Will Claressa Shields be partaking in the 2021 PFL playoffs?
Just five years after winning her second Olympic gold medal, Claressa Shields has already laid her claim as arguably the best female to ever compete in boxing. But for a while, she has teased of a move over to MMA.
Then, in December 2020, as part of a big free-agent signing spree ahead of its comeback, 2021 season, the Professional Fighters League (PFL) announced the signing of Shields to a contract, and the hype surrounding Shields’ inevitable MMA debut set in.
Shields made her professional boxing debut in November 2016, quickly picking up two titles at super middleweight, before going on to become the undisputed champion at middleweight in April 2019 and at light-middleweight this past March.
Claressa Shields isn’t a part of 2021 PFL season and playoffs format; will not be in the 2021 PFL playoffs but will compete
In spite of her signing to a PFL deal, Shields did not take part in the women’s lightweight regular season and postseason in 2021. Instead, she has been booked to compete in “showcase” bouts as she gets used to MMA and potentially gets ready to compete in the 2022 season.
This isn’t the first time the PFL has signed a gold medalist to a contract to allow them to make an MMA debut under their banner — and get them used to MMA competition before letting them compete in a regular-season-and-playoffs format.
Current PFL women’s lightweight champion Kayla Harrison, who won judo Olympic gold medals in 2012 and 2016, signed with the PFL and made her debut in 2018, going a perfect 3-for-3. Women’s lightweight then opened in the promotion the next year, and she went on to win the 2019 tournament.
Shields scored a comeback, third-round TKO of Brittney Elkin at PFL 4 in June in her MMA debut. She’ll compete on the Aug. 19 PFL playoff card, PFL 9, against an opponent to be announced.
PFL CEO Peter Murray, in an exclusive interview with FanSided MMA, suggested a decision will be made on her getting a 2022 roster spot following the fight.