Tag: Lauren Murphy

UFC 247 results: Lauren Murphy edges Andrea Lee in hard-fought war

Lauren Murphy gets her second straight win since relocating to Houston.

[autotag]Lauren Murphy[/autotag]’s move to Houston keeps paying off.

The former Invicta FC champion picked up a split decision win over [autotag]Andrea Lee[/autotag] at Saturday’s UFC 247 for her second win in a row. The judges scoring octagon side had the bout 28-29, 29-28, 30-27 for Murphy.

It was a very close contest that had fans split in the end.

Both Murphy (12-4 MMA, 4-3 UFC) and Lee (11-4 MMA, 3-2 UFC) threw down in every round of an action packed back-and-forth battle. Lee appeared to land the better shots, but Murphy did damage, as well.

Rounds 1 and 2 were similar. Both fighters slugged it out, but Murphy managed to score a takedown in the final seconds of each round, perhaps giving her the edge in the first 10 minutes of the fight.

The third round was a bit different than the first two. Lee seemed to be in control on the feet, picking apart Murphy with varied attacks to the head, body and legs. Halfway through the round, Murphy fell after a failed head kick, and Lee managed to get a front headlock and threatened with an anaconda choke.

Murphy managed to service the choke and finish on top position. However, Murphy didn’t control the position, as Lee was able to cause a scramble and get on her feet. From that point on, Lee appeared to get the best of the striking exchanges, even stunning Murphy with a body shot in the final seconds of the round.

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After the decision was read, Muphy called out fellow veteran Roxanne Modafferi, asking for the fight three months down the line. Muphy is now 2-0 since switching camps from the The MMA Lab in Arizona to Houston.

Meanwhile, Lee is now on a two-fight skid after dropping split decisions to Joanne Calderwood and now Murphy.

The women’s flyweight bout was part of the UFC 247 preliminary card at Toyota Center in Houston. It aired on ESPN following early prelims on UFC Fight Pass/ESPN+ and ahead of the main card on pay-per-view.

Up-to-the-minute UFC 247 results include:

  • Lauren Murphy def. Andrea Lee via split decision (28-29, 29-28, 30-27)
  • Khaos Williams def. Alex Morono via knockout (punches) – Round 1, 0:27
  • Mario Bautista def. Miles Johns via TKO (flying knee, punches) – Round 2, 1:41
  • Journey Newson def. Domingo Pilarte via TKO (punches) – Round 1, 0:38
  • Andre Ewell def. Jonathan Martinez via split decision (28-29, 29-28, 30-27)
  • Youssef Zalal def. Austin Lingo via unanimous decision (30-27, 30-27, 30-27)

UFC 247 pre-event facts: Valentina Shevchenko has flawless flyweight resume

The best facts and figures about UFC 247, which features a Jon Jones vs. Dominick Reyes title-fight main event.

UFC action resumes Saturday with UFC 247, which takes place at Toyota Center in Houston with a main card that airs on pay-per-view following prelims on ESPN and early prelims on ESPN+/UFC Fight Pass.

A championship doubleheader sits atop the card. In the main event, [autotag]Jon Jones[/autotag] (25-1 MMA, 19-1 UFC) puts his light heavyweight title on the line against [autotag]Dominick Reyes[/autotag] (12-0 MMA, 6-0 UFC). The co-headliner sees women’s flyweight champ [autotag]Valentina Shevchenko[/autotag] (18-3 MMA, 7-2 UFC) meet [autotag]Katlyn Chookagian[/autotag] (13-2 MMA, 6-2 UFC).

For more on the numbers behind those title fights, as well as the rest of the 12-bout lineup, check below for 50 pre-event facts about UFC 247.

* * * *

Main event

Jones owns or is on the verge of owning numerous key UFC records. Check out his complete stat sheet to see where he stands in company history.

Reyes’ six-fight UFC winning streak at light heavyweight is the longest active streak in the division.

Reyes has earned nine of his 12 career victories by first-round stoppage.

Reyes lands 5.03 significant strikes per minute in UFC light heavyweight competition, the third rate among active fighters in the weight class behind Ion Cutelaba (5.27) and Aleksander Rakic (5.17).

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Reyes outlands his opponents by a +2.79 margin in significant strikes per minute, the second best rate in divisional history behind Alessio Sakara (3.24).

Reyes’ 29-second knockout of Joachim Christensen are UFC Fight Night 112 marked the second fastest stoppage by any debuting light-heavyweight in UFC history behind Ryan Jimmo’s seven-second win at UFC 149.

