This year’s PFL 4 card had endured all sorts of permutations since its original conception.
A string of bad luck saw fighter after fighter drop out of the event. Anthony Pettis, Lance Palmer, Anthony Dizy, and Lazar Stojadinovic were all on the card at one point. Raush Manfio was expected to face friend and training partner Natan Schulte, but was moved to a separate event to take on Pettis. What stayed the same — just about the only thing it seemed — was that 11-0 boxing champion Claressa Shields was making her MMA debut at PFL 4.
Shields crossing over represented the biggest star to make the jump since, arguably, Holly Holm did years ago. She was also the most decorated boxer to make the transition, and she seemed to be doing it right, training alongside Holm (and Jon Jones) at Jackson-Wink MMA in Albuquerque, NM.
In the card’s main event, Shields would take on grappling expert and brown belt Brittney Elkin. Elkin also served as the welcome fight for Judo star Kayla Harrison a few years back.
* Joilton Lutterbach and Jesse Stirn both missed weight for the event, resulting in walkover wins for opponents Clay Collard and Sheymon Moraes. Despite already having a win, both remain eligible to earn more points via stoppage.
The action goes down Thursday, June 10 in Atlantic City, NJ. Check below for results!
PFL 4: Shields vs. Elkin Results
Main Card
Women’s Lightweight: Claressa Shields def. Brittney Elkin by TKO, Round 3, 1:44
Lightweight: Clay Collard def. Joilton Lutterbach by split decision (29-28, 28-29, 29-28)
Featherweight: Bubba Jenkins def. Bobby Moffett by unanimous decision (29-28, 29-28, 29-28)
Featherweight: Brendan Loughnane def. Tyler Diamond by majority decision (30-27, 29-27, 28-28)
Preliminary card
Lightweight: Natan Schulte def. Alexander Martinez by split decision (28-29, 29-28, 29-28)
Lightweight: Olivier Aubin-Mercier def. Marcin Held by unanimous decision (30-27, 30-27, 30-27)
Lightweight: Loik Radzhabov def. Akhmet Aliev by TKO, Round 1, 0:27
Featherweight: Sheymon Moraes def. Jesse Stirn by submission (kimura), Round 2, 4:59
Featherweight: Chris Wade def. Arman Ospanov by KO (punches), Round 2, 2:18
