“That’s how guys felt when they were competing with Khabib,” Lauren Murphy compares Valentina Shevchenko with Khabib and Michael Jordan after UFC 266


“That’s how guys felt when they were competing with Khabib,” Lauren Murphy compares Valentina Shevchenko with Khabib and Michael Jordan after UFC 266

Lauren Murphy and Valentina Shevchenko

The UFC women’s Flyweight champion, Valentina Shevchenko successfully defended her title against Lauren Murphy at the co-main event of UFC 266. Shevchenko finished Murphy in the fourth round of the fight and ended her five-fight winning streak.

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Lauren Murphy was in awe of the performance that Shevchenko put in front of her inside the Octagon, which is why she compared her to some of the biggest icons in the sport. In his recent interview with MMA Fighting, Murphy says,

“She was incredible, It was pretty crazy to be in there with somebody at that level because I’ve never truly competed with anybody that level before. I don’t remember the fourth round, really, so I guess that’s pretty good.”

“It’s a bummer to lose, and that’s the first time I had ever been finished. I think it was a good stoppage, I was pretty out of it by the time the ref pulled her off of me. It’s definitely not the outcome we wanted but, to be honest with you, it was pretty cool to be in there with a martial artist of her caliber.”

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Murphy continued, “That’s a pretty cool experience. That must be what it’s like to go play one-on-one with Michael Jordan, or that’s how guys felt when they were competing with Khabib [Nurmagomedov], because it really was, ‘Holy sh*t, this girl is really on another level.’” {H/T MMA Fighting}

Lauren Murphy planning to take on Cynthia Calvillo next year

Valentina Shevchenko and Lauren Murphy
Valentina Shevchenko and Lauren Murphy

Now after taking the experience of championship fight week, Lauren Murphy is planning to take off for the rest of the year and start her training camp next year. Murphy already has a name in her mind for her next fight.

She added, “I’d like to fight Cynthia Calvillo in March or April, If I had my druthers, that would be the way it goes. I want to enjoy the holidays with my family. I can’t remember the last time I enjoyed Halloween, Thanksgiving, and Christmas with no worries, and just do whatever I want.”

Also Read: “DC didn’t realize I only had three corners in there that night,” Lauren Murphy talks about Daniel Cormier’s criticism for her corner at UFC 266.

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