Claressa Shields is considering legal action after her altercation with Alycia Baumgardner.
The boxing champions clashed at a May 16 MMA event featuring Ronda Rousey and Gina Carano, where video showed the two arguing before Shields slapped Baumgardner with an open hand. The pair were quickly separated, but then both athletes hopped online to exchange verbal jabs.
In an interview with Fight Hub TV, Shields said she may sue Baumgardner and MVP, the promotion that banned her from its future events after the incident.
Claressa Shields says she’s suing Alycia Baumgardner and MVP for defamation
— Happy Punch (@HappyPunch) May 23, 2026
“I’m not gonna handle it with the law, I’m gonna handle it with the court. Get your checkbooks ready.” https://t.co/d1cPW7Bbm8 pic.twitter.com/FB6CX3VPz2
“Both of MVP and Baumgardner’s statements were lies. That is defamation of character,” Shields said. “For those who saw the video of Baumgardner threatening me, telling me ‘I’ll beat your a– right now b—h,’ that is a threat.”
Shields said she plans to take the dispute to court.
“Y’all are going to get sued for defamation of character,” she went on. “All of y’all up there. So y’all need to get your checkbooks ready,” before accusing Baumgardner of repeatedly bringing up her relationship with rapper Papoose, best known for 2005 signature freestyle, “Alphabetical Slaughter.”
Claressa Shields has been banned from all MVP events after slapping Alycia Baumgardner at the Ronda Rousey fight
— Happy Punch (@HappyPunch) May 19, 2026
Alycia says she’s also taking legal action pic.twitter.com/yC4kwCi0je
“That’s what the conversation was about,” Shields continued. “To tell her ‘keep popping it how you’re popping it,’ but keep that there out of your damn mouth.”
Shields also slammed MVP and Jake Paul on social media, accusing them of suggesting that she was banned from the sport, rather than just their events.
