Cris Cyborg continues to fan the flame of Claressa Shields beef

Cris Cyborg took a recent shot at Claressa Shields on social media, poking fun at the latter's rapping. It's the latest in a long line of jabs that both women have aimed at each other, though with zero signs of a boxing grudge match in the works.

Cris Cyborg dismisses Claressa Shields' rapping

The trash talk comes in response to an interview of Britton Hardin, DAZN's Head of Boxing. According to him, one of the ways to help boxing continue growing is by highlighting the fighters' interests outside of boxing. He argued that there are potential fans that could connect with a fighter's pursuit of a different craft, not knowing they're a boxer, which would then lead to them supporting said fighter by tuning in to their fights. Unfortunately for him, Cris Cyborg disagrees with the sentiment, at least regarding women's boxing GOAT Claressa Shields, who has a well-known interest in hip hop.

Shields has released several hip hop songs, with some dating back to 2025, and previously performed under the alias 'Ressa Da Gwoat,' before sticking to her real name. However, her rapping has not impressed Cyborg, who believes no one who comes across her rival's music first will be interested in her fights.

"Let's be honest nobody is becoming a fan of boxing because they listen to Claressa Shields rap."

Cyborg has long sought a fight with Shields, who she called out for a boxing match after a tough unanimous decision win over Ketlen Vieira at PFL Tampa in what was originally a PFL women's featherweight title defense, before Vieira's weigh-in failure led to the title being removed from the bout. Along with UFC women's bantamweight champion Kayla Harrison, who previously competed in the PFL just like Shields, Shields is among the last possible high-profile fights on Cyborg's radar. Sadly, the two women cannot agree on which division to meet in, leading to an impasse.

Shields herself has had a stellar year, with two championship bouts. She first defeated Franchón Crews-Dezurn via unanimous decision in early 2026 to defend her WBA, WBC, IBF, WBO, and WBF women's heavyweight belts. Later, on Aug. 15, she TKO'd Kaye Scott in round six to capture the WBA and WBC women's middleweight titles. For now, it doesn't seem like she's booked for another fight, and a fight with Cyborg seems more and more unlikely.