MVP bans Claressa Shields after altercation with Alycia Baumgardner
Most Valuable Promotions has banned Claressa Shields from its events after her physical altercation with boxer Alycia Baumgardner, MVP announced.
Boxing star Claressa Shields has been banned from events prompted by Most Valuable Promotions after Shields got into a physical altercation with MVP-backed boxer Alycia Baumgardner, a boxing champion promoted by MVP, the promotion company announced in a statement. The incident took place at MVP MMA1, which featured the comeback fight of Ronda Rousey and Gina Carano on Saturday May 16 at the Intuit Dome in Inglewood, California. MVP is co-founded by Jake Paul.
The company partnered with Netflix to promote its inaugural MMA event, headlined by the bout between Rousey and Carano. “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,’’ MVP’s statement reads . “MVP would like to thank venue security for their swift response in addressing and de-escalating the situation and appreciate Alycia Baumgardner not retaliating and further amplifying the situation.
’’ Claressa Shields has been banned from all MVP events after slapping Alycia Baumgardner at the Ronda Rousey fight 😳 Alycia says she’s also taking legal action pic. twitter. com/yC4kwCi0je — Happy Punch (@HappyPunch) May 19, 2026 Video shows Shields and Baumgardner in a heated verbal exchange before Shields apparently reaches out and appears to make contact with Baumgardner.
In a statement issued on X, Baumgardner said she was assaulted and the situation was unprovoked. "This behavior follows a continued pattern from someone who has publicly celebrated other fighters' brain injuries, initiated one-sided altercations at press conferences, and consistently displayed hostility toward other women,'' Baumgardner said. "That conduct is unacceptable and should not be tolerated in any professional sport.