Undisputed super welterweight champion Claressa Shields is returning to the cage
Two division undisputed champion Claressa “T-Rex” Shields (1-0, 1 KO) has just announced her next bout. Only, in her October 27 match, rather than the boxing ring, she will be returning to the cage to combat Abigail Montes (2-0). In her last performance, Shields made her MMA debut by facing and stopping Brittney Elkin (3-6, 1 KO) on June 10. During that fight, when Shields was on her feet, she was obviously the more talented and capable fighter.
Yet, whenever Elkin took the fistic squabbling to the ground, which she did often, T-Rex was noticeably out of her depth. Though, Shields should be credited for keeping her composure in those tough moments. Ultimately the Flint, Michigan native was able to score a clutch third round knockout. Had the bout gone to the cards, it is nearly unfathomable to think she would have gotten the nod from the judges. Nevertheless, the bumpy first fight in the new sport clearly has not dampened her desire to compete in MMA. Shields will face another somewhat green fighter in Abigail Montes. Montes will be staging just the third fight of her own professional MMA career.
While this will mark the second MMA match of the year for Shields, it will be her third outing. On March 5, T-Rex defeated Marie Eve Dicaire to become the undisputed super welterweight champion of the world. When the back-to-back gold medal Olympian accomplished this feat, she was already the undisputed middleweight champion. Despite her grand success in boxing however, T-Rex has been drawn to MMA looking for more challenges and greater pay.
By: Bakari Simpson
