Sad VanZant eager to get back to work after first UFC loss

After enduring a beatdown at the hands of Rose Namajunas in the main event of an Ultimate Fighting Championship card at The Cosmopolitan on Thursday night, Paige VanZant was drawing rave reviews for her heart and toughness.

The 21-year-old from Reno didn't want to hear it. She wasn't about to take credit for a moral victory after a fifth-round submission in the main event of UFC Fight Night 80.

"No. I wanted to win. I got outclassed in every way so it's just get back with my team and work on my technique," she said. "I'm sad, but I'm fine."

VanZant said the loss showed her just how far she had to go, but she refused to blame all the hype around her for putting her in a position to fail.

"There was no pressure. I'm just new. I've got a lot to learn," she said, holding back tears. "I need to get my technique better. You can't just be aggressive to win fights."

UFC president Dana White lauded VanZant for her ability to continue fighting through a dominant performance from Namajunas. VanZant escaped several solid submission attempts and had blood pouring out of the right side of her face.

"This is the business. We told paige that, 'you're young in the sport.' She's aggressive. She's a competitor, and if you doubted it, you saw it tonight," he said. "She has the dog in her. There was no quit in her. I told her tonight she'll learn more from this loss than all her previous wins combined. You saw tonight what she's got.

"She'll get better and she'll keep working."

VanZant was already eager to bounce back from the loss.

She said she felt fine despite the bruising and swelling.

"I'm ready to get back in the gym as soon as possible. I feel great still," she said. "Obviously I took a little bit of damage to my face, but yeah I want to get back in there. I have the heart. I have the aggression. I don't have the technique yet and I think everyone's known that."

VanZant had won her first three fights in the UFC.

Contact reporter Adam Hill at ahill@reviewjournal.com or 702-224-5509. Follow him on Twitter: @adamhilllvrj