Reyes defends 84 percent of all opponent takedown attempts in UFC light heavyweight competition, the second highest rate among active fighters in the weight class behind Jones (95 percent).

Co-main event

Shevchenko is one of two women’s flyweight champions in UFC history. Nicco Montano also accomplished the feat.

Shevchenko’s two consecutive UFC women’s flyweight title defenses are most in divisional history.

Shevchenko is one of seven fighters in history to end a UFC title fight with a knockout stemming from a head kick. She accomplished the feat at UFC 238. Amanda Nunes, Georges St-Pierre, Anderson Silva, Renan Barao, Holly Holm and T.J. Dillashaw are the others.

Shevchenko is 4-0 since she dropped to the UFC flyweight division in February 2018.

Shevchenko’s four-fight UFC winning streak at women’s flyweight is the longest active streak in the division.

Shevchenko’s four victories in UFC women’s flyweight competition are tied with four others for most in divisional history.

Shevchenko has completed at least one takedown against eight of her nine UFC opponents.

Shevchenko and Liz Carmouche combined for 60 significant strikes landed at UFC on ESPN+ 14, the third fewest in a modern-era UFC title fight that went all five rounds. Only Sean Sherk vs. Hermes Franca (41) and Demetrious Johnson vs. Tim Elliott (52) had less.

Shevchenko outlanded Priscila Cachoeira 230-3 in total strikes at UFC Fight Night 125, the largest disparity in UFC women’s history.

Shevchenko’s two fight-night bonuses for UFC women’s flyweight bouts are most in divisional history.

Shevchenko has suffered both of her UFC losses to women’s bantamweight and featherweight champ Nunes.

Chookagian competes in her sixth UFC women’s flyweight bout, tied with Gillian Robertson and Roxanne Modafferi for most appearances in divisional history.

Chookagian is to 4-1 since she dropped to the UFC flyweight division in January 2018.

Chookagian’s four victories in UFC women’s flyweight competition are tied with Valentina Shevchenko, Joanne Calderwood and Gillian Robertson for most in divisional history.

Chookagian has earned 10 of her 13 career victories by decision. That includes all six of her UFC wins.

Chookagian defends 63.6 percent of all opponent significant strike attempts in UFC women’s flyweight competition, the best rate in divisional history.

Remaining main card

Juan Adams

[autotag]Juan Adams[/autotag] (5-2 MMA, 1-2 UFC) has suffered consecutive losses after starting his career on a five-fight winning streak.

[autotag]Mirsad Bektic[/autotag] (13-2 MMA, 5-2 UFC) absorbs 1.70 significant strikes per minute in UFC featherweight competition, the second-best rate in divisional history behind Rani Yahya (1.05).

Bektic completes 53.1 of his takedown attempts in UFC featherweight competition, the third highest rate among active fighters in the weight class behind Zubaira Tukhugov (57.5 percent) and Zabit Magomedsharipov (56.3 percent).

Bektic has completed at least two takedowns against five of his seven UFC opponents.

[autotag]Dan Ige[/autotag]’s (12-2 MMA, 4-1 UFC) four-fight UFC winning streak in featherweight competition is tied for the fourth longest active streak behind Arnold Allen (seven), Zabit Magomedsharipov (six) and Alexander Volkanovski (six).

Ige lands 50.6 of his significant strike attempts in UFC featherweight competition, the third best rate among active fighters in the weight class behind Volkanovski (56.3 percent) and Dooho Choi (51.2 percent).

Derrick Lewis

[autotag]Derrick Lewis[/autotag] (22-7 MMA, 13-5 UFC) makes his 19th UFC heavyweight appearance since 2014, the most in the division and second most fights on the roster behind Donald Cerrone (23).

Lewis’ 13 victories in UFC heavyweight competition are tied for fourth most in divisional history behind Andrei Arlovski (17), Frank Mir (16) and Junior Dos Santos (15).

Lewis’ 10 stoppage victories in UFC heavyweight competition are tied for fifth most in divisional history behind Mir (13), Arlovski (11), Gabriel Gonzaga (11) and Stefan Struve (11).

Lewis’ 10 knockout victories in UFC heavyweight competition are tied with Dos Santos and Cain Velasquez for most in divisional history.

Lewis’ 10 knockout victories in UFC competition since 2014 are second most among active fighters in the organization behind Thiago Santos (11).

Lewis’ six knockouts stemming from ground strikes in UFC competition are tied with Randy Couture for second most in company history behind Velasquez (eight).

Lewis is the only fighter in history to have his first eight UFC fights end in a knockout.

Lewis’ knockout of Alexander Volkov at UFC 229 despite a -82 significant strike differential marked the greatest statistical striking comeback in UFC history.

