It looks like Savannah Marshall will have a shot to avenge a loss in the near future.
Undisputed super middleweight women’s boxing champion Marshall (1-0) made her MMA debut Saturday in the main event of 2024 PFL Europe 2 and finished Mirela Vargas (1-3) in the first round at Utilita Arena in Newcastle, England.
Afterward, Claressa Shields entered the cage for a friendly and playful faceoff – but one that also could be very serious for both fighters soon. In 2022, Shields and Marshall became the first female boxers to headline a major show in the U.K., and Shields took a unanimous decision to become the undisputed middleweight champ.
The 29-year-old Shields, regarded as the greatest women’s boxer in history, has been dabbling in MMA, as well, and returned in February for a split decision win over Kelsey DeSantis. She’s 2-1 under the PFL banner in three years as a pro in MMA.
Her win over Marshall is the only boxing loss of Marshall’s career. Early in her MMA debut Saturday, she found herself on her back and with some issues to work through, but she did – and then celebrated with training partner and teammate Tom Aspinall, the UFC’s interim heavyweight champion.
No date was given for a potential Marshall-Shields rematch in MMA for the PFL, but such a booking could be a boon for the promotion given the women are two of the most popular boxers in the world.
Savannah Marshall’s successful pro debut sets up MMA rematch with boxing rival Claressa Shields
