In April, it was announced that Claressa Shields would make her widely-awaited MMA debut against Brittney Elkin at PFL 4 from Ocean Casino Resort, Atlantic City, N.J.
Last November, the two-time Olympic gold medalist decided to mix things up and try her hand at mixed martial arts, but not before becoming an undisputed champion for the second time in her career, the first boxer both male of female to achieve that feat.
In the 11th professional boxing match of her career in March, saw her win by unanimous decision over Marie-Eve Dicaire, retaining her WBC and WBO female light middleweight titles while also picking up the IBF, WBA (Super), and The Ring belts in the process.
But as the most-decorated female boxer of all time begins a career in the cage, who is her opponent Brittney Elkin, and does she stand a chance against heavy-favorite Shields?
Who is Brittney Elkin?
From Westminster, Colorado, Elkin made her professional MMA debut at Sparta Combat League’s Validation event in early 2014. And after defeating Summer Bradshaw by unanimous decision, she seemed destined for a promising career in the cage.
She was beaten by submission in April of the same year at SCL – Army vs. Marines 5, before a Fight 2 Win debut in August 2014 saw her beaten by Latoya Walker.
After three years of moving between franchises, Elkin made her Bellator debut in July 2017 but was beaten for the second time in her career by Amanda Bell.
Her first Professional Fighters League bout then came 11 months later, where she chose to submit for the third time in her career, before she retired in January 2019 after suffering an injury at NMEF – Annihilation 65.
Now with a 3-6-0 record as a pro, Elkin has the chance to create a major upset in what would be a fairy-tale win over arguably the greatest female boxer of all time.