Undisputed boxing champion Claressa Shields has been banned indefinitely from all Most Valuable Promotions (MVP) events. The decision follows a volatile physical altercation between Shields and fellow boxer Alycia Baumgardner during the MVP MMA event held this past Saturday at the Intuit Dome in Inglewood, California.
The incident occurred within a private VIP section during the Netflix-streamed “Rousey vs. Carano” event. According to reports and viral footage, the confrontation began when Baumgardner approached Shields, seemingly attempting to offer a handshake. Shields responded by slapping the hand away and lunging at Baumgardner, necessitating immediate intervention from security personnel to de-escalate the situation.
In a formal statement released on Monday, MVP addressed the incident with a firm stance on their operational standards. “Most Valuable Promotions is aware of the incident during MVP’s Rousey vs. Carano event on Saturday night involving physical contact by Claressa Shields toward Alycia Baumgardner,” the company stated. “MVP maintains a strict zero-tolerance policy for hostile, threatening, or aggressive behavior toward fighters, staff, media, or guests at any of our events.”
The promotion emphasized that the conduct was detrimental to the reputation of the organization and the broader landscape of women’s sports. “Effective immediately, Claressa Shields is banned from all MVP events until further notice,” the statement continued. “There is a time and a place for fighter tension and banter, but to physically attack a fellow athlete while there as a guest inside a private VIP area is unacceptable.”
The tension between the two athletes has been public for months, with Shields frequently criticizing Baumgardner’s professional performance and questioning her standing among elite fighters. Shields had previously accused Baumgardner of performance-enhancing drug use, though those claims were contested and a subsequent suspension was lifted.
Despite the animosity, a professional bout between the two remains unlikely due to a significant weight disparity; Shields competes at middleweight, while Baumgardner campaigns at junior lightweight, creating a roughly 30-pound difference between the two champions.
Shields addressed the incident on X (formerly Twitter), defending her actions by stating, “Imma continue giving b#tches hell respectfully,” and claiming that Baumgardner had provoked her with verbal threats. As of now, Baumgardner has not issued a public response regarding the confrontation.
