Claressa Shields Draws Brittney Elkin For June 10

Two-time Olympic gold medalist Claressa Shields, who recently added the IBF Super Welterweight title to her ever-growing list of championships, will finally make her mixed martial arts (MMA) debut for Professional Fighters League (PFL) on June 10.

Opposing “T-Rex” on the ESPN2 broadcast will be former Bellator MMA bruiser Brittney Elkin (3-6), no stranger to PFL, having previously faced Kayla Harrison back in June 2018 in what marked the cagefighting debut for the former Olympic judoka.

“I’m very grateful to be back in PFL and to have this opportunity to square off with Claressa Shields,” Elkin said. “I know she is a great boxer but this is MMA and I plan to show everyone that I am a well-rounded fighter who can compete wherever the fight takes me.”

The Shields vs. Elkin three-round bout is considered a showcase fight and will not be part of the PFL 2021 regular season tournament.

“I am very excited to cement my legacy as the greatest woman of all time,” Shields said. “I cannot wait to step into the PFL cage for the first time on June 10 and show the world that I never back down from a challenge. I have shown I am the best boxer in the world and eventually I intend to do the same thing as a mixed martial artist.”

The June 10 fight card will take place inside Ocean Casino Resort in Atlantic City, NJ.