Claressa Shields is formally completed with MMA.
After changing into the undisputed ‘GWOAT’ of ladies’s boxing, Shields felt it was time to beat one other sport. In 2021, she signed with the Skilled Fighters League, making her promotional debut in June of that yr towards the well-rounded Brittany Elkin.
Regardless of some early adversity, Shields scored a ground-and-pound TKO within the third, leaving many to surprise in the event that they’d simply witnessed the delivery of MMA’s subsequent huge feminine star.
MMA debut
@Claressashields earned the third-round TKO victory at #2021PFL4 pic.twitter.com/U1DZZsKctq
— ESPN MMA (@espnmma) June 11, 2021
Shields’ momentum took a little bit of successful in her sophomore look, surrendering a split-decision to Abby Montes later that very same yr, however she bounced again with a win over Kelsey DeSantis on the PFL vs. Bellator occasion in February 2024.
Claressa Shields doesn’t have sufficient time for mMA
Since then, Shields has centered on her boxing profession, profitable the undisputed heavyweight championship in February to develop into boxing’s first-ever three-division undisputed champion, male or feminine. She’ll put her heavyweight gold on the road this July towards Lani Daniels, leaving many to surprise when or if she’ll ever daybreak the four-ounce gloves once more.
View this put up on InstagramEffectively, we now know courtesy of the ‘GWOAT’ herself.
“MMA is completed,” Shields mentioned throughout an look on The Ariel Helwani Present. “It was enjoyable, however I don’t have sufficient time to coach for it. It takes six to eight months simply to get able to defend takedowns. Despite the fact that I acquired loads higher and put within the time, I broke my arm twice. It was enjoyable, and I loved each battle I did.
“It takes loads of time to coach for MMA — time that I don’t have. I had aspirations of changing into a PFL MMA world champion and combating Kayla Harrison or Larissa Pacheco someday. I had these goals and aspirations, however I simply don’t have sufficient time. I’m already nice in boxing, and to be nice like that in MMA, I must prepare constantly for not less than three to 4 years. I did very well in MMA. It was enjoyable, however it was too exhausting.
“My household by no means wished me to do it. I did it as a result of I wished to show a degree, and I proved that time — to myself thrice; although you can say twice as a result of I gained twice. I acquired into a brand new relationship, and he can’t even deal with me boxing. We had a chat, and he was like, ‘I can’t deal with MMA.’ He mentioned, ‘Are you able to please not do this anymore?’ I used to be like, ‘Okay.’”
