Claressa Shields is looking to make a statement in her MMA debut on June 10th in Atlantic City, New Jersey. Shields, who is a three-division boxing champion and Olympic gold medalist, is hoping that her move to MMA will give her the recognition and worldwide status that she deserves. After achieving all there is to achieve boxing, Shields still felt that she wasn’t getting her just due in the sport. She’s been vocal about the lack of money and exposure for women in boxing compared to the men.
It’s generally known that the market for women in MMA is bigger than in boxing. We’ve seen various examples of that from the likes of Gina Carano, Cris Cyborg, and Ronda Rousey. All of these women became more than household names in the sport; they became celebrities in their own right, like the way the men do in boxing. Holly Holm is an example of a successful transition from boxing to MMA. Although she is ranked as one of the best women boxers of all time by BoxRec, she didn’t experience the level of worldwide attention that she’s received since her move to MMA. This is what Shields is hoping for in her own mixed martial arts journey.
Since December, Shields has been training at JacksonWink MMA in Albuquerque, New Mexico. According to her MMA coaches, she’s been improving in her wrestling and grappling at a rapid pace. When asked about her debut on Thursday and what her game plan is, she responded with, “The game plan is to stay the f— away from the cage.”
She will be facing Brittney Elkin in the Professional Fighters League (PFL) on June 10th. Elkin, who is a brown belt in Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu, is grateful for the opportunity to fight Shields but knows she has certain advantages that Shields has yet to master, “I know she is a great boxer, but this is MMA and I plan to show everyone that I am a well-rounded fighter who can compete wherever the fight takes me.”
It should be an interesting night that will tell the future of Shields in the MMA space. When asked about Elkin’s comments saying that the fight will last fifteen seconds, Shields responded, “It will be a quick night if she underestimates me because these hands are fireworks. If she’s only preparing for fifteen seconds, then she’s underprepared.”
