Twice undisputed boxing champion Claressa Shields will soon step into the MMA cage at PFL 4 against Brittney Elkin on June 10.
Despite her impressive boxing resume and track record for making history and overcoming obstacles, many fans are still wondering if Shields will be ready to show what she can do.
.@Claressashields wears her signature blue hair to bring attention to the water crisis in her hometown of Flint, Michigan. pic.twitter.com/OEwiVoa2J0
— PFL (@PFLMMA) June 6, 2021
Her opponent Brittney Elkin plans to cut Shields no favours.
“I don’t think it’s a game planning secret that she has hands and I have ground stuff,” Elkin said in the PFL 4 promotional video. “I have other tools that I plan to implement, but closing the distance is one of them.”
Shields has been training with former UFC light heavyweight Jon Jones and the Jackson Wink camp in Albuquerque, New Mexico.
We have seen former boxers struggle in the cage, most notably James Toney, who quickly succumbed to Randy Couture back at UFC 118 in 2010.
Still, Toney did not take training for his bout nearly as seriously as Shields is. Which is a major difference.
.@Claressashields makes her first walk in 5️⃣ days!#2021PFL4 pic.twitter.com/WdCnAFfh1B
— PFL (@PFLMMA) June 5, 2021
All eyes will be on Shields as the big name and favourite.
PFL 4 is scheduled for June 10 at the Ocean Casino Resort in Atlantic City, New Jersey. IT will air on ESPN 2. Announced bouts include:
CLARESSA SHIELDS (0-0-0) VS. BRITTNEY ELKINS (3-6-0)
ANTHONY PETTIS (24-11-0) VS. ALEX MARTINEZ (8-0-0)
BUBBA JENKINS (15-4-0) VS. ANTHONY DIZY (13-5-0)
BRENDAN LOUGHNANE (20-12-0) VS. TYLER DIAMOND (12-1-0)
CLAY COLLARD (19-8-0) VS. JOILTON LUTTERBACH (34-9-0)
NATAN SCHULTE (20-4-1) VS. MIKHAIL ODINTSOV (18-3-0)
LANCE PALMER (22-4-0) VS. LAZAR STOJADINOVIC (11-4-0)
MARCIN HELD (27-7-0) VS. OLIVIER AUBIN-MERCIER (11-5-0)
AKHMED ALIEV (20-6-0) VS. LOIK RADZHABOV (13-3-1)
MOVLID KHAYBULAEV (16-0-1) VS. SHEYMON MORAES (11-5-0)
CHRIS WADE (18-6-0) VS. ARMAN OSPANOV (11-3-0)
