Claressa Shields set for August 27th return to MMA

The adversity she had to fight through in her professional debut hasn’t scared Claressa Shields away from MMA. Ariel Helwani reported yesterday that “T-Rex” will return to the Professional Fighters League (PFL) cage on August 27th against an opponent to be determined.

Rival Savannah Marshall had some words for Shields’ (11-0, 2 KO Boxing, 1-0 MMA) continued extracurricular pursuits, which Shields herself brushed off.

Shields, fresh off of achieving undisputed status in a second boxing weight class, took on grappling specialist Brittney Elkin earlier this month, landing some solid shots on the feet but largely struggling with her foe’s wrestling and top control for the first two rounds. Once the third started, however, she managed to counter a takedown and land on top, where she hammered away with punches until the referee stepped in.

Making such a quick turnaround is unquestionably a bold move for Shields, whose ground game remains underdeveloped. Honestly, though, more power to her; she fought her way out of deep water and is looking to dive right back in. I can respect that.