10 Things WWE Fans Need To Know About Paige VanZant
3. She Was The Runner-Up On Dancing With The Stars
VanZant made the move from UFC star to mainstream celebrity when she was announced as a cast member on season 22 of ABC's Dancing with the Stars. She competed alongside NFL stars Von Miller and Antonio Brown and TV stars Mischa Barton and Jodie Sweeten.
Though VanZant wasn't the first MMA fighter to compete on the show (UFC legends Chuck Liddell and Randy Couture competed on seasons nine and 19, respectively), she blew away her predecessors, becoming the first combatant from any combat sport to reach the final two. She ranked up several individual competition wins, and four of her dances with partner Mark Ballas received a perfect score of 30 from the judges.
VanZant and Ballas ultimately didn't win - despite their consistently high scores, they were edged out by actor/model Nyle DiMarco and his partner, Peta Murgatroyd - but her second-place finish brought attention to the UFC and made her famous to millions of new fans.