Lewis and Francis Ngannou combined for 31 total strikes landed at UFC 226, the second fewest in a three-round UFC fight that went the distance behind Jens Pulver vs. Joao Roque (23) at UFC 26 in June 2000.

Ilir Latifi

[autotag]Ilir Latifi[/autotag] (14-7 MMA, 7-5 UFC) moves up to the UFC heavyweight division after spending his first 12 promotional appearances at light heavyweight. His 12 light heavyweight bouts are the most for any fighter in UFC history

Latifi enters the event on the first losing skid of his career. He hasn’t earned a victory since February 2018.

Latifi is one of four light heavyweights in UFC history to earn two stoppage victories in less than one minute each. Volkan Oezdemir, Johnny Walker and Anthony Johnson also accomplished the feat.

Latifi’s fight vs. Cyrille Diabate at UFC Fight Night 37 marked the first fight in UFC history to feature zero combined significant strike attempts.

Preliminary card

Trevin Giles

[autotag]Trevin Giles[/autotag] (11-2 MMA, 2-2 UFC) has suffered consecutive losses after starting his career 11-0.

Giles is 1-2 since he dropped to the UFC middleweight division in December 2017.

[autotag]Lauren Murphy[/autotag] (11-4 MMA, 3-4 UFC), 36, is the oldest of the 24 fighters scheduled to compete at the event. Lauren Murphy is a single day older.

Murphy has alternated wins and losses over her past seven fights. She was victorious in her most recent bout at UFC on ESPN 5 in August.

Murphy is 2-1 since she dropped to the UFC flyweight division in December 2017.

Murphy is one of five female fighters in UFC history to earn a knockout stemming from a knee strike. She accomplished the feat at UFC on ESPN 5.

[autotag]Youssef Zalal[/autotag] (7-2 MMA, 0-0 UFC), 23, is the youngest of the 24 fighters scheduled to compete at the event.

UFC research analyst and live statistics producer Michael Carroll contributed to this story. Follow him on Twitter @MJCflipdascript.

Lauren Murphy unsure if a win over Andrea Lee at UFC 247 gets her next flyweight title shot

Lauren Murphy not sure she’ll get next title shot with win at UFC 247, but knows it will move her up the ladder.

HOUSTON — [autotag]Lauren Murphy[/autotag] knows her upcoming fight is big, but maybe not big enough to get her to her ultimate goal.

The former Invicta FC bantamweight champion takes on fellow contender Andrea Lee on the preliminary card of Saturday’s UFC 247. It’s a prominent contest involving two top-10 fighters who’ve yet to face current champion Valentina Shevchenko – who also competes on the card, defending her flyweight title against Katlyn Chookagian in the co-main event.

Despite not being a next clear contender for the champ, Murphy (11-4 MMA, 3-3 UFC) is not too convinced she’ll get the next crack at the belt with a win over Lee (11-3 MMA, 3-1 UFC) on Saturday night.

“Hopefully it puts me in the top five,” Murphy told MMA Junkie. “I’m not totally confident that gives me a title shot. That will depend maybe if I have an amazing finish. It really puts me in the top five, so we’ll see what happens. There’s a couple of girls in the top five I’m interested in fighting for sure.”

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Regardless, Murphy looks to put on the best performance of her career and hopefully make it two finishes in a row, having stopped Mara Romero Borella in her last bout back in August.

“I’m going to be looking for the finish,” Murphy said. “I like to think I always look for the finish, but I’ve had such a great camp. I’m with a new team now and they just give me a lot of confidence and really good game plans and for me that makes all the difference.

“I’m really looking forward to put on a show and just show everybody what I’m capable of. I really think if I go in there and implement the game plan that’s been given to me, and just fight they way I’ve been training the last few weeks, I think the finish will just present itself.”

The switch in camps is a fairly recent development. Murphy changed teams for her last bout and believes the decision is paying off.

Murphy left the MMA Lab in Phoenix, Ariz. and moved to Houston where she trains with various people in various places. The change has given new life to her fighting career.

“It just felt like the right time,” Murphy said. “When I was in Phoenix, I wanted a change for a long time and my son was in high school out there and I had always promised him that were not going to make him change schools while in high school – he was going to stay in school for four years.

“He had a really great high school experience, so it all just kind of came together that my last fight, when I got booked to fight Mara, he had graduated that same time, so we went to his graduation and then I came out to Texas for the camp against Mara. I just had the time of my life. It was great camp and I had the time of my life. I felt reinvigorated and renewed, fell involve with the sport again, loved the process probably more than I had in the last five or six years and I think that’s so import for us.

