Esther Lin, MMA Fighting
Lauren Murphy realizes the risk she’s taking at UFC 254 and the reward should lead her to an opportunity to fight for the women’s flyweight title.
Murphy, who was originally scheduled to face Cynthia Calvillo on Saturday before a positive COVID-19 test forced Calvillo out of the matchup, will now take on newcomer Liliya Shakirova on Saturday’s main card. The event takes place on Fight Island in Abu Dhabi in the culmination of a five-event trip for the promotion.
Both fighters enter the 125-pound contest on three-fight winning streaks, with Murphy holding octagon wins over Mara Romero Borella, Andrea Lee and Roxanne Modafferi.
Ahead of Saturday’s PPV event, Murphy joined MMA Fighting’s Mike Heck from Abu Dhabi to preview the matchup with Shakirova, talks her reaction to finding out Calvillo was scratched, why she decided to stay on the card, the short notice mystery surrounding her opponent, Jessica Andrade’s first-round finish of Katlyn Chookagian at UFC Fight Island 6, believing Andrade should get a title shot—just not the next one—and more.