The Ultimate Fighting Championship event in Nashville this past Saturday saw the retirement of the oldest female fighter on the active roster. After 23 professional fights, former title challenger Lauren Murphy hung up her gloves following a decision loss.
The UFC Fight Night event featured a main event between heavyweights Derrick Lewis and Tallison Teixeira. The undercard included various bouts, setting the stage for the veteran Murphy`s final Octagon appearance.
Lauren Murphy, aged 41, confirmed her decision to retire from mixed martial arts. Known as `Lucky`, she previously contested for the women`s flyweight title against Valentina Shevchenko at UFC 266 in 2021. Since that championship bout loss, her appearances in the Octagon have been infrequent, competing only twice in the last three years.
For her retirement fight, Murphy faced the promising 11-1 Brazilian fighter, Eduarda Moura. Despite Murphy`s extensive experience as a 14-time UFC competitor, Moura secured a convincing unanimous decision victory, showcasing her striking prowess against the veteran.
Murphy went the full three rounds in her final bout, ultimately losing to an opponent who is a decade her junior.
However, before the final bell, Murphy delivered a dramatic moment in the third round. She came remarkably close to finishing the fight with a standing guillotine submission attempt, transitioning from the ground to a standing position with the choke locked in. Moura showed resilience, surviving the late scare to earn her third win in the UFC.
Lauren Murphy`s Career Highlights
Lauren Murphy`s professional MMA journey began in 2010. She won her first eight fights before making her UFC debut in 2014. Murphy had two separate periods competing under the UFC banner; she was released in 2016 but earned her way back in 2017 after participating in season 26 of `The Ultimate Fighter` reality show.
Throughout her career, Murphy collected significant victories against notable opponents, including former title contender Roxanne Modafferi, established fighter Joanne Wood, Andrea Lee, and women’s MMA pioneer Barb Honchak.
Arguably the most significant win of Murphy`s career was a unanimous decision victory over former UFC women’s bantamweight champion Miesha Tate. This win occurred after Murphy`s title fight loss to Valentina Shevchenko, marking a strong rebound performance against a high-profile former champion.
Jack Thornley