UFC up and comer Paige VanZant’s reality television success continues as the women’s strawweight contender beat out three other athletes on The Food Network’s Chopped to win the Culinary Muscle portion of the Star Power Tournament. VanZant is a rising star in the UFC but is probably best known for her appearance on season 22 of Dancing With The Stars where she managed to tango her way into second place. And now her win on Chopped will send her on to the finals of the Star Power Tournament alongside three other celebrity chefs.
Paige beat out two Olympic athletes and a Super Bowl champion without much help when it came to decent food ingredients. In traditional Chopped style, there were a lot of odd items to work with in her basket:
https://twitter.com/PeytonMForehead/status/849488925693542400
#chopped frozen mint lemonade?? Umm pic.twitter.com/Td4pVTRgeX
— Lanette (@Amadii) April 5, 2017
But that didn’t stop her from making some pretty sweet dishes.
https://twitter.com/SingAVogelsong/status/849458592059097088
You also have to give her props for winning the unofficial fashion portion of the show:
You know what gives you an edge on #chopped ? Reebok Pump shoes. pic.twitter.com/l4fuNpF4xM
— Terry Terrones (@terryterrones) April 5, 2017
Whoever doesn’t get chopped in the finals will win $50,000 for their charity of choice. For Paige, that’s Cancer Train, an organization that helps cancer patients pay for the treatment they need to survive. She’s the second contestant to make it, alongside Son of a Southern Chef webshow chef Lazarus Lynch.
Still to come: ‘The Last Laugh’ episode featuring comedians Illeana Douglas, Ron Funches, Jonathan Sadowski, and Julie White on April 11th. And then ‘Screen Sensations’ with Rick Fox, Jodi Lyn O’Keefe, Alysia Reiner, and the late Alan Thicke on April 18.
The Chopped Star Power Tournament finals with Paige VanZant go down Tuesday, April 25 at 10 p.m. ET on The Food Network.
