Felice Herrig vs Paige VanZant Added To UFC On FOX 15 CardTUF 20 alum Felice “Lil’ Bulldog” Herrig looks for her second Octagon victory on April 18th at UFC on FOX 15: “Rockhold vs Machida” in Newark, New Jersey. Herrig is set to face off against one of the women’s strawweight division’s fastest rising new stars, 20-year-old “12 Gauge” Paige VanZant.

UFC officials announced the matchup during Wednesday’s edition of UFC Tonight. Herrig followed up on a stint on The Ultimate Fighter 20 by winning her UFC debut against Lisa Ellis at the TUF 20 Finale this past month. VanZant stopped Kailin Curran late in a thrilling bout at UFC Fight Night 57.

Herrig (10-5-0) was one of 16 contestants on the historic all-female season of The Ultimate Fighter 20, which culminated with the inaugural UFC Women’s Strawweight Championship bout in December. Herrig advanced to the quarterfinals of the competition by defeating bitter rival “Hurricane” Heather Clark in the elimination round, but her run towards the title ended when she was quickly submitted by Canadian standout Randa Markos. At the TUF 20 Finale, Herrig overcame early danger and submitted Ellis with a second-round armbar, though she faced criticism for illegally pulling Ellis’s hair.

VanZant (4-1-0) turned pro at age 18 in June 2012 and picked up a pair of impressive victories over local stars Jordan Nicole “Ninja Princess” Gaza and Amber “The Apex Predator” Stautzenberger in Texas. The wins earned VanZant a spot on the Invicta FC roster, but her lone fight for the promotion ended in a one-sided decision loss to Tecia “The Tiny Tornado” Torres at Invicta FC 4. VanZant rebounded with a quick submission win before taking a lengthy hiatus from competition. She made her Octagon debut in November and impressed the Texan fans again with a highly entertaining TKO stoppage of Curran.

UFC on FOX 15: “Rockhold vs Machida” takes place on April 18th at the Prudential Center in Newark, New Jersey. The event is headlined by a middleweight bout between Luke Rockhold and Lyoto “The Dragon” Machida.

 

 

(Photo Credit: Esther Lin, AllElbows.com / InvictaFC.com)

  1. Good fight. I like Herrig’s experience here.

  2. PVZ is getting a lot of mainstream media attention. The type Rose would have gotten if she won. She might be the most well-known female fighter other than Ronda and Tate. You know that drives Felice crazy.