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Claressa Shields Opens Up On Brief Negotiations With The UFC

Penning a multi-fight deal with the PFL (Professional Fighters League) recently ahead of her long speculated foray into the world of mixed martial arts, decorated professional boxer, Claressa ‘T-Rex’ Shields has revealed she had held some negotiations with the UFC about possibly joining the roster last year. Shields, a native of Flint, Michigan is a […]

Shields, a native of Flint, Michigan is a two-time Olympic gold medalist in boxing and a multiple-time boxing world champion, establishing an undefeated 10-0 professional résumé.

The first of multiple high-profile signings for the Ray Sefo founded banner toward the end of this year, Shields penned a multi-fight deal with the outfit ahead of the acquisition of former UFC heavyweight champion and decorated Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu player, Fabricio ‘Vai Cavalo’ Werdum, and former UFC and WEC lightweight best, Anthony ‘Showtime’ Pettis.

Set to continue her boxing career as well as prepare and compete in mixed martial arts, Shields, who had been continuously linked to both a boxing and mixed martial arts outing against two-weight UFC world champion, Amanda ‘The Lioness’ Nunes, revealed the UFC had come knocking, briefly last year offering her an almost ‘one-and-done’ type deal against a high-level competitor.

“It was just the conversation,” Shields said during a recent interview with MMA Junkie. “It was like, ‘Hey, come and train for a few months and then fight against the best girl that we have at your weight.’ “I think that’s unfair to me and it’s not giving me enough time to train. If you’re talking about letting me train for two years and then I’ll fight against the best girl you have. All right, cool. But the conversation with Dana (White) was almost like a one-fight deal a little bit.“

Shields continued where she noted her willingness to sign with the PFL due to their longterm plan for her, which allowed her to continue her boxing career as soon as February coming, as part of a three-year deal in which she’ll compete in the promotion’s tournament in 2022.

“With the PFL, it was ‘Let’s train, let’s start you at this level and work your way up’ and then I’ll have a chance to fight in the PFL tournament in 2022,” Shields explained. “And also I’ll still be able to box, so my boxing career isn’t just over because I’m doing MMA. I actually have a boxing match in February, it just hasn’t been announced yet. I still get to box and I’m not getting rushed. And it’s a lucrative deal and a lucrative conversation where it was a three-year deal. It’s not like, ‘Hey come over here fight two times and go back to boxing,’ I’m a conqueror and I’m a warrior so I want to put myself in a position to always win.” (MMA Junkie via MMAMania)

Whilst an opponent for Shields’ sure to be highly-anticipated mixed martial arts debut has yet to be set, the renowned puncher has hinted at her willingness to eventually stand opposite friend and fellow two-time Olympic gold medalist, Judoka standout, Kayla Harrison in the future.

Both under the same banner, Harrison recently headlined an Invicta FC card in November, making light work of Courtney King on her way to a second-round knockout win.

Harrison was scheduled to headline Titan FC 66 earlier this month in a rematch against Jozette Cotton until the main event clash was cancelled after the latter required hospitalization due to the effects of a severely botched weight cut.

Claressa Shields To Join Jackson Wink MMA Full Time

Claressa Shields’ commitment to being the best MMA athlete she can be is growing by the week, and she is now prepared to take a major step to further along that process. Olympic boxing gold medalist Clarissa Shields recently decided to make the transit…

Claressa Shields Backs Jon Jones To Succeed As Heavyweight Boxer

Undisputed middleweight champion in boxing and new PFL signing Claressa Shields has backed Jon Jones to be successful should he choose to transition to heavyweight boxing. Shields has been training with Jones ahead of her eagerly anticipated MMA debut. The 25-year-old signed with the Professional Fighters League last month and has been working hard at […]

Undisputed middleweight champion in boxing and new PFL signing Claressa Shields has backed Jon Jones to be successful should he choose to transition to heavyweight boxing.

Shields has been training with Jones ahead of her eagerly anticipated MMA debut. The 25-year-old signed with the Professional Fighters League last month and has been working hard at the world-famous Jackson-Wink MMA Academy in Albuquerque, New Mexico

After spending “countless hours” training with Jones, Shields insists she is confident with the right training the former UFC light-heavyweight champion could be a dangerous division to the boxings heavyweight division which is currently ruled by British duo Anthony Joshua and Tyson Fury.

“I can see Johnny Bones making a transition from MMA to boxing. Heavyweight boxing,” Shields told Heavy.com. “That’s what I see. I don’t see WWE. To me, that’s more like a clown show, the WWE. Johnny Bones is a serious person especially when it comes to training and his teaching. We’ve had two classes where I spent countless hours with Johnny Bones and he was teaching me and breaking stuff down that looked so complex, but breaking it down into 1-2-3-4, breaking it down into steps from the beginning. So I look at him as a serious guy. So if I was to show (Jones) what I know in boxing and show me what he knows in MMA, I believe that when he learns these simple basics with his hands and how to stand. Aw man. I think he would be so freakin’ dangerous in boxing because he’s really just, inside that cage. I mean, we all seen it. He’s a dangerous guy.”

Jones is currently preparing to step up to heavyweight for the first time in his impressive MMA career. ‘Bones’ is in the bulking up stage and will likely face the winner of Stipe Miocic vs. Francis Ngannou II for UFC gold in summer 2021.

Do you agree with Claressa Shields? Could Jon Jones successfully transition to heavyweight boxing?

