Superstar athlete Claressa Shields might be undefeated in the boxing ring, but ‘T-Rex’ has had a mixed experience in the world of MMA; with two wins and one loss in the PFL.
Amid speculation that the iconic American could find herself facing MMA Hall of Famer Cris Cyborg sometime in 2025, Shields has now explained why she wouldn’t fight in Mixed Martial Arts against the 28-2 veteran.
Claressa Shields launches expletive-laced rant at ‘clout chasing’ Cris Cyborg
Whilst featherweight world champion Cris Cyborg has stated that she ‘wants a piece’ of boxing legend Claressa Shields, the American boxer believes that her callout isn’t actually based on merit.
“She wants the clout,” stated Shields during a recent appearance on the Pound-4-Pound Podcast, claiming that “Ain’t nobody paying attention to Cris Cyborg no more, she’s old and I’m new, I’m popping [off] right now and she’s a hater.”
The pair actually sparred together back in 2017 – several years before Shields transitioned from boxing to MMA – and by Shields’ recollection, it didn’t go well for the Brazilian.
“When we sparred, I kicked her a** easy, she’s lucky that I didn’t knock her a** out cause the way that she was looking at me was like a deer up in the headlights.
“Her little boyfriend, when I whooped her a** after four rounds, he walked up to me and says, ‘Oh my god, it feels so good to see Cris get humbled, she beats up guys in the gym, all the women, it just felt so good to see her get humbled.’”
According to Shields, Cyborg is all bark and no bite, stating that whilst there’s been plenty of words exchanged between the two, she’s the only one who’s actually willing to sign a contract.
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“She’s talking about she wants to fight me, well b**** come do it, come fight me – I don’t understand what we’re waiting on… You said that you would knock me out if we wore eight oz gloves at 154lbs, I don’t give a damn if we wore four oz gloves, imma sleep Cris Cyborg’s a** because she cannot fight.
“I’m bigger than you, I’m stronger than you, I’m better than you… I keep telling her, bring her a** and come on… Do it quick… I’ll fight February 2 in Flint, Michigan, up at 175lbs for the undisputed championship and then guess what, she can get her a** kicked February 3 – the next day. It’s simple.”
Claressa Shields distances herself from MMA fight vs Cris Cyborg
Whilst Shields would jump at the opportunity to fight Cris Cyborg in the boxing ring, she’s also distancing herself from such a matchup taking place inside the PFL SmartCage.
“I’m not going to fight Cris Cyborg in MMA, why? Because she’s got too much experience, and I don’t have the time to learn it. If I was better on the ground [maybe] but I don’t have time to do that stuff.
“Boxing is the more fair sport; how’s it more fair? Because you got your left, and you got your right; in MMA, she’s got her elbows, her knees, her kicks, the ground game – all her experience in MMA versus me who’s only been doing MMA for a year-and-a-half, two years.”
Shields’ argument is that between the two potential avenues, fans would be in for a far more competitive contest if they came to blows in the squared circle, and it’s hard to disagree.
“I wouldn’t do it [in MMA] but if she says she can whoop some a**, she better be ready to whoop some a** with the [boxing] gloves on – but she needs all that extra s***, she needs the ground game, she needs the elbows and all that s***.
“All she’d do is take me to the ground and kick me, but in boxing, it’s a fairer fight… She says that she can box and beat world champions, this and that, she’s already said that she could knock me out, so she should stand on her word and do it.”
Claressa Shields returns to action on February 2 to fight for the WBC world female heavyweight title against Danielle Perkins – that event is set to be broadcast via DAZN.
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