UFC prospect Paige VanZant announced she will not compete in the upcoming Power Slap title match due to a neck injury.
The athlete, who has been out of the octagon for four years, recently announced her comeback under a new banner, GFL. Unfortunately, the promotion canceled its debut event, leaving a host of fighters — including VanZant — in limbo. But “12 Gauge” had other plans in mind. The fighter — who also built a name in Power Slap — was scheduled to rematch Mikaela Michelle Brown for the first-ever women’s title, but the event had to be canceled.
In an Instagram post, VanZant revealed that her doctors discovered a neck injury that required immediate attention before she could return to action.
“My upcoming Power Slap match for the title is postponed,” VanZant said. “Unfortunately, I had to pull out. I have a pretty severe neck injury. If it was not such a big deal, I definitely would still compete, especially because I was just really excited. It’s such a big deal, and I was so excited for Power Slap to give me the opportunity to fight for a title.
“I have what is called a spontaneous spinal epidural hematoma. It actually didn’t come from training. It is a one-in-a-million, freak, crazy injury that happened in my neck.”
Doctors diagnosed VanZant with a spinal epidural hematoma — a condition where blood collects in the epidural space, compresses the spinal cord, and can lead to acute neurological deficits. The injury came to light during an MRI scan, prompting her to consult a neurosurgeon.
“Basically, the neurosurgeon at this point — one is surprised that I don’t have any neurological issues because it’s extremely serious. A lot of times, people become paralyzed, start losing function of their arms and legs pretty quickly. I don’t have that, which is a really good sign.”
VanZant added, “The next steps — they ordered me a bunch more tests. We have to figure out why this happened. Basically, I have a bleed in my spine. We have to figure out where it came from and why it happened because it is extremely rare and typically only happens in high-trauma situations like car accidents. Obviously, I haven’t been in a car accident, especially recently, and I haven’t been sparring. I haven’t been going live. I’ve strictly been getting ready for Power Slap, so for this to happen, the neurosurgeons want to understand why.”
“If it does get bigger, there is a chance I will be paralyzed. That’s just a reality I’ve come to accept,” VanZant said. “I feel really good. I’m in good spirits. It’s concerning, and I’m being very careful, and obviously, I pulled out for a reason.
“But the way I feel right now, I have a feeling this was just a freak thing. My body’s going to reabsorb the bleed, it’s not going to get worse, and I’m going to continue on with my career.”
Although the injury could have led to severe damage if left unchecked, early detection significantly reduced the risk. VanZant remains optimistic about her future. For now, she is out of the fight and awaiting her next hospital appointment to determine a treatment plan.