Archives: Shields Vows To Prove Boxers Can Succeed In MMA (2020)

On this day one year ago, we ran a story about Claressa Shields’ insistence that she will be the individual to prove that boxers can succeed in MMA. One year later, her record sits at 1-1, with Shields losing her most recent bout to Abigail Montes at …

Although it cannot be denied that Shields suffered a setback and has much work to do before she can be successful in her mission, she has let it be known that she will not be deterred by her first defeat.

Here is a look back at Shields’ mindset before she ever stepped foot into an MMA cage in this story published one year ago. The following article is presented to you in its original, unaltered form, courtesy of The MMA News Archives.

[ORIGINALLY PUBLISHED DECEMBER 26, 2020, 10:54 AM]

Headline: Claressa Shields Vows To Prove Boxers Can Succeed In MMA

PFL newcomer and boxing world champion Claressa Shields is eager to prove that boxers can indeed be successful in MMA.

Some would say that there is a common perception that boxers do not have what it takes to be successful at the highest level of MMA. Case in point, just ask anybody what Floyd Mayweather’s chances would have been against Conor McGregor in an MMA bout. Whether a casual fan or a hardcore MMA aficionado, odds are you would get a response of McGregor being at least a -1000 favorite after the person scoffed at the very question.

This belief is further perpetuated by the precedent of one James Toney, a former boxing heavyweight champion who attempted to cross over into MMA, only to get submitted in the first round of his lone MMA fight. This has served as a precautionary tale for boxers ever since.

But now, there’s Claressa Shields, an Olympic boxing gold medalist who is venturing into MMA full time in the Professional Fighters League. Shields feels that it goes beyond a perception that boxers can’t cut it in MMA but that it is a full-blown myth, one that she cannot wait to burst.

“Listen, I’m excited and I’m just ready to prove everybody wrong,” Shields told MMA Fighting. “Not everybody but all the doubters. It seems like everybody keeps saying like ‘oh anybody that’s come from boxing can’t be successful in MMA.’

“Like they say look at James Toney, and I kind of laugh cause James Toney was 42 years old. I’m 25. He was also 42 years old and he went in there, I don’t know how long he prepared but he fought against one of the best guys that they had. It’s not that I wouldn’t do that, but I’m preparing. I’m taking it one step at a time.”

It is true that James Toney’s submission loss came to a UFC Hall of Famer (Randy Couture) and that he was indeed 42 years old at the time. Claressa Shields, on the other hand, is only 25 years of age and is arguably the best female boxer in the world. And most importantly, unlike Toney, Shields is fully invested in putting in the work to becoming a complete mixed martial artist.

“I’m not an egotistic person,” Shields said. “I am the best woman’s fighter in the world. There is no other woman fighter in boxing that can beat me in boxing, for sure. But going over to a whole other sport and saying that, it’s just not true now. I have to work my way up from the bottom and learn and train and drill.”

Claressa Shields plans to begin her mythbusting expedition around May or June of 2021 in a non-tournament fight in the PFL.

Do you believe there is a myth that boxers can’t cut it in MMA and that Claressa Shields will debunk it?

Continue Reading Archives: Shields Vows To Prove Boxers Can Succeed In MMA (2020) at MMA News.

Claressa Shields: “MMA Fans Need To Bow Down And Kiss My Feet”

Claressa Shields has yet to make her MMA debut yet, but she expects to be treated like a queen by fans of the sport. There are many boxers who have talked about fighting mixed martial artists, but those requests are almost always for a boxing match. An…

The post Claressa Shields: “MMA Fans Need To Bow Down And Kiss My Feet” appeared first on MMA News.

Jon Jones Trains With Claressa Shields, Excited For Her MMA Future

Former UFC light heavyweight champion Jon Jones believes Claressa Shields has a bright future in mixed martial arts. The former women’s unified middleweight boxing champion recently made the transition to MMA after making headlines with her move to the Professional Fighters League (PFL) late last month. To further emphasize how serious she is taking up […]

Former UFC light heavyweight champion Jon Jones believes Claressa Shields has a bright future in mixed martial arts.

The former women’s unified middleweight boxing champion recently made the transition to MMA after making headlines with her move to the Professional Fighters League (PFL) late last month.

To further emphasize how serious she is taking up her new sport, Shields is training with one of the top gyms in the world in Jackson Wink. The likes of Holly Holm, Michelle Waterson and Jones notably train there as the latter is working alongside Shields as she prepares for her eventual debut.

“@claressashields becoming even more dangerous @jacksonwink_mma“

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And after a few days, it’s seemingly evident to Jones that Shields will exceed expectations in the sport.

“@claressashields reminded me what it was like to be 25 again, this woman could train all day. Excited about her future”

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Given that Jones is regarded by many to be one of the greatest fighters of all time, if not the best, that’s certainly high praise for the 25-year-old Shields.

That said, Shields isn’t completely done with boxing. In fact, she plans on competing in both sports.

“I’m still gonna box and do MMA at the same time,” Shields said. “I could box in my sleep. That’s not something that I really have to worry about.

“I’m gonna spend a lot of time learning and just growing in MMA, but I’m still gonna accept my mandatory challenges in boxing. I’m gonna fight those girls. I’m gonna beat them, but I plan on having maybe two or three boxing matches and two to three MMA fights next year.”

It’s certainly going to be interesting to see how she fares in her debut.

What do you think of Shields’ future in MMA?