter, and current BKFC fighter, Paige VanZant will be handling commentary duties for the show.

VanZant will be joined in the broadcast booth by American Top Team founder Dan Lambert. The event is due to be broadcast on BKFC’s streaming platform BKTV. MMA Fighting reports that former UFC heavyweight champion Frank Mir will be part of the broadcast on future Gamebred FC events.

Paige VanZant entered the UFC in 2014 and became a popular star of the promotion off the back of three straight wins. Those wins came over Kailin Curran, Felice Herrig and Alex Chambers.

After that run VanZant scored a main event, opposite current UFC strawweight champ Rose Namajunas, in 2015. VanZant lost that bout by submission, but rebounded with a highlight reel switch kick KO of current BKFC champ Bec Rawlings.

In 2016 VanZant took a break from fighting to compete on season 22 of Dancing With The Stars. She finished second place in that reality competition.

Due to injuries VanZant rarely featured in the Octagon during the last four years of her UFC tenure. In 2018 she lost a bout to Jessica-Rose Clark. Then a year later she beat Rachael Ostovich. Her last UFC fight was a submission loss to Amanda Ribas at UFC 251 last July.

After fighting out her UFC contract VanZant signed for BKFC. Her bare knuckle debut was a losing effort to Britain Hart at BKFC: Knucklemania in February.

VanZant is expected to rematch Ostovich at BKFC 19 on July 23.

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About the author
Tim Bissell
Tim Bissell

Tim Bissell is a writer, editor and deputy site manager for Bloody Elbow. He has covered combat sports since 2015. Tim covers news and events and has also written longform and investigative pieces. Among Tim's specialties are the intersections between crime and combat sports. Tim has also covered head trauma, concussions and CTE in great detail.

Tim is also BE's lead (only) sumo reporter. He blogs about that sport here and on his own substack, Sumo Stomp!

Email me at tim@bloodyelbow.com. Nice messages will get a response.

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