Paige VanZant still nursing broken arm, but says she's back in UFC in six months

Despite losses in three of her past four fights, Paige VanZant says she’s still going to be in the flyweight title picture when she returns.

VanZant (7-4 MMA, 4-3 UFC) broke her arm in January in a unanimous decision loss to Jessica-Rose Clark in the UFC Fight Night 124 co-main event. That fight was her debut in the UFC’s new 125-pound weight class.

Prior to that loss, VanZant went 4-2 in the UFC’s strawweight division, includidng a pair of $50,000 fight-night bonuses. But the losses were by submission to current champion Rose Namajunas and Michelle Waterson, which kept her out of a reasonable chance to fight for the belt at 115 pounds.

VanZant on Wednesday told TMZ she’s three months away from getting back to punching and six months away from getting back into the octagon.

“I have a plate and seven screws in there – it’s still broken,” VanZant said of her right arm. “Three months until I’m back punching with my right hand. Six months – I know I’ll have a fight in six months, and that’s guaranteed. I’m working with the UFC. I’m keeping myself in amazing shape, so all it is is working on my right.

“I’m really excited to get back in there. I’m staying in good shape, and I’m going to be knocking people out. I feel like I’m still in that title contention spot in the 125 division. I know everybody calls me out, so we’ll just pick somebody from the list and take ’em out.”

In February, VanZant was called out by Aga Niedzwiedz (10-1 MMA, 0-0 UFC), a 22-year-old Invicta FC fighter who wants to make her way to the UFC to fight VanZant. So those callouts continue, even with VanZant on the shelf.

VanZant recently announced her engagement) to Austin Vanderford, so that might keep her occupied even if she can’t officially train for a fight for a while.

For more on the UFC’s upcoming schedule, check out the UFC Rumors section of the site.