VanZant Talks Barber Sliding Into Husband’s DMs

While Paige VanZant is making more money on Instagram than she does inside the Octagon, she doesn’t appreciate potential opponents sliding into her husband’s DM’s.

VanZant along with her husband, Bellator fighter Austin Vanderford, joined Ariel Helwani’s MMA Show on Monday to discuss Maycee Barber jumping in Vanderford’s DM’s.

“I don’t know, I think it’s part of the division. Everybody wants the money fight, and there’s people in line, so. It’s an interesting fight, but I do think there is disrespect in the UFC and in MMA, and it gets too much attention. It gets too much validity,” VanZant explained.

“Being a disrespectful person shouldn’t be valued, and I definitely won’t give her the time of day. I’m not going to take the bait, and that’s why I’ve stayed quiet the entire time.”

Whether or not Barber’s intentions were malicious, the undefeated fighter’s gambit blew up in her face, as VanZant was actually going to agree to a fight.

“Actually, I was going to say ‘yes’ to the fight, but I think it’s completely inappropriate to slide into someone’s husband’s DMs trying to get a fight. Messaging my husband on Instagram trying to agitate me,” VanZant told Helwani.

The message from Barber to Vanderford, per the man in question, was not even salacious but asking about a specific workout routine. While the message was not disrespectful, the intention, looking to get a rise out of VanZant, seemed clear in the couple’s eyes.

“So that’s why I have stayed relatively quiet about this and I’m just not going to reward disrespectful people. It would be a reward for her to fight me and she doesn’t deserve it.”

Transcribed By MMA Mania