Tag: PFL News

Claressa Shields On First Loss: “She Went For The Goddamn Takedown”

Claressa Shields is walking away from her first blow of defeat with a lot to think about. It was less than one full year ago that Claressa Shields made the decision to begin an MMA career and sign with PFL. Roughly seven months after making this life-changing decision, she found herself in the Decagon against […]

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Claressa Shields is walking away from her first blow of defeat with a lot to think about.

It was less than one full year ago that Claressa Shields made the decision to begin an MMA career and sign with PFL. Roughly seven months after making this life-changing decision, she found herself in the Decagon against a much more experienced adversary in seven-year pro Brittney Elkin. Elkin gave Shields all she could handle in the Olympian’s highly hyped debut, but the never-quit attitude of the Flint, Michigan native was on display in her come-from-behind victory last June.

There was no fairytale ending this time, as Shields dropped a split decision to Abigail Montes yesterday at the 2021 PFL World Championship. Though Shields is encouraged by some of the things she did well in her second pro fight, she can’t help but eke out some residual frustration that her opponent opted to go for the dadgum takedown.

“I did better in there. I did pretty good on the cage,” Shields told ESPN immediately following her loss. “It was always the ground stuff. Gotta get better at defending the takedown and stuff. The game plan was to just do better than my last fight. Of course to win [also], but do better.

Abigail Montes serves Claressa Shields her first MMA loss at PFL Championships (Video)
Abigail Montes unleashes full-mounted ground-and-pound on Claressa Shields At The 2021 PFL World Championship

“It continues to show us what we need to work on, and I worked damn hard in camp. I knew I would look better. It was the last round that did it for me. She went for the goddamn takedown, and I didn’t respond quick enough.”

As you might have guessed, Shields is already well aware of what is priority #1 when she returns to the Jackson Wink MMA gym in the near future. And in case you were wondering, no, she has no plans of quitting MMA.

“Continue more ground game, continue more training; getting better,” Shields said. “I’ve got two more years left, so it’s not over.”

Do you think Claressa Shields has what takes to rebound from her first MMA loss?

Continue Reading Claressa Shields On First Loss: “She Went For The Goddamn Takedown” at MMA News.

2021 PFL World Championship Results, Sights, & Sounds

The 2001 PFL World Championship just wrapped up, and we’ve got you covered with all the results, sights, and sounds! There were six world title fights in tonight’s 2021 PFL season finale and thus six $1 million winners. In the main event, Kayla Harrison put her undefeated record on the line against Taylor Guardado. And […]

Continue Reading 2021 PFL World Championship Results, Sights, & Sounds at MMA News.

The 2001 PFL World Championship just wrapped up, and we’ve got you covered with all the results, sights, and sounds!

There were six world title fights in tonight’s 2021 PFL season finale and thus six $1 million winners. In the main event, Kayla Harrison put her undefeated record on the line against Taylor Guardado. And in the only non-title fight on the main card, Olympic boxing champion Claressa Shields made her sophomore MMA appearance against the 2-0 Abigail Montes.

So which six talented fighters took home the cash? And how did the PFL’s resident Olympians Kayla Harrison and Claressa Shields fare? You can catch the main card highlights below followed by the quick results.

Main Card Kick-Off

Before we get to the action, here are a few sounds from multi-platinum recording artists and part-owner of the PFL, Wiz Khalifa, who literally setting the tone for the night!

Movlid Khaybulaev vs. Chris Wade 

First up on the main card was Movlid Khaybulaev taking on Chris Wade. Both men came into this fight with a 3-0 season record. That would inevitably change, of course, with one of the two taking home $1 million for his efforts. Would Khaybulaev show why he was the favorite? Or would former UFC vet Chris Wade show that life outside of the UFC is worth a million bucks? Check out the highlights below!

Bruno Cappelozza vs. Ante Delija

Next up we’ve got the heavyweights, Bruno Cappelozza taking on Ante Delija in a rematch of a fight that took place earlier this year. Cappelozza got the victory the first time in their May encounter. Would history repeat itself here with $1 million at risk? The frenetic highlights below reveal the answer to that question.

Claressa Shields vs. Abigail Montes

Up next, we have the highly anticipated return of Claressa Shields as she takes on 2-0 Abigail Montes. Shields had to overcome her share of adversity in her MMA debut against Brittney Elkin in June. Would she again need to dig deep, or would she have a much smoother outing this go-round? Find out which of these MMA newcomers’ 0 had to go in the highlights below.

Ray Cooper III vs. Magomed Magomedkerimov

In the co-main event, the last two winners of the welterweight PFL seasons went at it in the rematch. The first time, Magomedkerimov defeated Cooper via guillotine choke in 2018. This time, there was once again a finish. Find out who earned it and how in the memorable outcome below.

Kayla Harrison vs. Taylor Guardado

There was no other way to close out the 2021 PFL season than with the undefeated Olympian Kayla Harrison looking to repeat as the women’s lightweight champion. Entering the fight as a -4000 favorite, this main event was viewed more as a coronation than an actual final. Would Taylor Guardado shock the world and give PFL the historic landmark of the greatest upset in MMA championship history? Buckle up and find out below.

2021 PFL World Championship Quick Results

MAIN CARD

  • Women’s Lightweight Championship: Kayla Harrison def. Taylor Guardado via submission (armbar): R2, 4:00
  • Welterweight Championship: Ray Cooper III def. Magomed Magomedkerimov via knockout (punches): R3, 3:02
  • Abigail Montes def. Claressa Shields via split decision (29-28, 28-29, 29-28)
  • Heavyweight Championship: Bruno Cappelozza def. Ante Delija via unanimous decision (49-45×2, 48-46) 
  • Featherweight Championship: Movlid Khaybulaev def. Chris Wade via unanimous decision (50-45×3)

PRELIMINARY CARD

  • Light Heavyweight Championship: Antonio Carlos Junior def. Marthin Hamlet via submission (rear-naked choke): R1, 3:49
  • Lightweight Championship: Raush Manfio def. Loik Radzhabov via unanimous decision (48-46×2, 49-46)
  • Jordan Young def. Omari Akhmedov via TKO (punches): R3, 1:32
  • Julia Budd def. Kaitlin Young via unanimous decision (30-27×3)
  • Don Madge def. Nathan Williams via submission (rear-naked choke): R2, 2:15

Want to relive all the action from tonight’s card in its entirety? You can catch the full replay of both the preliminary and main cards by subscribing to ESPN+!

Continue Reading 2021 PFL World Championship Results, Sights, & Sounds at MMA News.

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 …

Claressa Shields

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 the 2021 PFL Championships in October.

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.