Paige VanZant withdrew from her Power Slap title match due to a severe neck injury, a spontaneous spinal epidural hematoma, requiring immediate medical attention and potentially serious consequences.
Paige VanZant recently announced she’s pulling out of her upcoming title match in Power Slap. The reason? A severe neck injury that demanded immediate medical attention.
She broke the news on Instagram, explaining the injury forced her to miss the event slated for June 27 during International Fight Week in Las Vegas. “My upcoming Power Slap match for the title is postponed,” she said. “Unfortunately, I had to pull out. I have a pretty severe neck injury.”
VanZant revealed she has a spontaneous spinal epidural hematoma. Not from training, but a freak, one-in-a-million occurrence. Wild, right?
This condition involves blood accumulating in the epidural space, compressing the spinal cord. Often, surgery is required to relieve the pressure by removing part of the vertebra’s lamina.
After an MRI, VanZant sought immediate help from a neurosurgeon, who diagnosed her condition. “The neurosurgeon is surprised I don’t have any neurological issues,” she shared. “It’s extremely serious.”
For now, her Power Slap match is delayed. She’s awaiting her next appointment to determine a treatment plan before returning to action.
“They ordered me a bunch more tests,” she added. “We have to figure out why this happened. It’s rare and typically seen in high trauma situations like car accidents. I haven’t been in one.”
Despite the risks of further injury, VanZant remains optimistic about her future in the sport. “If it does get bigger, there is a chance I will be paralyzed. That’s just a reality, I’ve come to accept,” she admitted.
But she feels confident. “I have a feeling this was just a freak thing. My body’s going to reabsorb the bleed, and I’m going to continue with my career.”