"UNACCEPTABLE" - JAKE PAUL BANS BOXING STAR DROM ALL MVP EVENTS AFTER BACKSTAGE ALTERCATION

Jake Paul's Most Valuable Promotions have confirmed the ban in an official statement.

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Jake Paul's Most Valuable Promotions has banned a five-weight world champion from all events after an incident at their debut MMA event on Netflix on Saturday.

Ronda Rousey submitted Gina Carano within 15 seconds in her final ever MMA fight at the Intuit Dome in Inglewood, California.

Mike Perry defeated Nate Diaz, while Francis Ngannou was also back in MMA action during the stacked card.

However the event was somewhat overshadowed after Claressa Shields appeared slap fellow boxer Alycia Baumgardner, who is signed to MVP.

The two rivals became embroiled in a fiery exchange, with footage showing Shields striking Baumgardner in a private backstage area as security intervened.

On Monday, MVP, the promotion Paul founded, issued a statement on the incident and confirmed that Shields will not be able to attend any events they put on until further notice.

Claressa Shields has been banned from all MVP events after slapping Alycia Baumgardner at the Ronda Rousey fight 😳

Alycia says she’s also taking legal action

MVP branded Shields' behaviour "unacceptable" but praised Baumgardner for not escalating the situation any further.

"Most Valuable Promotions is aware of the incident during MVP's Rousey vs Carano event on Saturday night involving physical contact by Claressa Shields toward Alycia Baumgardner," the MVP statement read.

MVP maintains a strict zero-tolerance policy for hostile, threatening, or aggressive behavior toward fighters, staff, media, or guests at any of our events.

"Physical altercations outside the ring or cage are unacceptable in any MVP environment.

"MVP does not condone, tolerate, or accept Claressa Shields’ behavior in that setting. And it reflects poorly on MVP and women’s sports, which we have worked tirelessly to uplift.

"Effective immediately, Claressa Shields is banned from all MVP events until further notice.

“There is a time and a place for fighter tension and banter. But to physically attack a fellow athlete while there as a guest inside a private VIP area is unacceptable.

“MVP would like to thank venue security for their swift response in addressing and de-escalating the situation and appreciate Alycia Baumgardner not retaliating and further amplifying the situation.

"We remain committed to maintaining a safe, respectful and professional environment for all participants and attendees at our events and will continue to enforce these standards without exception."

Alycia Baumgardner also put out her own statement on the matter. Image: Getty

Shields, a two-time Olympic gold medalist and the only female boxer in history to have held all four major world titles, is undefeated with a record of 18-0.

She and Baumgardner have never fought despite previous negotiations but Shields has accused her of using performance-enhancing drugs and slammed her performances in the ring.

They also had an April 2024 altercation when Shields smacked Baumgardner's hand and they were involved in an intense verbal confrontation.

Claressa Shields could face legal action for incident

Baumgardner has also responded to the controversy with a lengthy statement where she accused the self-proclaimed 'GWOAT' of "physical assault without provocation" and said the situation will be "handled legally and professionally".

The undisputed junior lightweight champion also provided a character assassination of Shields, who she said "continues to embarrass women's sports" with her conduct.

"When your purpose is to elevate, there will always be people who attempt to pull you down to the level from which they operate," she wrote on X.

"The situation that occurred on Saturday was unprovoked and entirely consistent with the individual involved. While attending Most Valuable Promotions' inaugural MMA event as a guest, I was physically assaulted without provocation. This behavior follows a continued pattern from someone who has publicly celebrated other fighters' brain injuries, initiated one-sided altercations at press conferences, and consistently displayed hostility toward other women. That conduct is unacceptable and should not be tolerated in any professional sport.

"This behavior reflects a repeated pattern of hostility, chaos, and attention-seeking conduct that continues to embarrass women's sports.

"This situation has been and will continue to be handled legally and professionally.

"My focus remains far beyond individuals who lack discipline, professionalism, and self-control — inside or outside the ring.

"I have spent my career representing myself, my family, and the sport of boxing with class, integrity, and respect. I will continue to do so.

"I want to congratulate Most Valuable Promotions and Netflix on an event that continues to raise the ceiling for women's combat sports, and I look forward to continuing to be a positive force in the evolution of the sport."

- Josh Lawless

SIXERS' GEORGE BOOED IN L.A. RETURN, CALLS REACTION 'STIPID'

Philadelphia 76ers forward Paul George reacts during the first half of an NBA basketball game against the Los Angeles Clippers, Wednesday, Nov. 6, 2024, in Inglewood, Calif. (AP Photo/Ryan Sun) (AP)

INGLEWOOD, Calif. -- In his first game against the LA Clippers at Intuit Dome, Paul George received a video tribute but also heard plenty of boos all night from The Wall at the new arena.

