Claressa Shields Set To Make Professional MMA Debut At June 10 PFL Event

Two-time Olympic gold medalist and multiple-time world boxing champion, Claressa ‘T-Rex’ Shields is slated to make her professional mixed martial arts debut at a June 10. PFL (Professional Fighters League) event. 

Shields, a gold medalist at the middleweight limit in both the 2012 summer London Olympics and the 2016 summer Rio de Janeiro games, Shields penned a multi-fight deal under the PFL banner — after months of speculation regarding a much-anticipated transition to professional mixed martial arts competition. 

11-0 as a professional boxer, the Flint, Michigan native scored a unanimous decision victory over Canada’s, Marie-Eve Dicaire at a March 5. event this year at Dort Financial Centre on home soil. With the victory, Sheilds retained her WBO and WBC light middleweight crowns, as well as claiming the IBF, WBA and The Ring light middleweight championships. 

Last November, Shields penned a three-year deal with the PFL, ahead of her planned debut this year. Plying her trade under the Jackson-Wink MMA banner in Albuquerque, New Mexico — with footage emerging of her training alongside former bantamweight champion, Holly Holm, and former two-time light heavyweight champion, Jon Jones — as well as practicing kickboxing alongside coach, Mike Winkeljohn. 

Recently appearing on Good Morning America alongside Michael Strahan — it was revealed that Shields will be making her professional mixed martial arts debut at a PFL event on June 10. 

“Going through the pandemic, it was a depressing time for me,” Shields replied when asked why she decided to make the transition to professional mixed martial arts. “I wasn’t in the ring, I gained a whole bunch of weight, and I was like, ‘I’ve accomplished everything in boxing’. And in my mind I was like, I think it’s time to try MMA.“

.@Claressashields is the No. 1 women’s boxer in the world and about to make her MMA debut, but the 2-time Olympic gold medalist says sexism is still a major issue within sport: "It's mind-boggling to me … I want us to have equal pay, equal opportunity.” @michaelstrahan pic.twitter.com/cZOWoA2Ogu

— Good Morning America (@GMA) April 13, 2021

Whilst an opponent or weight-class for Shields’ June 10. professional mixed martial arts debut has yet to be determined, the PFL event is slated to take place at the Ocean Casino Resort in Atlantic City, New Jersey.