Anchorage’s Murphy loses UFC fight by unanimous decision in three rounds

For the third time in her UFC career, Anchorage fighter Lauren Murphy lost a close fight by decision.

UFC newcomer Katlyn Chookagian defeated Murphy (9-3, 1-3 UFC) via unanimous decision Wednesday during the undercard of UFC Fight Night 91 at Denny Sanford Premier Center in Sioux Falls, South Dakota. The event was featured on Fox Sports' FS1.

When the final bell sounded, the scorecards read 29-28 across the board in favor of Chookagian (8-0, 1-0 UFC).

"Well that definitely wasn't the result we were expecting or wanted, but it is what it is," Murphy wrote on Twitter after the fight. "That's the fight game. I did my best and stuck to our game plan, and tonight it just wasn't enough."

[Anchorage fighter Murphy earns first UFC win, $50,000 bonus with 3rd-round TKO]

Chookagian used her superior reach to fight a defensive fight and land more strikes in the first round.

Murphy responded by taking the fight to the ground in the second round — the only round she won — but Chookagian went back to her defensive style in the third round to keep Murphy at bay and eke out the win.

"Despite the result, this is the best Lauren Murphy I've ever been, both as a fighter and as a person," Murphy wrote. "That's the first time I've ever felt like I truly lost a fight fair and square, but I will say I'm getting tired of fighting women who run away the whole fight."

Murphy, who got her start as an Alaska Fighting Championship star, won her first UFC fight in February — a third-round TKO over UFC rookie Kelly Faszholz.

Prior to beating Faszholz, Murphy lost two narrow fights by decision.

She lost her first UFC fight to Sara McMann by split decision in 2014 and her second fight against Liz Carmouche by unanimous decision in 2015.

Like Wednesday, her fight against Carmouche was also a 29-28 loss on all three judges' scorecards.

It's unclear what is next for Murphy.

She said on Twitter that she's "got some decisions to make" and will "(take) a vacation for some time to sort it out."