Allah told him: Paige VanZant opens up about scary stalker incident

27 March 2024

BKFC women’s featherweight contender Paige VanZant has opened up about a frightening encounter with a stalker that she had to confront.

Despite her departure from the UFC in 2021, '12 Gauge' remains one of the most recognizable names in women’s MMA, largely due to her online content and success on OnlyFans. VanZant continues to showcase her skills in the BKFC ring while also expressing interest in transitioning to boxing in recent months.

Currently training at American Top Team since 2017, VanZant recounted a disturbing incident on a recent episode of her podcast. The fighter disclosed that a stalker had visited her at the gym, leading to a tense situation.

According to VanZant, the man had been sending her messages for approximately four years, a fact of which she was unaware until the encounter. He had even purchased a membership to the gym in an attempt to meet and photograph the fighter. However, former UFC light-heavyweight Ed Herman intervened after noticing the man's behavior, ordering him to leave the premises.

Reflecting on the incident, VanZant recounted, "I had a stalker, a big-time stalker... I’m training and I notice this guy watching me the whole time. Instantly, I got the vibe, this guy is f***ing weird staring at me the whole time."

VanZant continued, detailing the encounter, "He comes over and starts talking to me... He’s like, ‘Hey, how are you? I’m so happy to meet you or I’m so happy that we’re together’. I was like, ‘Oh, okay’. I was like, ‘What’s your name?’. He was like, ‘It’s blah blah blah, we’ve been talking on Instagram for years. I go in the back [of the gym] and open the messages. He has been messaging every single day. At least 10 to 20 messages for the last four years. Every day he would message and message and message about how we’re meant to be together. About how Allah told him we were meant to be together and how he was thinking about me the entire time he was in jail,”

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The fighter expressed relief that the situation was defused by Herman's intervention, emphasizing the seriousness of the encounter. VanZant's bravery in sharing her experience sheds light on the importance of awareness and vigilance in dealing with such situations.

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