Miesha Tate’s flyweight debut did not go as planned.
The former UFC and Strikeforce women’s bantamweight champion lost a unanimous decision to veteran Lauren Murphy on Saturday at UFC on ABC 3. The scores read 30-27, 30-27 and 29-28.
The women’s flyweight bout opened up the UFC on ABC 3 main card at UBS Arena in Elmont, N.Y.
The fight started out competitive, but the tide clearly turned in Murphy’s favor as the minutes went on.
In the first round, Tate (19-8 MMA, 6-5 UFC) had good success with her jab. She connected clean and often. Murphy (16-5 MMA, 8-5 UFC) did a good job at times in countering it and would come over the top with a right-hand counter. With two minutes left, Tate attempted a takedown but failed and ended up pressing Murphy against the cage. From there, both fighters alternated positions and went back-and-forth in the clinch. They broke off in the final 10 seconds, but neither did much to close out the round.
Early in the second, Murphy connected sharp and had Tate bleeding from her nose. Shortly after, she scored a takedown and landed some good ground-and-pound to go with it. The control didn’t last long, as Tate would quickly get up. From there, both fighters engaged on the feet. Tate had good success, but Murphy’s jab seemed to be the most significant technique in the exchanges. In the final minute, Tate pressed Murphy against the cage but was unsuccessful in getting a takedown. Tate controlled the action until the bell.
In the last round, Tate looked to get a takedown, but Murphy was able to defend the attempts. In the process, Murphy battered the former champion on the feet and had her bleeding from her nose, and her eye was starting to swell shut. Credit to Tate, who brought the fight to Murphy at all times, but Murphy was able to withstand the pressure and deliver damage.
With this result, Murphy was able to bounce back from her defeat to champion Valentina Shevchenko back in September 2021. Murphy is 6-1 since 2019 with her only defeat to Shevchenko. The win over Tate marks Murphy’s first victory against a former UFC champion.
Meanwhile, the loss for Tate signaled a failed flyweight debut. “Cupcake” had retired in 2016 but came back in mid 2021 with a dominant victory over Marion Reneau. She then returned in November and dropped a decision against Brazil’s Ketlen Vieira. Tate is 1-2 since coming back from retirement.
Up-to-the-minute UFC on ABC 3 results include:
- Lauren Murphy def. Miesha Tate via unanimous decision (30-27, 30-27, 29-28)
- Punahele Soriano def. Dalcha Lungiambula via knockout (punches) – Round 2, 0:28
- Ricky Simon def. Jack Shore via submission (arm-triangle choke) – Round 2, 3:28
- Bill Algeo def. Herbert Burns via TKO (retirement) – Round 2, 1:50
- Dustin Jacoby def. Da-un Jung via knockout (punch) – Round 1, 3:13
- Dustin Stoltzfus def. Dwight Grant via unanimous decision (29-28, 29-28, 29-28)
- Emily Ducote def. Jessica Penne via unanimous decision (29-28, 29-28, 30-27)
For more on the card, visit MMA Junkie’s event hub for UFC on ABC 3.
