MMA Junkie<\/a> recently, Shields explained why she chose the PFL over the UFC. The boxer says the UFC really only wanted her for one fight against Amanda Nunes, while the PFL offered her more of an opportunity to develop long-term.<\/p>\n\u201cIt was just the conversation,\u201d Shields said. \u201cIt wasn\u2019t like \u2018Hey, come and train a few months and then fight against the best girl that we have at your weight. I think that\u2019s unfair to me and it\u2019s not giving me enough time to learn. If you\u2019re talking about letting me train for two years and then I\u2019ll fight against the best girl you have. All right, cool. But the conversation with Dana was almost like a one fight deal a little bit.\u201d<\/p>\n
\u201cWith the PFL, it was \u2018Let\u2019s train, let\u2019s start you at this level and work your way up\u2019 and then I\u2019ll have a chance to fight in the PFL tournament in 2022,\u201d Shields continued. \u201cAnd also I\u2019ll still be able to box, so my boxing career isn\u2019t just over because I\u2019m doing MMA. I actually have a boxing match in February, it just hasn\u2019t been announced yet. I still get to box and I\u2019m not getting rushed. And it\u2019s a lucrative deal and a lucrative conversation where it was a three year deal. It\u2019s not like \u2018Hey come over here fight two times and go back to boxing.\u2019 I\u2019m a conqueror and I\u2019m a winner so I want to put myself in a position to always win.\u201d<\/p>\n
How do you think Claressa Shields will do in MMA?<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"
Three-division boxing champion Claressa Shields has explained why she decided to sign with the Professional Fighters League instead of the UFC. Shields, one of the best female boxers ever, has been plotting a move to MMA for some time. She’ll finally make that transition in the PFL cage in 2021\u2013contrary to some interest from the […]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":54430,"featured_media":370377,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_mi_skip_tracking":false},"categories":[52074,24130,39610],"tags":[],"yoast_head":"\n
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