Claressa Shields, the three-division women's boxing world champion, has been banned from all Most Valuable Promotions (MVP) events until further notice. The ban comes after Shields confronted and slapped fellow boxer Alycia Baumgardner backstage during MVP's first MMA event at the Intuit Dome in Los Angeles last Saturday.

Shields did not show any regret and accused Baumgardner of disrespecting her. Baumgardner, however, stated she showed restraint and accused Shields of repeatedly instigating fights with other women. In a statement on X, Baumgardner called out Shields for her behavior, saying it was part of a pattern of hostility and chaos.

MVP condemned Shields’ actions and issued a ban, stating that they maintain a strict zero-tolerance policy for hostile behavior. The organization also praised Baumgardner for not retaliating and thanked venue security for quickly addressing the situation.

“When your purpose is to elevate, there will always be people who attempt to pull you down to the level from which they operate,” Baumgardner wrote. “This behavior reflects a repeated pattern of hostility, chaos, and attention-seeking conduct that continues to embarrass women's sports.”

The incident has cast a shadow over the event, which was aimed at uplifting women's combat sports.