In news that will be of little surprise to anyone who has seen their attention-seeking nude photoshoots on Instagram, former UFC fighter Paige VanZant has used a video to claim that Austin Vanderford has passed COVID-19 on to her.
Even as she made the announcement, VanZant featured her husband – unbeaten Bellator MMA star and former wrestling champion Austin Vanderford – standing half-naked in their home.
The scene was wearily familiar to viewers who have watched the pair play out nude photoshoots in quarantine, fawn over each other in a pool and leave little of their lives together to the imagination on social media during recent months.
“You gave me coronavirus,” Bare Knuckle Fighting Championship newcomer VanZant told Vanderford, keeping an atypical distance from the welterweight while she sprawled on a sofa.
Tried the whole “clothing” thing for awhile….. not for us.
Looking distinctly less glamorous than usual while claiming that her eye “looks crazy”, she bombarded fans with external social media posts purporting to tell heartwarming stories from around the world, adding: “I’m already sick so I might as well be crying anyway.”
Vanderford had been due to continue his preparations to fight Daniel Madrid in his 10th professional scrap at Bellator 246 on Saturday, but was instead portrayed lounging topless in a crotch shot from VanZant while she delved into the story of his numerous tests for the virus.
The video on the couple’s YouTube channel, which is called “A Kickass Love Story: With Paige & Austin,” was titled “My Husband Gave Me Covid.”
“I am bummed out because I had a hair appointment,” she said, filming herself as she headed to her own test before having a swab inserted up one of her nostrils, which she said felt “like having my brain poked”.
She later rested her head on Vanderford’s shoulder as she explained that he had fallen ill and appealed to medical experts to provide any theories on her husband’s previous tests while he had shown symptoms.
“Has he been sick this whole time, since he tested positive a month ago?” she asked, as Vanderford admitted he had lost his sense of taste and smell.
“We don’t go out. We only go from our house to the gym and back and to the grocery store. I can feel good about that but we’re not going to leave anymore.
“I am so confused by all of this. We are staying home but can’t seems to find any answers. Should I go get tested again?”
It’s called art, you wouldn’t understand….
Your life isn’t yours if you always care what someone else thinks. ?
“It was not a good idea to lie on him,” warned one commenter.
“You should have stayed in separate rooms if he tested positive and you were negative.”
Another said: “So in the beginning you test negative and you keep sitting next to him. You had to social distance from him. What the f*ck are you doing? So irresponsible.”
VanZant did not confirm whether her test had confirmed her suspicions by providing a positive result, which could threaten her scheduled debut for her new promotion in November.
The former strawweight contender was released by the UFC last month.
