Paige VanZant Dating Alan Bersten, ‘Dancing With The Stars’ Troupe Member Who Temporarily Replaced Mark Ballas

Paige VanZant was devastated when a back injury temporarily sidelined her Dancing with the Stars partner, but maybe she actually benefited from Mark Ballas’ pain. According to a recent report, Paige is now dating Alan Bersten, the DWTS troupe member who temporarily filled in for Mark earlier this season.

A source recently told Entertainment Tonight that UFC fighter Paige VanZant and former So You Think You Can Dance contestant Alan Bersten developed a bond after they started working together early on in the competition. Alan had to step in for Mark Ballas during the second week of the show when the DWTS pro hurt his back during rehearsal. According to E! News, Paige and Alan only spent two hours practicing together before performing a Salsa choreographed by Mark. However, they finished at the top of the leaderboard, and their whirlwind rehearsal session soon blossomed into a whirlwind romance.

“They just got to know one another during the show and rehearsal [and] they took a liking to one another,” the Entertainment Tonight source revealed. “They aren’t really showing it off, but they are definitely interested in one another.”

After performing with Alan, Paige told People that she was “so glad” that she had him as a replacement partner, and she said that the Dancing with the Stars troupe member “really stepped up.” Alan called filling in for Mark “a dream come true,” and he said that he was “happy” that he was able to support Paige.

During an interview with MMA Junkie, Paige VanZant revealed that she and Alan Bersten got to enjoy each other’s company for a few more days after their Week 2 dance. Because Mark Ballas was still recovering from his back injury, she and Alan practiced her Week 3 Paso Doble together while Mark directed them from a chair. Paige said that switching back to dancing with Mark just two days before her third dance of the competition was scary.

“It wasn’t until Saturday that he really stepped in to do the dance with me. Until Saturday, I was doing it with Alan most of the time, and then Mark would step in when he could,” Paige VanZant said of her training with Alan. “It was up to Sunday and Monday for us to get it down together. It was definitely a little scary going into it, only rehearsing with Mark for not very long.”

If Paige VanZant and Alan Bersten really are dating, it seems as though Mark Ballas inadvertently played matchmaker for his partner. According to Paige, Mark handpicked Alan to fill in for him even though the troupe member had never danced with a celebrity competitor on Dancing with the Stars.

“They don’t have (specific) understudies for each (pro dancer). Mark got to choose who he wanted to perform with me, and Alan was the best choice,” Paige told MMAJunkie. “He said that he’s a really, really good dancer. And it was his first time being with a star on the show. He had only been with the troupe dancers doing the little dances here and there throughout the night. So he was very, very excited and it was really fun.”

Entertainment Tonight reports that Paige and Alan have acted like “more than friends” at a few Dancing with the Stars after-parties, and they’re often spotted arriving to and leaving from these cast events together. The rumored couple’s recent Instagram activity could also be evidence that they celebrated Paige VanZant’s first perfect DWTS score by going on a very sexy beach date. On Tuesday, Alan Bersten shared a photo of himself on the beach, and it was clearly taken by someone else. That same day, Paige shared her own beach photo. As you can see, a man’s leg is visible next to her beach buns.

Do you think Paige VanZant and Alan Bersten make a cute couple, and would you like to see them dance together one more time before this season of Dancing with the Stars comes to a close?

[Image via Alan Bersten/Instagram]