Savannah Marshall stops Mirela Vargas in MMA debut at PFL Europe before calling out Claressa Shields
On Saturday night at PFL Europe in Newcastle, Savannah Marshall had an impressive MMA debut by defeating Mirela Vargas in the first round. Marshall's performance was dazzling and the round was intense.
Marshall ventured into the MMA for the first time by participating in the cage. She transitioned from being an undisputed super-middleweight boxing champion in July 2020 to competing in MMA.
At an early stage, Marshall faced a challenging test when her opponents took her down multiple times. However, she didn't let it discourage her and instead bounced back impressively, displaying her skills as one of the most powerful female punchers in the sport of boxing.
Despite facing some difficult early leg kicks, Marshall was composed and relied on her training with UFC's interim heavyweight champion Tom Aspinall to recover and stand up again with ease.
Vargas couldn't handle her amazing skills and was defeated when she unleashed a series of powerful punches that led the referee to stop the match.
In the presence of her old boxing foe Claressa Shields, Marshall promptly restated her plans to face her in the PFL without any delay.
"Shall we begin fighting in the cage?" Marshall suggested. "I propose we follow all the rules of Mixed Martial Arts and engage in a physical match. Are you ready?"
In October 2022, a historic event took place in the UK where the two renowned female boxers, Shields and Marshall, competed in the first-ever televised all-female boxing card at The O2. Shields emerged victorious against Marshall in a unanimous decision.
It concluded an intense escalation that originated from Marshall's triumph against Shields in the non-professional league, which still stands as the latter's sole boxing loss so far.
Shields took the initiative to venture into the realm of MMA by participating in her first PFL match in 2021. She has currently won two out of three games.
The lady has planned her comeback in boxing and will compete against Vanessa Lepage-Joanisse in Detroit on July 27 for the WBC heavyweight title. Her aspiration is to become a champion in four different weight categories.
Marshall made her first appearance in the MMA world only after completing a brief nine-month training program. Despite her limited experience in the sport, the 33-year-old was unafraid to confess that the opportunity to go against Shields was a crucial reason that prompted her to take the leap into MMA.
Marshall commented that being an MMA fighter requires a certain level of insanity.
"I've thoroughly enjoyed the week of preparation leading up to the fight, from the rigorous training sessions to the friendly embrace of the MMA community. Undoubtedly, this sport demands a great deal of courage and I have immense respect for those who participate in it."
