The world is in shock after an unusual incident happened at the 94th Academy awards show. Famous Hollywood actor Will Smith hit comedian Chris Rock in the face after he commented on the former’s wife.

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While the incident looked quite real to almost everyone present, former female UFC fighter Paige VanZant billed it as fake.

While many other celebrities and fans were reacting to the incident on social media, UFC athletes also shared their thoughts on the same. Some believed Smith was right to do so, others criticized the actor for his action. However, Paige Vanzant didn’t fall under any of these brackets.

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The former UFC female flyweight fighter took to her official Instagram and posted a story stating that the incident was a skit just to garner global attention for the Oscars.

She wrote, “Anyone else think the ‘smack’ at the Oscars was fake AF! Publicity ploy to get people to watch the Oscars. I have so many reasons I think this.”

WATCH THIS STORY: Jon Jones, Kamaru Usman, Dana White, and Others From the MMA World Reacts to Will Smith-Chris Rock Oscars Incident

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However, Vanzant wasn’t the only person to believe so. The former UFC two-division champion and Hall of Fame Georges St-Pierre also believed that the incident was fake.

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He commented on a post made by UFC president Dana White and also asked the latter to offer Smith and Rock a UFC contract. GSP commented, “offer them a contract.”

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Paige VanZant signed with All Elite Wrestling

’12 Gauge’ made her UFC debut in 2014 with a stunning third-round knockout victory. Later, she won two more fights and was on a three-fight undefeated streak until 2015.

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Paige VanZant after securing a win

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After that, Vanzant could only win two of her six UFC bouts. She departed from the promotion after her loss in 2020 and had a 5-4 UFC record when she left.

ALSO READ: How Much Money Does Paige VanZant Make?

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Later, the former UFC fighter joined the Bare-Knuckle fighting championship. However, recently, the American fighter has dipped her hands into professional wrestling. Vanzant has now signed with one of the biggest wrestling promotions AEW.

What are your thoughts on VanZant joining AEW? What do you guys think of her comments on the Smith-Rock controversy? Let us know in the comments below.

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Afnan Chougle

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Afnan Chougle is a UFC author at EssentiallySports. Besides writing, this Media graduate is an integral part of the digital web stories team for combat sports. Before joining EssentiallySports, Afnan gained valuable experience as an intern at Jiostudios Production House. He uses his experience and passion to further his professional career and provide unique insight into all things UFC and combat sports. A Khabib Nurmagomedov fan, Afnan, has religiously followed MMA ever since UFC 229. Other than 'The Eagle' he adores Muhammad Ali. Furthermore, he is a fan of Joe Rogan and seldom misses an episode of the Joe Rogan Experience. Apart from his professional exploits as a UFC journalist, Afnan enjoys catching Hotboxin' episodes, honing his skills as an amateur actor and loves going on occasional treks.

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Paras Pande