“If you don’t love what you’re doing, you’re not going to do well. So for me, to find that again was huge and I had such a good performance against Mara it would be stupid not to chase this.”

Murphy has done work in Main Street May Thai, Gracie Barra, Renzo Gracie, and Grind House Dynamic Sports Training for Saturday’s bout. She’s also reunited with some old teachers as she’s now training under Alex Cisne, who helped her with her Invicta FC run. Murphy has also worked with Derrick Lewis’ coach, Bob Perez.

UFC 247 takes place Saturday at Toyota Center in Houston. The main card airs on pay-per-view following prelims on ESPN and early prelims on UFC Fight Pass/ESPN+.

For more from Murphy, click on the video above.

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UFC 247 lineup finalized: Jon Jones vs. Dominick Reyes leads championship doubleheader

Check out the official lineup and broadcast plans for UFC 247, which takes place Feb. 8 in Houston.

UFC 247 will feature a championship double-header as two of the promotion’s most dominant champions get top billing.

UFC 247 takes place Feb. 8 at Toyota Center in Houston. The main card airs on pay-per-view following prelims on ESPN and UFC Fight Pass/ESPN+.

The main event features UFC light heavyweight champ [autotag]Jon Jones[/autotag] (25-1 MMA, 19-1 UFC) putting his title on the line against yet another young and hungry contender in undefeated [autotag]Dominick Reyes[/autotag] (12-0 MMA, 6-0 UFC).

In the co-main event, UFC women’s flyweight champion [autotag]Valentina Shevchenko[/autotag] (18-3 MMA, 7-2 UFC) will attempt to make her third title defense, when she faces [autotag]Katlyn Chookagian[/autotag] (13-2 MMA, 6-2 UFC).

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The card also will feature [autotag]Ilir Latifi[/autotag]’s heavyweight debut vs. the “Black Beast” [autotag]Derrick Lewis[/autotag], a matchup between featherweight prospects in [autotag]Mirsad Bektic[/autotag] and [autotag]Dan Ige[/autotag], and bantamweights [autotag]Jimmie Rivera[/autotag] and [autotag]Marlon Vera[/autotag], who look to break into 135-pound title contention.

The full UFC 247 lineup includes:

MAIN CARD (Pay-per-view, 10 p.m. ET)

  • Champ Jon Jones vs. Dominick Reyes – for light heavyweight title
  • Champ Valentina Shevchenko vs. Katlyn Chookagian – for women’s flyweight title
  • [autotag]Juan Adams[/autotag] vs. [autotag]Justin Tafa[/autotag]
  • Mirsad Bektic vs. Dan Ige
  • Ilir Latifi vs. Derrick Lewis

PRELIMINARY CARD (ESPN, 8 p.m. ET)

  • Jimmie Rivera vs. Marlon Vera
  • [autotag]Antonio Arroyo[/autotag] vs. [autotag]Trevin Giles[/autotag]
  • [autotag]Dhiego Lima[/autotag] vs. [autotag]Alex Morono[/autotag]
  • [autotag]Andrea Lee[/autotag] vs. [autotag]Lauren Murphy[/autotag]

PRELIMINARY CARD (ESPN+, 6:15 p.m. ET)

  • [autotag]Mario Bautista[/autotag] vs. [autotag]Miles Johns[/autotag]
  • [autotag]Journey Newson[/autotag] vs. [autotag]Domingo Pilarte[/autotag]
  • [autotag]Andre Ewell[/autotag] vs. [autotag]Jonathan Martinez[/autotag]

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Andrea Lee vs. Lauren Murphy planned for Feb. 8 UFC card

An interesting flyweight fight is heading to a UFC card expected to land in Houston.

An interesting flyweight fight is heading to the UFC’s expected return to Houston.

[autotag]Andrea Lee[/autotag] and [autotag]Lauren Murphy[/autotag] will square off on the yet-to-be-announced Feb. 8 card which is being targeted for the Texas city. Both fighters announced the bout over their social media accounts, after a report from MyMMANews.

The 30-year-old Lee (11-3 MMA, 3-1 UFC) isn’t wasting much time trying to shake off her first UFC loss. Lee dropped a split decision to Joanne Calderwood at UFC 242, which ended a streak in which she won her first three UFC bouts and seven overall.

Murphy (11-4 MMA, 3-4 UFC), meanwhile, has proven to be a dependable competitor over the years, always a tough out win or lose. The MMA Lab competitor is coming off a third-round TKO win at UFC on ESPN 5, which gave her two wins in her past three fights.

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