Gangrel believes Paige VanZant has what it takes to be a star, but he wishes she got more time to train ahead of her in-ring debut.
The former UFC fighter competed in a wrestling match for the first time at AEW Double or Nothing; there, she teamed up with Scorpio Sky and Ethan Page to face Sammy Guevara, Tay Conti, and Frankie Kazarian. To prepare for the bout, VanZant had been training with the former WWE star.
During an appearance on the Extreme Life of Matt Hardy podcast, Gangrel shared his thoughts on VanZant’s first match. He noted that he hasn’t watched the whole thing, but he stated that she has a lot of talent, and he believes she can be a long-term star. The veteran also expressed his concern that she didn’t get enough time to train, and he pointed out the odd storyline dynamics behind the bout.
“I’ve only seen bits and clips of it,” said Gangrel. “I was a little concerned because the amount of time she trained for a match, I was worried. I suppose it was 50/50 on that. I didn’t see it live or anything, I only saw clips. But I was very concerned. She has a lot of talent, I think she can be a long-term star. She really is good at everything she does. She’s super athletic.
“But when you get thrown in a match and a six-man, it was so weird because they’re like the heels are faces and you know, Sammy went into it, he was originally like a babyface, but they’re booing him because he’s making out with Tay. So it was such a weird chemistry and atmosphere. It was a weird angle, and I’m kinda glad it all kinda ended because it gave me anxiety. It was one just one of those weird things, you know. So for her to be in the middle of that, I really would liked to had her have more time training. But I believe she’s a good investment, she’s gonna be a star one day if she rides it out.”
VanZant and her partners picked up the victory at AEW Double or Nothing, so her in-ring career kicked off on the winning side of things. Fans will have to wait and see how it unfolds moving forward.
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