Claressa Shields Gets First MMA Loss As She’s Upset By Abigail Montes
Claressa Shields is not shy in calling herself the GWOAT (Greatest Woman Of All-Time). Having established greatness in a boxing ring, she has spent the bulk of 2021 attempting to carry that success in the octagon.
The 26-year-old took part in her second MMA bout as she faced Abigail Montes on a PFL (Professional Fighters League) Championship card that aired live on ESPN2. Things ended disastrously for the boxing star as she surprisingly lost by a split decision (29-28 twice for Montes, 29-28 for Shields).
STARTING OFF ON THE RIGHT FOOT; ENDING ON THE BAD ONE
In her MMA debut against Brittany Elkin on June 10th, Shields expectedly looked like a beginner early. However, her size, strength, and striking skills took over as she stopped Elkin in three rounds.
RELATED: Claressa Shields Claims TKO Victory in MMA Debut
That was not the case against Montes (3-0), whose plan was to engage in tight quarters. After Shields (1-1) had some success in round one by standing up and trading, Montes took over in rounds two and three. Shields had no answers and was not able to combat the wrestling tactics of her 21 year-old opponent.
VIDEO: Abigail Montes Grounds & Pounds Claressa Shields To End The Fight
Whenever Shields tried to get some distance to throw punches, Montes ducked under the shots and wrestled Shields to the floor. Once on the floor, the lack of wrestling ability of the two-division undisputed champion was evident. Montes would cap off her performance with her signature ground and pound to end the final round which sealed the fate of the champion boxer.
VIDEO: Abigail Montes Announced The Winner By Split-Decision
Consider this a significant roadblock in her attempt to become an MMA star.
Next up for the self-proclaimed “GWOAT” is a return to what she does best; boxing. After signing a deal with Sky Sports on September 1st, Shields returns to the ring on December 11th as she defends her junior middleweight titles against Ema Kozin at the Utilita Arena in Birmingham, England. A win will setup a pro rematch of the only loss of her amateur career against rival and WBO middleweight champion Savannah Marshall.
By: Michael Wilson Jr.
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