Fans only just realising what ex-UFC and OnlyFans star Paige VanZant’s REAL name is.. and heartbreaking reason behind it

PAIGE VANZANT is now one of the most famous faces on the planet amongst sport fans – but some are only just realising that is not her real name.

And the reason behind her change of surname is truly heartbreaking.

Instagram @paigevanzantPaige VanZant these days boasts a huge social media following[/caption]

Instagram @paigevanzantThe ex-UFC star is raking it in from her online explots[/caption]

Instagram / @paigevanzantHer name is one of the most famous in the sporting world – but it has not always been that[/caption]

InstagramThe 29-year-old legally changed her name[/caption]

The 29-year-old shot to stardom while competing in the UFC strawweight division.

She then shocked the combat sports world in 2020 by penning a multi-fight, multi-million-pound contract with the Bare Knuckle Fighting Championship.

VanZant lost her first two fights – firstly against Britain Hart in 2021 and then against Rachael Ostovich – both by unanimous decision.

Despite that the beautiful star, who has also competed for wrestling promotion AEW, has claimed she now earns ten times what she picked up during her UFC days.

VanZant has also revealed that she makes more money on Instagram than she did fighting in the octagon – and it is little wonder she has amassed a following of 3.2m with her regular dose of sexy snaps.

Capitalising on her popularity, she also came second on the American version of Strictly Come Dancing and was first in a reality cooking show on US TV.

It appears that these days nothing can stop VanZant, but that has not always been the case.

She was born in Dundee, Oregon, near Portland on March 26, 1994 and her real name was Paige Sletten.

However, a group of bullies in high school mocked her surname and called her “Slutton”.

Years of bullying forced the fearless personality to change her name after years of persistent teasing.

Paige eventually decided to change it legally to VanZant – revealing that she chose it as it was one of her mother’s students’ last names and she loved the way it sounded.

And it is safe to say that no-one will be bullying her again any time soon!

Instagram / @paigevanzantVanZant was bullied throughout her high school years[/caption]

GettyThe fighter revealed all in her autobiography[/caption]