Because a lot of people feel like Paige VanZant was foisted upon them — declared the one to watch and the “next big thing” in the strawweight division — almost instantaneously following her first UFC victory, the narratives that have surrounded the 22-year-old fighter as she’s prepared to hit the cage have frequently carried a great doubtful tone.
While young talents frequently are put in a position to prove themselves against more established veterans, the questions directed at VanZant rarely have been about the caliber of opponent she’s about to face. Instead, they have often been questions seemingly designed to get the Team Alpha Male representa…