The MMA Daily

Ever since Valentina Shevchenko moved down to Flyweight, I was certain that no one would ever beat her. That same sentiment remains true, as I just don’t see any viable contenders that could present issues. Perhaps the only one that would make for a competitive fight is Tatiana Suarez. However, considering she can’t stay healthy, it’s hard to say if that fight ever comes to fruition. For the fight at hand, Lauren Murphy is a well rounded fighter. She’s durable and tough as nails. The one knock I’ll say about Murphy is that she isn’t strong in any one area and because of that, the majority of her fights are close. In fact, in eleven UFC fights, four have been split decisions. 

As for a prediction, obviously I have Shevchenko. The Flyweight queen is a dynamic striker, who is as well rounded as it gets. While she mainly strikes, Shevchenko has excellent wrestling and grappling abilities. Physically strong, Shevchenko has combined for twenty five takedowns in her last seven fights. In other words, Shevchenko is in control of wherever she wants this fight to take place. In the end, I believe Shevchenko will beat Murphy via TKO due to lacerations and facial damage. 

Pick: Valentina Shevchenko