“Not Okay” – Jake Paul stops boxing star from joining any MVP events after a backstage fight
Jake Paul’s Most Valuable Promotions has decided to ban a five-weight world champion from all their events after an incident at their first MMA event on Netflix last Saturday.
At the Intuit Dome in Inglewood, California, Ronda Rousey quickly submitted Gina Carano in just 15 seconds during her final MMA fight. Mike Perry beat Nate Diaz, and Francis Ngannou also returned to MMA action on a very exciting card.
However, the event was partly overshadowed when Claressa Shields slapped fellow boxer Alycia Baumgardner, who is signed with MVP. The two rivals got into a heated argument, and video showed Shields hitting Baumgardner in a private backstage area before security stepped in.
On Monday, MVP, the promotion company founded by Jake Paul, released a statement confirming that Shields will not be allowed to attend any MVP events until further notice. MVP called Shields’ actions “unacceptable” but praised Baumgardner for staying calm and not making the situation worse.
The statement said, “Most Valuable Promotions is aware of the incident during MVP’s Rousey vs. Carano event involving physical contact by Claressa Shields toward Alycia Baumgardner. MVP has a strict zero-tolerance policy against hostile or aggressive behavior toward anyone at our events. Physical fights outside the ring or cage are not allowed in any MVP setting. Shields’ behavior is not condoned or accepted and does not reflect the values MVP and women’s sports stand for. Effective immediately, Shields is banned from all MVP events until further notice.”
They also thanked venue security for quickly handling the situation and appreciated Baumgardner for not retaliating. MVP emphasized their commitment to keeping events safe, respectful, and professional for everyone involved.
Shields, a two-time Olympic gold medalist and the only female boxer to hold all four major world titles, is undefeated with an 18-0 record. She and Baumgardner have never fought but had past disagreements, with Shields accusing Baumgardner of using performance-enhancing drugs and criticizing her fights.
Back in April 2024, Shields also slapped Baumgardner’s hand, leading to a tense verbal argument between them.
Baumgardner responded to the recent incident with a detailed statement, calling Shields’ action “physical assault without provocation” and saying she will handle it legally and professionally. She also criticized Shields, saying she “continues to embarrass women’s sports” with her behavior.
On social media, Baumgardner wrote, “When you want to lift others up, some try to bring you down. The incident on Saturday was unprovoked and typical of the person involved. While I was a guest at MVP’s event, I was physically assaulted without cause. This follows a pattern from someone who has celebrated others’ brain injuries, started one-sided fights at press events, and shown hostility toward other women. This kind of behavior should not be allowed in sports.”
She added, “This reflects a repeated pattern of chaos and attention-seeking that harms women’s sports. I’ll handle this situation legally and professionally. My focus is beyond individuals who lack discipline and respect, inside or outside the ring. I’ve built my career on representing myself, my family, and boxing with class and integrity and will keep doing so. I want to congratulate Most Valuable Promotions and Netflix on an event that is raising the bar for women’s combat sports, and I look forward to being a positive part of the sport’s growth.”