Claressa Shields says she's using Conor McGregor's advice as she preps for MMA debut
Two-time Olympic boxing gold medalist Claressa Shields says she not only appreciates some recent advice from Conor McGregor, but she’s using it in the gym ahead of her MMA debut.
This past December, McGregor commented on an Instagram post featuring Shields’ MMA training at Jackson Wink MMA, and the former UFC two-division champion had some pretty in-depth recommendations.
Teach her balancing on the single leg first! Warm up / warm down for EVERY session – Pick the single leg and move her around. Elevate the leg high. Push her back with it. Lower it forward etc etc. Get her real cozy hopping on that single leg! Improve her hamstring flexibility as well as balancing ability. Crucial going forward! Have her play with her punching while balancing on the single also. Finding the target of the temple of the person moving her leg around! Think coziness! Good luck Clarissa! Excited to see you progress!
Shields signed with PFL this past November and is expected to make her MMA debut later this year. In a recent interview with Betway Insider, the reigning WBC and WBO female light middleweight champion said she appreciated the suggestions from McGregor and was utilizing them in her training.
“I just feel when Conor reached out, I feel like in a way he actually cared and he was wishing me good luck, and that’s what I appreciated most,” Shields said. “He didn’t have to give me any advice. He could have just seen it and kept on, but instead he was like, ‘I’m going to give out this advice,’ and it was great. I took it, I use it, and hopefully everything goes as it’s supposed to go.”
Shields will not take part in PFL’s upcoming season format, which kicks off in April, but will instead be booked in featured matchups during the promotion’s 2021 run. Up first is a boxing match against fellow champion Marie-Eve Dicaire on March 5.
In the meantime, Shields says that while she’s certainly focused on that matchup, she’s keeping an eye on the PFL roster, as well.
“I can’t wait to get back in the MMA gym,” Shields said. “The PFL have announced their lightweight division for the PFL league, and even though I’m trying so hard to not think about MMA, I had to look up every last one of them girls’ names. I had to. It just didn’t sit right with me not to.
“I had to look these girls up, I had to know who is in the tournament, what their record, what their background is, and I did a whole little background check on the list.”
