UFC Latest News 2014: VanZant Wins Her First UFC Fight, Beating Kailin Curran

In her first UFC fight, Paige VanZant proved that she is more than just a pretty face by overpowering Kailin Curran, 3-0.

Her win also resulted in her bagging a bonus check of $50,000 as her match was adjudged the "Fight of the Night."

VanZant was thrilled and overwhelmed by the result of the match which ended with a TKO in the third round. Her match was in the newly established 115-pound straw weight division that kicked off this year. She was originally due to appear in the "The Ultimate Fighter" reality series created by Fox Sports. However, her age ended up becoming a hurdle as alcohol is allowed in the house where the fighters hang out, and VanZant who is 20 cannot drink.

While her elimination from the reality series was a disappointment, VanZant, who is a former model, labeled it as a "blessing in disguise" after winning the match against Curran. She noted that while 'The Ultimate Fighter" would have been a great experience, now that she had won her first UFC fight, she is happy that her debut happened during the UFC Fight Night 57 event and wouldn't have it any other way.

After her win and the subsequent bonus that she earned, she has become a sensation on several social media sites.

VanZant has since stated that her booting from the reality show turned out to have a silver lining as she was able to win the bonus and also gain a lot of media attention. She added that the value of these two elements far outweighed the benefits she would have got by taking part in the "The Ultimate Fighter" reality series.

As for her plans about her bonus, VanZant said she will save most of the money and then use part of it to buy a house before she turns 24. In the meantime, she said she will use some of her winnings to go on a shopping splurge to celebrate her win.