Claressa Shields on First Day at Jackson Wink: “What the F*** Am I Doing Here”

Claressa Shields sat down with Joe Rogan to discuss her first MMA training sessions at JacksonWink and her friendship with Jon Jones

Claressa Shields
Photo via Instagram @claressashields

Claressa Shields is often regarded as the greatest female boxer walking the planet. In fact, some would include her on the pound-for-pound rankings amidst men. Oftentimes, MMA fans remained curious to see Shields compete inside of a cage or octagon against MMA fighters. Since then, Shields has signed with the PFL but has yet to her make MMA debut. Speaking to Joe Rogan, Shields detailed her first-day training for MMA with the likes of Jon Jones and Holly Holm by her side. 

Double Duty

Shields is only 25 years old and has expressed the desire for competition in both MMA and boxing simultaneously. Although details of Claressa’s contract with the PFL have yet to be revealed. More than likely, they’ve worked something out so that she will be able to compete in both sports. 

Shields Talks With Joe Rogan on MMA Career

Speaking with Joe Rogan, Shields spoke about training for MMA. Furthermore, she spoke about her friendship with Jon Jones. 

“I was having anxiety for about a week, I couldn’t sleep, I couldn’t really eat because I signed a contract with the PFL but I didn’t have a plan and it was bothering me, it was like what the f””k.” said Shields. 

“You know something like okay where am I training, that how much training, when do I start getting ready.”

As she continued, she began to explain how she ended up training at JacksonWink Academy in Albuquerque, New Mexico. 

“I was actually going to reach out to them (Jacksonwink) but thanks God they reached out to me. I was like oh thank you jesus.  I already hit up Jon on Instagram and he was being all busy and stuff and he didn’t get back to me until I landed in Albuquerque. He was like yo, you coming to Albuquerque. He’s (Jones) like I am pushing a hotel and let you drive my car. I am like thanks dude.”

“I trained him for about like a good two or three weeks and Jonny Bones did the first week like watching, kind of scoping a little bit and it was like we just figured out that we were twins and that was the best thing ever because he’s a hard worker, he’s smart, he’s strategic and we believe in hard work and he started drilling me like the coaches would just sit on the side and just watch us for three to four hours and they would see like, I am full of energy. I am like lets go what else you got and he was teaching me stuff and coach Wink would come in a little bit, some time coach Jackson to come in, but sometimes it would just me and Johnny and they would be just kind of looking at greatness from the outside and they would never give me any crap after.”

“My first day going at the JacksonWink gym, I looked at the cages. I was walking into the gym and to the cage and I thought to myself ‘what the f*** am I doing here,” emphasized Shields.

She then explained that she started her grappling journey the first day that she began training. Initially, Shields revealed that her biggest concern about switching to MMA would be getting put on her back and not being able to get up. Which, is why Coach Jackson began her training on the ground. 

Clarrisa open up about her fear of being on the ground.

“Coach Jackson asked me, what you most worried about and I am like, I am not worried about striking, the punching or the kicking, I am not worried about that. I am like, I am just being worried about being on the ground and not knowing how to get up. I have been having nightmares about this sh*it and all of sudden he just was like all right get on your back.”

“Coach was like we are gonna strengthen your weaknesses and also make it to where you can put everything together to where it’s you and ever since that day, I have just been super comfortable.”

Joe Rogan told Shields that you could be a world class grappler, you just need to dedicate your self.

“Clarissa said, that’s what I am trying to do. I think I am supposed to fight again in boxing may be this September or December. So this time I have here from April to September, December, it’s really going to be focused on MMA. So I am putting in a time for it. But then it’s just like to see how much I can consume, because some day they teach me so much. Once I learn it I get it and I take so many notes in my phone.”

Across the board, the women’s lightweight division is shallow with well-known talent. However, Shields is in the right training gym and organization to become a major star in MMA. 

Published on March 16, 2021 at 9:33 pm
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