Quotes from Paige VanZant

Sunday, I go to church; I take the day off. I rest.

'Dancing with the Stars' was a really great experience. People were definitely surprised that I'm a fighter, or they couldn't believe I'm a professional fighter, but I feel like I'm going to get that for a while. I'm excited to bring a new demographic over to MMA and the UFC.

I am very much a girly girl as well as being this tough, athletic fighter. I grew up a tomboy. I got my first four wheeler when I was eight. I got my first dirt bike shortly after. So, I have a lot of these manly qualities, I guess you would say. But, I also like to go get dressed up every weekend.

I was in culinary school for a little while, but it was just too hard to cut weight and cook at the same time.

I have so many other talents other than fighting, and I would love to be able to show those off. I would like to say, 'Yes, I'm a fighter, and I'm this,' or, 'Yes I'm a fighter, but I'm also this.'

CrossFit is just another thing I've become passionate about. I like to continue to make gains and compete with myself. There's many ways to do that either with adding weight or competing with my own times or my previous records. It's been nothing but a benefit to me, and I love lifting weights.

For me, I've been known as a very well-rounded fighter, and I think that's really important, that you're well rounded and comfortable in every situation that a fight can go. A lot of people focus on just one discipline, and when they get out of that, they're in a difficult position.

Honestly, at times, I still get bored. 'Dancing with the Stars' kept me busy, and that's what I like. When I first started fighting, I was working two jobs, and I was still going to school at the same time while training. I'm meant to be a busy person.

I do Athlete Devotion throughout all my fight camps. I am a Christian, so I fight with God first, and I have my devotions with me everywhere I go.

I train for whatever happens. I'm prepared for wherever the fight goes.

After I won my first amateur fight, I figured I would do fighting on the side while I was going to school. I got an offer after that amateur fight to take a professional fight. The opponent kind of wanted to have an easy win for her pro debt, and they said they'd pay me $1,500. I was like, 'Yeah, might as well get paid for what I was doing.'

I like ground and pound; I don't know if it is like a technique or discipline. I like to be on the ground, but I don't necessarily go for submissions or anything.

I try to eat healthy for the most part. When I cut weight, I cut pretty much everything out. I don't have protein when I cut weight other than what I might get from something like chicken breast. So I don't eat any extra protein, just because I'm trying to get the weight off. That's the only real diet I have.

There is a lot more to me than just being a crazy fighter.

If I wasn't a fighter, I wouldn't be unique.

Winning my first UFC fight by a finish, I've never felt so accomplished in my life.

I've always been a bubbly and energetic and happy person, but when I get upset, I get frustrated; when someone makes me mad, I definitely have a temper, and I've had to deal with having a temper my whole life.

I've always been very competitive, and I've always had this desire to win my entire life. I guess when it comes to being in the cage, especially, I just hate losing more than I like to win. The idea of someone beating me just doesn't sit well.

I've been blessed; I've been getting so many amazing opportunities because of the UFC. I know there are going to be haters no matter how successful I am, and I just have to be thankful for all the blessings that I have because all of it can be over before you know it.

I think the hardest thing I went through in the UFC was my first loss. It was terrible. It was traumatizing. But it's just going back and rebuilding and getting better.

I gave up school. I gave up a really, really good job. I gave up a lot of stuff. I cut a lot of people out of my life so I could just focus on my fighting dreams.

You have to try to grow between every fight: get back in the gym and keep working hard and find the areas that you need to work on. See what you did wrong and work on it.

I strictly want to beat every opponent I face, whether it's for a title or for a small show. The only thing for me is winning my fights and being the best athlete I can be.

It's just such a blessing that I get to be paid for something that I'm in love with.