Paige VanZant has all the tools to be a huge star for AEW in the women's division. Having been appearing sporadically in AEW over the last several months, the former UFC star officially joined the promotion this week and will be a huge signing for Tony Khan.
VanZant will be a key figure in the women's division, and her presence in the company will only help both parties going forward. Her star power outside of wrestling made her a no-brainer for Khan to sign, and once she's ready to make her in-ring debut, it's safe to say AEW will have a superstar on their hands ready to take the roster by storm.
Her UFC Background Makes Her A Major Threat
Having spent six years fighting in the UFC, VanZant is legitimately one of the most dangerous wrestlers in AEW, and will almost certainly be portrayed as a threat to just about anyone on the roster.
The company has already shown they aren't afraid to play into her combat sports background, having VanZant land a flurry of strikes on Chris Jericho in a direct reference to her bare-knuckle boxing career, and if they continue to demonstrate her background as a mixed martial artist, she will be catapulted towards the top of the women's division.
There's no reason AEW can't showcase VanZant with the same amount of legitimacy and danger as WWE has been known to do with former UFC stars in Brock Lesnar and Ronda Rousey. The 27-year-old will enter the women's division as one of the toughest wrestlers right off the bat, ensuring she is a ready-made star almost immediately into her AEW tenure.
Hell, all they have to do is figure out a way of showing fans the devastating switch kick VanZant landed to shut Bec Rawling's lights out, and they will have no problem identifying her as a major star.
She Has A Huge Following
While she quickly became popular due to her tenure in the UFC, VanZant has gone on to amass a following that stretches way beyond the combat sports world.
Whether it be her appearances on reality tv shows such as Dancing With The Stars, where she finished runner-up, and Chopped, or her large social media fan base, VanZant's popularity has exceeded that of many in the combat sports world, ensuring she'll be bringing quite a few new sets of eyes to the AEW product with her joining the promotion.
On Instagram alone, the 27-year-old has over three million followers, which instantly makes her one of the most popular members of the AEW roster in terms of her own fan base. It's an impressive social media presence that Tony Khan would be foolish not to take advantage of.
She Was Coveted By WWE
AEW wasn't the only wrestling promotion interested in VanZant, with WWE also said to have wanted to bring her in before she signed with Tony Khan's company.
VanZant herself revealed early last year that she'd been in talks with WWE about joining the promotion, but wasn't quite ready to step back from her combat sports career. Her eventual arrival in AEW has will ensure she will get the best of both worlds, continuing her career in combat sports as well as starting her new venture in professional wrestling.
Her move to AEW means any deal with WWE is off the cards for the foreseeable future, but it's important to remember that Vince McMahon and co clearly saw how valuable an asset VanZant was, enforcing just how big a signing she is for Tony Khan's promotion.
While AEW has made some strides over the last 12 months in strengthening their women's division, with the likes of Jade Cargill, Thunder Rosa, and Ruby Soho all bursting onto the scene, it's still the weakest in the promotion and adding someone like VanZant is a huge deal for them. She will immediately be positioned as one of the toughest contenders in the entire division.
Don't be surprised if the former UFC star goes on to record an impressive win streak similar to Cargill as she tears through the division, ensuring that not only will she be a star for AEW, but she'll also create one whenever she takes her first loss in the promotion. Throughout AEW's short three-year history, they've brought numerous celebrities into the fold, with Shaquille O'Neal and Snoop Dogg just to name a few, but if Khan plays his cards right, VanZant will go on to be the biggest celebrity acquisition he has made to date.