It appears that Claressa
Shields‚ brief dalliance with mixed martial arts has reached
its end.
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During an appearance on „The Ariel Helwani Show” on Monday, the multi-division
world champion boxer revealed that she won’t be competing in MMA
again going forward.
“MMA is done, sweetheart,” she said. “It was fun. I don’t have
enough time to train for it. It takes six months, eight months to
get ready to defend takedowns. I got a lot better, I put in time. I
had my arm broken twice. It was fun, and I enjoyed every fight.
“My family never wanted me to do it. I did it because I wanted to
prove a point. I proved that point — to me three times, but you can
say twice because I won twice .. I was offered one more fight with
the PFL. It would have been against a girl who’s on my level … It
takes a lot of time to train for MMA. Time that I don’t have. I did
have aspirations of being PFL MMA world champion and having a fight
with Kayla
Harrison one day, or Larissa
Pacheco. I did have those dreams and did have aspiration but
just not enough time. I’m great already in boxing and to be great
like that in MMA, I would have to train at least three to four
years consistently.”
Shields made her MMA debut in 2021 and compiled a 2-1 record under
the
Professional Fighters League banner. She most recently appeared
at the PFL vs. Bellator event in February 2024, when she defeated
Kelsey De
Santis via split decision. She also earned a third-round TKO
win over Brittney
Elkin and lost a split decision against Abigail
Montes. Shields faced off with recent PFL signee Savannah
Marshall — a former boxing opponent — but it looks like that
matchup will not come to fruition in the cage.
“T-Rex” is much more accomplished in the Sweet Science. Shields has
held championships in five different weight classes while compiling
a 16-0 record. Her career is also the subject of a film entitled
“The Fire Inside.”