Before an announced crowd of 15,627, George made 7 of 9 shots and had 18 points, 7 rebounds and 3 steals, but his old team routed the Philadelphia 76ers 110-98.

George said he appreciated the video tribute and called the Clippers franchise "first class." He said his return drew a fair and split reaction, but he did not understand or care for the boos after helping the Clippers reach their only Western Conference finals appearance in 2021.

"It is stupid," George said when asked if he was surprised to hear jeers after playing five seasons in L.A. "I mean, I was a free agent, you know what I mean? It wasn't something that I demanded a trade or went against the team here. I was a free agent. The team presented something that was team friendly, and I did what was best for me in that situation.

"So there were the cheers. I appreciate them. Those were the ones that I played hard for. The boos, I didn't get it. I still don't get it when I go [back] to Indy, but it is what it is. It's sports. I look forward to next year being back here and more boos."

After five seasons of playing for the Clippers, George signed a four-year, $212 million max contract as a free agent with the Philadelphia 76ers in the summer. George said he wanted to remain a Clipper. But he wanted a no-trade clause to go with a three-year, $150 million extension or a four-year max deal, and the Clippers declined to do either.

After George left, some of the Clippers' fan base was irked by comments he made on his podcast, "Podcast P with Paul George," when he described returning to his hometown of Los Angeles to join the Clippers like being on the "B team" because so many Lakers fans would tell him that he should've joined the Lakers.

Some fans in The Wall, a section where the most ardent Clippers fans stand in uninterrupted rows behind the basket near the opponent's bench, brought signs with them referencing George's podcast. Multiple fans held up signs that combined to read, "PG THINK BEFORE YOU SPEAK."

George, playing in his just his second game after suffering a bone bruise in his left knee late in the preseason, said he didn't see many of the signs.

"Oh, well, I'm sure they're all probably subscribers," George said, referring to his podcast. "So it's a win-win. It's two wins against The Wall, I guess."

During the first half when the Sixers had to shoot at the basket by The Wall, George made both of his free throw attempts. In the season-opening overtime loss to the Phoenix Suns, Clippers fans at The Wall successfully distracted Kevin Durant enough that he missed a pair of free throws.

George said on Wednesday morning that he did not hold a grudge against the Clippers organization for not re-signing him. He cited his "awesome" relationship with team owner Steve Ballmer and president of basketball operations Lawrence Frank.

"I think it got kind of misconstrued or [the] narrative kind of wasn't written correctly with the relationship with Lawrence [Frank], the relationship with Steve Ballmer," George said before the Sixers had their morning shootaround at UCLA. "I mean, they were awesome the whole time I was here.

"Kind of the reason why it was such a shocking decision how it played out at the end. But they were awesome. My time here, I think that was kind of refreshing to be alongside and have a partnership like that with a front office. And so I think that was probably the highlight of the whole [time with the Clippers]. Just how great they were in my tenure here."

Frank told ESPN that he was willing to give the Kawhi Leonard-George tandem another three years by extending George to the same three-year, $150 million deal he gave to Leonard in January. But the team would not give a no-trade clause to George with that deal nor give a four-year max deal, citing roster flexibility, age and the new collective bargaining agreement's second apron, which penalizes luxury-tax-paying teams like the Clippers.

Outside of the boos, George said he felt plenty of love from old friends on his former team and many family and friends in the building. He spent time with former teammates, such as James Harden, before the game and did not leave the court for a good 15 minutes afterward as he caught up with more former teammates, such as Ivica Zubac, and hugged his parents, Clippers employees and friends who were courtside.

"Ain't no bad blood," George said when asked about grudges that might form when a star leaves a franchise. "I talked to those guys throughout the whole process. James was informed with what I was doing. Kawhi was informed with what I was doing. Russ [Westbrook] was informed with what I was doing. I talked to all those guys, so there was no bad blood.

"At the end of the day, regardless if we're teammates or not, those are lifelong bonds that you build and whatever happens in basketball kind of doesn't affect that relationship."

George said he thought Intuit Dome was as spectacular as advertised but was missing just one thing -- more Clippers fans.

"It was great," he said of the Clippers' new home. "I wish it would've been a little bit more packed out. I didn't think it was quite packed for this to be Clippers' very own.

"But the facility, this thing is amazing. What Ballmer did and his vision and how it came to life -- it's the best arena to play in."

- Ohm Youngmisuk, ESPN Staff Writer