Former two-weight UFC champion, Conor McGregor has offered plaudits to two-time Olympic gold medalist, Claressa Shields ahead of her transition from professional boxing to professional mixed martial arts on June 10. at PFL 4 (Professional Fighters League).
Shields, a two-time gold medal winner at the 2012 and 2016 London and Rio de Janeiro summer Olympic games in boxing, is set to make her professional mixed martial arts debut against Brittney Elkin.
Back in November of last year, reports emerged that the Michigan puncher had penned a three-year deal with the Professional Fighters League banner, following rumblings that she was considering a move to professional mixed martial arts, with a pairing opposite two-weight UFC champion, Amanda Nunes briefly rumored.
The 26-year-old is an undefeated professional boxer with an 11-0 record, with her most recent victory coming against Marie-Eve Dicaire in March — winning the IBF, WBA, and The Ring light middleweight titles, as well as successfully retaining her WBC and WBO light middleweight championships.
Posting on her official Twitter ahead of her professional MMA debut, Shields explained that it’s not impossible for her to great in her transition from boxing, and that she’s coming for every one of her opponents.
“MMA and boxing is different yes!” Shields tweeted. “But it’s all fighting! It involves strength, IQ, heart, discipline, diet, lifestyle! All that ish! It is not impossible for me to be great at MMA, I have all that it takes! And I’m not SCARED OR INTIMIDATED BY NONE OF YOU MMA BISHES!!!“
In response, McGregor urged people to respect Shields, and claimed her transition from boxing to professional mixed martial arts should be “lauded with praise“.
“Respect this multi-weight boxing world champion!” McGregor tweeted. “Competing in her first MMA fight next month. A rare occurrence that is to be lauded with praise! Real courage a lot of her male counterparts do not possess. Good luck Claressa (Shields)! Another multi-weight, multi-sport savage! Welcome.“
Respect this multi weight boxing world champion! Competing in her first MMA fight next month. A rare occurrence that is to be lauded with praise!
Real courage a lot of her male counterparts do not possess.
Good luck Clarissa!
Another multi weight, multi sport savage! Welcomehttps://t.co/eIQuIPV7yr
— Conor McGregor (@TheNotoriousMMA) May 7, 2021
While Shields prepares for her professional mixed martial arts debut on June 10. — McGregor is set for his twenty-eighth walk exactly a month later on July 10. as he headlines UFC 264 at the T-Mobile Arena in Las Vegas, Nevada — taking on former interim lightweight champion, Dustin Poirier in a trilogy rubber match.
The 32-year-old briefly transitioned from MMA to the squared-circle himself back in August of 2017, in a professional boxing debut against former five-division world champion, Floyd Mayweather, eventually succumbing to tenth round strikes in his sole boxing match to date.