Claressa Shields reveals the early MMA training advice she received from UFC legend Jon Jones
One of the most decorated amateur and professional boxers of all time, Claressa Shields has been training alongside Jon Jones and other notable MMA fighters at the Jackson Wink MMA Academy. Shields has been preparing at the world-renowned MMA gym in Albuquerque, New Mexico for her upcoming MMA debut matchup.
In an interview with TheMacLife, Claressa Shields opened up on multiple topics. About the Jackson Wink MMA Academy being a good choice of gym for her, Claressa Shields expressed her appreciation for longtime Jackson Wink member Jon Jones. Shields stated:
“I think so too. And I’m happy that they reached out to me, and that I had those conversations with Jonny ‘Bones’ (Jon Jones) back in like, 2017-16, where he was like, ‘You know, you’d be the perfect boxer to come over to MMA’. Jonny Bones saying this so many years ago, and I was looking at him like, ‘What the f**k are you talking about? Like, no, never. Never will you see me (in MMA)’.”
“And now, all of a sudden, he’s like, when I had signed the agreement (with the PFL), then they reached out – the JW team. And I came out here for two weeks, and then it was just like, ‘Yeah, I like this team’. I didn’t really say much the first two weeks I was here. I just let them do, like, they asked me, ‘How have you been feeling since you signed the contract with the PFL?’ And I was like, ‘I have huge anxiety’. That’s what I’ve been. I’ve been having anxiety about being choked, about being slammed, about being on the ground and not being able to get back up.”
Claressa Shields suggested that she told Jon Jones about her aforementioned fears, in response to which Jones advised her to face them head-on. Shields continued:
“And he was like, ‘Hmm. Alright. Get on your back’. And I was like, ‘What?’...‘Get on your back’. And that’s when we started the Jiu-Jitsu training. And he was just like this is how you do it. And I’ve learned that the more that I put myself in those scary positions, the more comfortable I am. So it’s like not being afraid to be there; not freaking out when you get in a position that you don’t want to be in. It’s like, ‘Okay, alright. We’re here. This is what we’ve gotta do to get out of this. This is what we’ve gotta do to’.”
“And that makes me totally comfortable. That’s why I drill the drills with Holly, Kayla, Arlene. I drill the drills with them every day. Or sometimes, it’s just me and coach. And I’m drilling those drills. And when we’re sparring, I get in those predicaments, ‘Alright, here we go. Gotta get up. Gotta figure some stuff out’. And just breathe all the way through. And it’s been super-informational and a great experience here.” (*H/T Sportskeeda for the transcription)
Claressa Shields reiterated her respect for the Jackson Wink MMA Academy and particularly thanked MMA legend Jon Jones for guiding her through her transition from boxing to MMA.
Claressa Shields will make her MMA debut in a lightweight bout at PFL 4 (June 10th, 2021)
Claressa Shields’ most recent pro combat sports fight was a professional boxing match in March this year against Marie-Eve Dicaire.
Shields won the fight via unanimous decision and retained her WBC and WBO light middleweight titles. Additionally, Claressa Shields also won the IBF, WBA (Super), and The Ring light middleweight titles.
The two-time Olympic gold-medalist boxer and three-weight professional boxing conqueror will make her MMA debut at PFL 4 (June 10th, 2021). Claressa Shields will face Brittney Elkin in the co-headlining bout of the PFL 4 fight card. The bout will be contested in the lightweight division.