Boxing champion Claressa Shields has been facing criticism from fellow fighter Cris Cyborg who accused her of struggling to make weight for her MMA fight. The Professional Fighters League (PFL) and Bellator MMA merged for the first time, hosting a combined event called PFL vs. Bellator: Champs, on February 24th. Cyborg’s remarks about Shields in the lead-up to her match as well as post her win further fueled the already-ignited rivalry between the two.
According to Cyborg, the fight against Kelsey DeSantis was initially scheduled as a women’s lightweight bout at 155 lbs, but since Shields failed to make the weight, the fight then had to be pushed to a catchweight of 165 lbs. “Just heard Claressa Shields had to move her fight… because she can’t make the weight limit,” wrote Cyborg on X. This understandably left Shields infuriated who refused to take it lying down.
READ MORE ;Claressa Shields wins first female MMA bout in Saudi Arabia as she triumphs on return to octagon
Claressa Shields wasted no time addressing Cris Cyborg’s criticism after her recent victory. In a fiery post-fight interview, Shields declared, “I don’t give a damn about Cris Cyborg. She can’t beat me in a fight. She can’t beat me in boxing.“
Furthermore, she accused Cyborg of being upset over her fight with Larissa Pacheco, the PFL champion, falling out. Shields’ frustration was evident as she continued, “But Cris Cyborg is mad because she turned down a fight…because she’s supposed to be fighting here.“
However, her anger didn’t subside from just this. Later on, the undisputed champion took to Twitter to threaten Cyborg with potential legal consequences if she continued making such accusations. She wrote, “I know if @criscyborg you don’t want to get sued you better stop lying Goofy a** bum. I didn’t miss weight you clown ssa b%>€ the fight was at a catch weight 165 & I weighed in at 164.4 lower than my opponent.”
JUST IN ;MMA: Claressa Shields beats Kelsey De Santis to make history in Saudi Arabia
Shields claimed that the fight was a catchweight and she even weighed lower than her opponent which means there is no substance to the allegations that Cyborg is making against her. That aside, she also shared her gratitude for the victory.
Claressa Shields, the boxing champion known for her grit, has added another accomplishment to her career. At 28, she stepped into the MMA ring in Saudi Arabia and emerged victorious in a hard-fought battle.
Shields’ win over Kelsey De Santis came via a close split decision. “I had such a hard camp,” she admitted, reflecting on the experience. She added, “I almost got my arm snapped in the freakin’ armbar. I had to fight out of that.“
