"She said she'd choke the s**t out of me" - Claressa Shields explains how Amanda Nunes motivated her to switch to MMA
It's no secret that money is the primary driving factor that pushed Claressa Shields to pursue MMA. However, the 'GWOAT' recently revealed that two-division UFC champion Amanda Nunes nudged her to transition from boxing to cage fighting.
Shields shared that Nunes was a "huge part" of her decision to become a mixed martial artist. Appearing on the most recent episode of The MMA Hour, Shields said:
"I didn't think about doing MMA until I heard said she'd choke the s*** out of me. Once she said that, it lit a different fire in me. I've had girls say stuff to me in boxing but like when Amanda Nunes said it, it was like, not only did she say it but she could actually do it. She said she's gonna choke the s*** out of me, she said she's never gonna box in the ring with me. She would choke me."
Two years ago, Nunes challenged Shields to meet her in the cage after defending her UFC bantamweight crown against Germaine de Randamie. Back then, Nunes was convinced Shields wouldn't "want anything to do with this."
The former boxing champion revealed that upon reflecting, she realized Nunes was right in that she could out-grapple her in a fight – a thought that didn't sit well with Shields. She added:
"I was like, 'At the point where I am, this stuff that I know, and as tough as I am, I could still go anywhere near her and she'll be able to choke me.' And that didn't make me feel good. So that's why I'm like, 'You know what? She's a big part of my motivation in becoming a full mixed martial artist. Like, learning everything, being a complete MMA fighter, not just relying on boxing but learning everything. She's a huge part of that."
Watch Claressa Shields' interview below:
Claressa Shields shuts down claims that claims that Cris Cyborg and Amanda Nunes can outbox her
Claressa Shields has admitted that she has a long way to go on her journey to the mountaintop of women's MMA. However, the former Olympic gold medalist believes it's preposterous even to think that the likes of Amanda Nunes and Cris Cyborg have "better hands" than her.
Claressa Shields will take on Abigail Montes under the PFL banner in what will be her second professional MMA fight. She made an impressive debut against Brittney Elkin in June.