Lauren Murphy picks up first career submission win over Lilya Shakirova
The reigning UFC lightweight champion Khabib Nurmagomedov is back at UFC 254 tonight, Saturday, Oct. 24. He is set to defend his title against the current interim UFC lightweight champion Justin Gaethje in the event’s headliner in Yas Island, Abu Dhabi.
In the co-main event, former middleweight champion Robert Whittaker welcomes the surging Jared Cannonier.
On the main card, Lauren Murphy will fight Lilya Shakirova in a flyweight bout.
Murphy (13-4) has been on roll since moving down to 125 pounds as she’s won four of her five fights including three in a row over Mara Romero Borella, Andrea Lee and Roxanne Modafferi. She believes a win should get her a title fight and it would be hard to deny her the opportunity if she pulls off her fourth consecutive win.
Originally this fight was supposed to have Murphy taking on Cynthia Calvillo in what many where viewing as a possible title elimination fight. Unfortunately Calvillo tested positive for coronavirus and was forced out of the fight.
Now Shakirova (8-1) stepped up and took the fight on short notice. The fight will be her first in the UFC.
Here’s how their fight went down with round-by-round scoring. For a full list of results, click here.
Round 1
Shakirova is trying for leg kicks. She’s thrown two in the early moments of the fight and missed both.
Shakirova is staying busy. Throwing a lot but not really landing. She then tries for a takedown and briefly gets one, but Murphy was back to the feet in the blink of an eye.
Murphy is coming forward and when she throws she’s landing a few shots at a time. She’s landed a few nice shots so far.
Now in the final two minutes, Murphy is getting after it. She’s really throwing a lot of punches and avoiding Shakirova’s strikes.
Shakirova shoots in for a takedown in the final minute, but Murphy stays strong and defends the takedown and then controlled the clinch before breaking it as the round comes to an end.
MyMMANews scores it 10-9 Murphy
Round 2
Murphy lands a high kick to start off the round.
Shakirova is throwing heavy. Every shot is hard and she’s not landing any of them. Meanwhile, Murphy is throwing straight clean shots and landing them.
Shakirova is circling around the octagon, but Murphy is doing a good job of cutting her when she has too and she’s landing her strikes when she throw.
Now Shakirova goes to the clinch and Murphy just out powers her and throws Shakirova right to the ground.
Murphy is then able to get ahold of Shakirova throat and picks up her first career submission win by way of a near naked choke.
Official Result: Lauren Murphy defeats by second-round submission due to a rear naked choke (3:31)
