One of PFL’s biggest stars is scheduled to make a return later this year, as Boxer turned MMA fighter Claressa Shields will fight an opponent to-be-determined later on August 27th in Hollywood, Florida, as first reported by Ariel Helwani.
The two-time Olympic gold medalist earned a come-from-behind victory in her MMA debut against Brittney Elkin at PFL 4, withstanding an early barrage on the ground to get the TKO finish in the third and final round. Shields is competing outside of the PFL regular season and tournament format until the league determines she’s ready for a higher level of competition as she continues to learn MMA.
Also of note, Shields will not take any boxing matches between now and her upcoming MMA fight in August. Shields competes at 155 pounds in the women’s lightweight division, and coincidentally enough; the women’s lightweight tournament semifinals are slated to take place on that exact card.
Shields is widely regarded as the greatest female boxer of all time, and one of the best ever regardless of gender. She has accumulated a record of 1-0 with title reigns as the WBC and IBF female super middleweight world champion. Shields is also the fastest boxer to achieve multiple-weight titles in the sport.
As she continues her journey in MMA following signing a multi-year contract with PFL late last year, Shields has the opportunity to add to her already legendary resume. While her MMA debut wasn’t exactly a walk in the park against Elkin, she showed supreme grit, toughness, and striking to walk away with the win in her first professional match.
Shields trains with some of the best fighters on the planet down at Jackson-Wink MMA Academy in Albuquerque, NM; alongside championship-level fighters such as the UFC’s Holly Holm and Jon Jones. She has a long way to go to become an MMA champion, but she’s already one step closer to achieving that goal.
What did you think of Claressa Shields’ MMA debut?