Paige VanZant’s BKFC debut reportedly sells only 5k pay-per-views for TV

Paige VanZant’s highly-anticipated BKFC debut on February 5 has reportedly struggled with pay-per-views.

VanZant made the move to the sans gloves promotion after she was submitted by Amanda Ribas at UFC 251. It was a surprise to many, but also created interest to see how she would fare against Britain Hart in her debut. The fight seemed like it would gain some solid attraction, but according to the Wrestling Observer, the fight only sold 5,000 pay-per-views on TV.

Other reports have since come out that BKFC: Knucklemania, which was Paige VanZant’s promotional debut sold roughly 20,000 pay-per-views digitals, but some say that number is high. If these numbers are true, that means the event only sold 25k pay-per-views in the United States which would be a big disappointment for BKFC which has invested a lot of money into Paige VanZant.

Paige VanZant

In the lead-up to her debut, Paige VanZant claimed BKFC was paying her 10 times what the UFC is. She also revealed she was only making $40k to show and $40k to win for her final UFC fights.

“I’m here for a reason. I was in the UFC for six years getting paid $40,000 (to show) and $40,000 (to win). Now I’m getting 10 times that doing what I love,” VanZant concluded. “So, obviously, I’m not going anywhere. I’m very happy fighting here and I’m excited to fight.”

Paige VanZant is expected to have her second BKFC fight this summer against the newly-signed Rachael Ostovich. It will mark a rematch of their UFC fight in 2019 where VanZant won by submission. There is no question BKFC has to be banking on that fight doing much better than her debut, which might not have been as big given Hart wasn’t a well-known name. But, with Ostovich and Pearl Gonzalez in the fold, the promotion has options and well-known fights for VanZant’s next couple of fights.

Are you surprised that Paige VanZant’s BKFC debut only sold 5k PPVs?