Paige VanZant: I'm used to being under pressure... luckily I perform w...

I used to be a cheerleader, but fighting just seemed more, "me". So I went that route.

Paige VanZant

used cheerleader fighting

It's just such a blessing that I get to be paid for something that I'm in love with.

Paige VanZant

mma paid blessing

I like the wrestling and executing the throws. My dad was a wrestler and he showed me some of those techniques, too.

Paige VanZant

dad technique wrestling

My father wanted me to learn self-defense, so I enrolled in the Academy and loved it from the start.

Paige VanZant

defense self father

I want to go as far as it will take me. I would love to go pro, but if that doesn't happen, I am a gourmet chef and would like to open my own restaurant.

Paige VanZant

gourmet want chef

I've always been a bubbly and energetic and happy person, but when I get upset, I get frustrated; when someone makes me mad, I definitely have a temper, and I've had to deal with having a temper my whole life.

Paige VanZant

me upset happy life

I've been blessed; I've been getting so many amazing opportunities because of the UFC. I know there are going to be haters no matter how successful I am, and I just have to be thankful for all the blessings that I have because all of it can be over before you know it.

Paige VanZant

i-am you blessed thankful

I am very much a girly girl as well as being this tough, athletic fighter. I grew up a tomboy. I got my first four wheeler when I was eight. I got my first dirt bike shortly after. So, I have a lot of these manly qualities, I guess you would say. But, I also like to go get dressed up every weekend.

Paige VanZant

i-am you bike girl

Honestly, at times, I still get bored. 'Dancing with the Stars' kept me busy, and that's what I like. When I first started fighting, I was working two jobs, and I was still going to school at the same time while training. I'm meant to be a busy person.

Paige VanZant

me stars busy time

I'm just going to be myself; there's no reason for me to try and go out there and put a certain facade on or emphasize, 'Hey, I'm this. You need to believe it.' I just want to be the best that I can be, and if people like me, that's great, and if they don't, they don't.

Paige VanZant

best myself me you

Sometimes the media twists your words, and they say things to get a headline, and it's not necessarily what came out of your mouth, and they take things out of context 90 percent of the time. But I guess - any publicity is good publicity, I guess.

Paige VanZant

words good time sometimes

When I'm training, I cater a little bit to my opponents.

Paige VanZant

little little-bit opponents training

I train for whatever happens. I'm prepared for wherever the fight goes.

Paige VanZant

whatever fight train happens

CrossFit is just another thing I've become passionate about. I like to continue to make gains and compete with myself. There's many ways to do that either with adding weight or competing with my own times or my previous records. It's been nothing but a benefit to me, and I love lifting weights.

Paige VanZant

myself me my-own love

I try to eat healthy for the most part. When I cut weight, I cut pretty much everything out. I don't have protein when I cut weight other than what I might get from something like chicken breast. So I don't eat any extra protein, just because I'm trying to get the weight off. That's the only real diet I have.

Paige VanZant

chicken diet try real

There's a lot of girls out there that can relate to me. They can look at me and see themselves a little bit. There's a lot of girls out there that have a tougher side to them. I just think that people are really grown and attracted to that, and that's why people like to see me fight.

Paige VanZant

fight look me people

I definitely want to be an inspiration or a role model for all the little girls out there or anyone out there that wants to break stereotypes. I feel like I'm breaking stereotypes with what I'm doing. I'm not the typical fighter, and there's a lot of people out there that won't do something just because they don't fit the stereotype.

Paige VanZant

little-girls stereotypes feel people

I've always been very competitive, and I've always had this desire to win my entire life. I guess when it comes to being in the cage, especially, I just hate losing more than I like to win. The idea of someone beating me just doesn't sit well.

Paige VanZant

win me hate life

I am a huge wrestling fan. I would say The Rock is my favorite person to watch for obvious reasons.

Paige VanZant

rock person i-am say

There is a lot more to me than just being a crazy fighter.

Paige VanZant

being me fighter crazy

I'm used to being under pressure... luckily I perform well under pressure.