Savannah Marshall to make MMA debut in PFL

As has become a weirdly consistent tradition for undisputed women’s boxing champions, super middleweight queen Savannah Marshall will kick off her MMA career with Professional Fighters League.

“I am thrilled to begin my journey in MMA with The Professional Fighters League,” said Savannah Marshall. “I am proud to join the most talented female combat sports athletes in the world and continue to raise the profile of women in sports through PFLW.”

She follows in the footsteps of rival Claressa Shields and, more recently, Amanda Serrano.

I get why Marshall (13-1, 10 KO) is doing this; the only fights boxing has left to offer her are mandatory challenger Shadasia Green or a rematch with Shields, which they could easily do in PFL with the added gimmick of smaller gloves.

Honestly, though, the pickings might be even slimmer in the cage. Marshall will have to squeeze down to 155 to catch even the very fringe of WMMA’s talent pool. We’ll see if PFL can scrounge up a few stiffs; I’ll admit a bit of curiosity as to what’ll happen if Marshall, who unlike Shields boasts genuine one-shot power, hits someone with those smaller gloves.