Paige VanZant welcomed to BKFC family - WATCH PRESS CONFERENCE HERE

Bare Knuckle Fighting Championship officials welcomed former UFC star Paige VanZant to the promotion today at a press conference in Florida.

BKFC President David Feldman officially introduced "12 Gauge" to the bare knuckle promotion alongside other fighters at the American Top Team facility in Coconut Creek.

“We’re so excited to have this latest addition to the Bare Knuckle family," Feldman said. "We’re happy to officially announce the signing of former UFC superstar and now Bare Knuckle Fighting fighter, Paige VanZant.”

PVZ Quotes:

“I knew there was going to be a few big players when I became a free agent," VanZant said at the press conference. “I have a mutual friend Sean Wheelock, who works with BKFC and he gave me a call and said he wanted me to join BKFC full time so I looked at the organization and what they stood for. In my MMA career I was very accomplished and I was in the UFC for six years and now I feel now is the perfect time to open that next chapter. It’s not a move backward, it’s a move laterally and its a whole new obstacle for me and that’s what excites me.”

"I’ve always considered myself a striker and that’s where my passion has been during whole career," VanZant said. "With this I wake up everyday and I can’t wait to strike, I can’t wait to work with my coaches, I can’t wait to get better with striking. Aside from boxing, I have a Muay Thai background so I think that will go well with the clinch work here in BKFC and will be a huge advantage for me.”

“I’m really excited to be here and be apart of the Bare Knuckle family. This is where I felt the most passionate about and it completely lined up with what I wanted and what they wanted and we were really able to create a partnership. I can’t wait to get my first matchup and we’re already in talks about when that might be.”