Claressa Shields has officially retired from MMA after a three-fight run in the sport.
The 16-0 boxing superstar, who believes she is ‘the greatest woman of all time,’ sent shockwaves through the combat sports world by crossing over to MMA in 2021.
Claressa Shields rallied to get a TKO win in her debut before falling to a split-decision defeat next time out.
In February 2024, she edged out 2-2 fighter Kelsey DeSantis in what proved to be her last MMA outing.
Photo by Gregory Shamus/Getty ImagesClaressa Shields retires from MMA
Earlier this year, the two-time Olympic gold medalist provided a bleak update about her MMA career.
Claressa Shields suggested she doesn’t have enough time to train at the level needed to become a world-champion-level fighter.
On Monday, the 30-year-old admitted MMA is ‘too hard’ as she officially retired from the sport.
“MMA is done, sweetheart,” Shields told Ariel Helwani. “It was fun, but I don’t have enough time to train for it. It takes eight months just to get ready to defend takedowns. I got a lot better and put in the time, I broke my arm twice. It was fun, and I enjoyed every fight I did.
“My family never wanted me to do it. I did it because I wanted to prove a point, and I proved that point.
“It takes a lot of time to train for MMA, time that I don’t have. I did have aspirations of being a PFL MMA world champion and have a fight with Kayla Harrison or Larissa Pacheco one day. I did have those dreams and aspirations, but I just don’t have enough time.
“I’m already great in boxing, and to be great like that in MMA, I would have to train consistently for at least three to four years. I did really good in MMA. It was fun, but it was too hard.”
Claressa Shields shares she will no longer compete in MMA:
“Oh no. MMA is done, sweetheart. It was fun… I got a lot better. I put in time. I got my arm broken twice.
It just takes a lot of time to train for MMA that time that I don’t have… I did really good in MMA. It was… pic.twitter.com/qgpzUFkSXs
— Ariel Helwani (@arielhelwani) May 19, 2025
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What’s next for Claressa Shields?
Claressa Shields will return to the boxing ring against IBF light-heavyweight titleholder Lani Daniels on July 26.
Shields became the undisputed heavyweight champion with a unanimous points win over fellow American Danielle Perkins in February.
She’ll put those titles and her perfect record on the line against Daniels at the Little Caesars Arena in Detroit, Michigan.