Bare knuckle boxer Paige VanZant has sent a greeting to Russia and pleaded with her fans to watch her diving into a pool again after the original post on her hotly-followed Instagram page was abruptly removed after 500,000 views.
In a colossal takedown that her rivals in her former career in the UFC would have been proud of, Instagram chiefs downed the video of VanZant, in a tiny pink bikini, performing flips in slow-motion before landing on a yellow float in an outdoor pool.
The suitably upset VanZant claimed that the clip had been watched more than half a million times before it mysteriously disappeared, with some speculating that the sanction could have been for a matter as innocuous as the star's apparent dive into a shallow end.
"We're live in the pool," announced VanZant to her following of more than 2.8 million, revealing that she was relaxing after boxing training and that her husband – Bellator MMA brawler Austin Vanderford – had joined her after his own sparring session.
"I posted a video that I think is really cool of me jumping in the pool, doing some flips. I like it, so go watch it – Instagram took it down at 500,000 views so I need to try to get my views back. I earned them with my cool post of those little flippy-flips.
"Just comment on it. I don't care, I can't think of any real words for you guys to post.
"Go comment, like it, watch it and I'm going to follow some of you guys back."
Desperate devotees are always keen for the MMA siren to give them a follow, and VanZant went on to respond to a couple of comments as her video from the pool was going out and joke about her husband's habits ahead of his scrap with Fabian Edwards at Bellator 259.
"He's cutting weight right now... well, not really, but he's eating clean because he fights on May 21," she said, pointing the camera towards her newly-blonde lover while asking one viewer "what's up from Russia?" "It's like if Slim Shady was on steroids and had a glow-up."
Unbeaten Vanderford was understandably keen to emphasize that he does not take steroids. "It's just a sexy Slim Shady – you're buff," VanZant said, qualifying her joke.
The 27-year-old also posted clips from her boxing work, which she hopes will bear fruits when she fights again in July, having lost to former professional boxer Britain Hart on her Bare Knuckle Fighting Championship debut earlier this year.
"When we have faith in ourselves, we don’t need others to believe in us," said the committed Christian, outlining her definition of faith next to part of the footage.
Taking on a philosophical air, she then analyzed the word 'fearless' as: "Having fears but not being afraid to face them. Once we become fearless, our lives become limitless."
VanZant recently launched her own version of a subscription site in the style of the OnlyFans platform usually associated with models.
"I have a ton of gifts from amazing fans and friends, which hopefully means I'm doing a really good job on there," she said, encouraging fans to sign up while drawing a range of reactions.
"She's literally the hottest blonde ever, possibly," said one, while another advised her: "At this point you should just stop fighting and focus on your OnlyFans – it's the only reason anyone is paying attention."
Watching her in the ring, one enchanted admirer opted to tell VanZant: "I bet them feet smell delicious after a long training session."
Vanderford will be hoping to extend his ten-fight unbeaten MMA record when he takes on Edwards, who is the brother of UFC welterweight Leon Edwards and suffered his first defeat in ten fights on a split decision last year.
VanZant's spouse last fought when he outpointed Vinicius de Jesus in November.
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